Vincent Desiderio

The Honolulu Museum of Art research by: Marcy Katz Name of Artist: Vincent Desiderio 1. Biodata” a. Dates: born 1955 b. Place of Birth: Media Penn, near Philadelphia c. Residence: Westchester County, NY d. Education: Haverford College , Fine Arts Academy in Florence Italy, then 4 years at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts e. presently teaches at Penna Academy of Fine Arts e. Shows/Galleries: Currently at Marbolough Chelsea, NYC a new show of large scale work until Oct 15. His work is in major international museum collections, including our own. There is a monograph of his work from 1975-2005 as well as a catalog of his present show. 2. Media/Techniques a. Media: oil and mixed media, shellac based ink first b. Techniques Employed: large scale work, illusionistic, and allegorical references borrows and copies Western historical painting techniques and subject matter of at least the last 5 centuries of art . Works from dark to light. He skews perspective so that his finished works show multiple points of view and picture planes. 3. Philosophical Information a. Influences (historical and personal): b. Expressive Qualities (realistic, naturalistic, etc): Mysterious narratives, allegorical, hyper realistic figures in exaggerated poses, aerial views, poetic Read about his style here in a review by MIA Fineman in the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/arts/design/01FINE.html as well as a press release from the Marlborough Chelsea in 2008: http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/press_releases/exhibitions/51/original/ Desiderio_pr_2008.pdf?1247605614 c. Subject Matter: d. Content: the shadows look like mirrow e. Other 4. Anecdotal Information and Quotations: Received several grants and awards including the Pollock-Krasner foundation grant, the Painting NEA in 1987 and was the first American to receive the Grand Prize of art in Monace in 1996 Quote of his during a painting workshop at the Penna Academy of Fine Arts, March 2009 "Painting can develop a language that has the authority of science. Painting should be a conversation with doubt and a reconciliation of that doubt. Artists must be more proactive in rediscovering ones self. Become engaged with yourself, create something you can believe, don’t fall victim to theoreticism. Cronies, gallery owners or markets cannot predetermine every action by an artist. Make an endowment of your internal life; it is infinity to plumb." 5. References ( Internet, books, magazines) The following reviews of his current Marborough show: http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/09/vincent-desiderio-new-paintings-and.html http://lucidculture.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/two-3/ see 25 images: http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/galleries/new-york/artists/vincent-desiderio