Bato | Mirabilia | April 2022

In his new one-man show Mirabilia, Rome painter and sculptor Bato takes the viewer on a journey back in time to the Middle Ages. The artist is interested specifically in the medieval imagination: a world populated by mythological figures, fantastical creatures, exotic races and all forms of dreams and marvels. Bato’s works reference a variety of medieval literary texts including commentaries on the Book of Genesis, the romances of Alexander the Great which recount battles with fabulous beasts and outlandish peoples, and the mysterious Letter of Prester John, an epistolary wonder tale which spread throughout Europe in the 12th century and describes an imaginary magical kingdom.

Mirabilia thus becomes a contradictory land which can be idyllic but also fearful and dangerous. The theme allows Bato to experiment freely with different shapes and colors, giving full range to his visions and ideas while slipping the ropes of rationality…

BATO was born in Rome in 1977. He holds a degree in Literature and Philosophy and a diploma in art from the capital’s Liceo Artistico Sperimentale Alberto Savinio.  He has exhibited widely in Italy and in 2019-2020, the Tonino Guerra Museum in northern Italy hosted his solo exhibition Jungle.

A natural draftsman who experiments with various techniques and mediums, Bato’s work encompasses painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and even animated video. Bato depicts the very essence of his subject matter in a fluid and spontaneous manner. Stimulated by his interest in jazz, improvisation and gestural painting are key features of his working method. While the medium may change, Bato’s signature qualities remain the same: harmony, elegance and playfulness. Looking at a Bato creation is like looking into an aquarium where the world is weightless, vital and free, and time is absolutely irrelevant.