IL BOSCO DELLE SOMALE (1970) Printmaking by Salvatore Fiume

Salvatore Fiume (23 October 1915 – 3 June 1997) was a distinguished Italian painter, sculptor, architect, writer, and stage designer whose works are housed in some of the world's most prestigious museums, including the Vatican Museums, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, and the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan.

Born in Comiso, Sicily, Fiume showed artistic promise from a young age. At sixteen, he won a scholarship to the Royal Institute for Book Illustration in Urbino, where he honed his skills in printing techniques such as etching and lithography. He completed his studies at twenty-one and moved to Milan, where he mingled with notable intellectuals and artists, including Salvatore Quasimodo, Dino Buzzati, and Raffaele Carrieri.

In 1938, Fiume became the art director of Tecnica e organizzazione, a cultural magazine sponsored by Adriano Olivetti, during which time he published his first novel, Viva Gioconda!, in 1943. Despite his literary success, he felt a stronger calling toward painting. In 1946, he relocated to a 19th-century silk mill in Canzo, near Como, where he embarked on a multifaceted exploration of pictorial, sculptural, and architectural expression.

Fiume's first major exhibition took place in 1949 at the Galleria Borromini in Milan, featuring works like Isole di statue and Città di statue. The exhibition garnered significant attention, leading to acquisitions by institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1950, he was invited to exhibit at the Venice Biennale, showcasing his triptych Isola di statue, which earned him a feature in Life magazine.

In collaboration with architect Gio Ponti, Fiume created a monumental work for the Andrea Doria ocean liner, entitled Le leggende d'Italia, which depicted an imaginary Renaissance city. He also began a series of large paintings commissioned by industrialist Bruno Buitoni, Sr., reflecting his fascination with Renaissance artists like Piero della Francesca and Paolo Uccello.

Fiume's career flourished with numerous international exhibitions and travels, enriching his artistic vision with diverse cultural influences. His works toured several German museums in 1962 and continued to gain recognition through various exhibitions, including a notable display at the Palazzo Reale in Milan in 1974, where he showcased Gioconda Africana, now part of the Vatican Museums' collection.

A talented stage designer, Fiume worked at prestigious venues such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Covent Garden in London between 1950 and 1960. As a writer, he produced multiple novels, short stories, a comedy, a tragedy, and poetry collections, receiving an honorary degree in Modern Letters from the University of Palermo in 1988.

Fiume's later years saw him delve into sculpture, with his debut exhibition in 1994. He personally crafted large sculptures, including Le tre grazie, showcasing his commitment to his art despite health challenges. His sculptural works, created from various materials like stone, bronze, and resin, can be found in public spaces, including the European Parliament in Strasbourg and hospitals in Milan and Rome.

Salvatore Fiume's rich legacy in the arts is marked by his innovative spirit and dedication, leaving an indelible impact on contemporary Italian art and culture.

• Nationality: ITALY
• Date of birth : unknown date
• Artistic domains: Represented by a Gallery,
• Groups: Contemporary Italian Artists Artists presented by a gallery