Artist of realism
BIOGRAPHY
Paolo Campa (Pseudonym of Paolo Alberto Campanile), of Swiss mother and Neapolitan origin, was born in 1964 in Lugano. New generation contemporary figurative artist. Constructivist, he pursues beauty and elegance with high values, in the search for a language of our time.
Born in Lugano from a family of hoteliers, well-known hoteliers between the 1960s and 1990s, the young "Paolo Campa (then Paolo Campanile), always fascinated by art, began his first approaches to painting at the age of 13 using tubes of paint occasionally left by his cousin Dario Campanile, older than him, born in 1948. He was a follower , between the 60s and 70s, of the studies of Giorgio De Chirico in 1967 and Salvador Dalì in 1973.
Since 1985 his youthful path has been greatly influenced by the metaphysical surrealism of his cousin and his mentor, Dario.
In 1987 he took part in his first collective exhibition at the "Poltera" Gallery in Lugano.
From 1997 he began as a professional, teaching in private schools, while in the same year, he changed his last name to “Campa”, an affective nickname attributed to him by his peers already in his youth.
From the mid-1990s, he abandoned surrealism and created his own personal language white constructivist realism and remarkable technical expertise.
His meeting in 2003 with the gallery owner and curator Antonina Zaru was significant, as she included him among the Italian artistof her gallery in Capri (NA), and presented him together with theme in two the other artists in two traveling exhibitions between the United States and London.
Since 2006, international fairs, such as those in Milan and Bologna, open up continuous opportunities for him, where he is discovered by the well-known critic Maurizio Sciaccaluga who, in 2007, before his sudden death, included it in his latest exhibition, which was later taken over by Vittorio Sgarbi, under the theme: "New painters of Reality".
Several exhibition and fair followed afterwards between Italy and Switzerland, in particular in Zurich. His last performances continued whit the Silvano Lodi Gallery in Lugano, and whit the "Minima Gallery" in Mykonos, presenting his new expressive evolutions including portraits, compositions and naturalistic views.
MY WORK
After my earlier studies on metaphysical surrealism, my research was then based on the language of realism, documenting the lived testimony of a change in the new Western society. It was a long series of portraits on multi-ethnic generations, made between 2003 and 2009. This theme, followed by that of flowers, emphasizes a poetic analysis through the symbolic aspects of "change", as for a garden in the changing of the seasons.
The research of my work always pursues beauty and expressive elegance through luminous, chromatic and spatial balances, restoring them in a new and contemporary vision of figurative art.
Even my floral compositions are a reflection of my state of mind, always seeking symbolic, almost philosophical representations... representing them in the utmost aesthetic balance, starting from the initial sketch, right through to the final composition within the overall vision of the work.
My work stems from a need for balance and formal clarity. I recognize a hidden order in nature that I strive to convey with precision and respect. The apparent simplicity of the image is the result of a rigorous process: a way of listening to reality, of bringing to light what normally escapes the eye.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION
2017 Silvano Lodi Gallery, bipersonal exhibition: “Zensual”, paintings and sculptures by: Paolo Campa and Marco Cornini, Lugano
2013 Galleria Sacchetti, “New works” curate by Giovanna and Frederik Jensen, Ascona, Switzerland
2011 Galleria Sacchetti, “Paolo Campa” curated by Giovanna and Frederik Jensen, Ascona, Switzerland
2010 Extrafid Art Fondazione, “Flowers and Portraits, the return of painting and beauty”, curated by Fabrizio Ballabio, Lugano, Switzerland
2002 Galleria L’Incontro, “On paper”, recent soft pastels and drawing, Lugano, Switzerland
2009 ArtSeefeld, See/301, “Die neuen Generationen im Göttergarten”, Zurich, Switzerland
1999 Fasco Contemporary Art Room, Lugano, Switzerland
1998 Maria Schönenberger-Kyrimis Gallery, Zurich Switzerland
1997 Ex Municipio (City Hall) di Castagnola, Lugano, Switzerland
1996 Centro Residenza Maraini, Lugano, Switzerland
1993 Espace Penta, Ginevra, Switzerland / Galerie “Au temps qui passe”, Genolier sur Nyon, Switzerland
1992 BCG Banque hypothécaire du Canton de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION
2025 Punto Sull'Arte International Contemporary Art, "12° Edition 15x15/20x20. Varese, Italy / Sacchetti Gallery ,"Charity show to benefit the valleys hit by bad weather", curated by Pia Zeugin, Ascona, Switzerland. / Punto sull'Arte International Contemporary Art, "IN - LEAF", Varese, Italy.
2023 “Real'23”, curated by Christoph Eberle and Markus Rey, guest exhibition at the Kunst(Zeug)Haus, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland /
Photobastei Zürich, "Hyper'23 - Hyperrealist Artists from Europe", curatet by Christoph Eberle, Zurich, Switzerland
2021 Galeria “Arte Roma”, in coll. with Artelibre Gallery and MEAM Museum, Zaragoza, Spain / Palazzo Einaudi, "The Great masters of International Realism", curated by Artelibre in collaboration with MEAM Museum of Barcellona, Chivasso (TO), Italy
2019 Pinacoteca G.Bellini, “#NoPixel Art to the limit”, curated by Massimo Rossi, Sarnico (BG), Italy
2018 Minima Gallery, Summer Season 2018, curated by Spiros Protopsaltis, Mykonos, Greece
2015 Palazzo Einaudi, “Non solo Vero” (Realists and hyperrealists in comparison), curated by Francesco Schialvino, Chivasso (Turin), Italy
2014 809 Art Gallery, “Masters of Hyperrealism”, curated by Andreas Bianchi, Milan / Casa Landfogti, “Collezione ExtrafidArt”, curated by Fabrizio Ballabio, Rivera, Switzerland
2013 7th Edition of "Arte Laguna", Arsenale - Venice, Italy
2011 Galleria Sacchetti, Ascona, Switzerland
2007 58th Edition Michetti Award, “News Realism”, curated by Maurizio Sciaccaluga, Museo of Palazzo San Domenico, Francavilla a Mare (Chieti), Italy / Galerie Caroline Dechamby, “Flowers”, in collaboration with Galleria Forni of Bologna, Grans-Montana, Switzerland / PAC-Pavillon of Contemporary Art, “New Painters of Reality”, curated by councilor to the culture of the City of Milan Vittorio Sgarbi, Milan, Italy
2006 Della Pina Arte Contemporanea, Pietrasanta (LU), Italy / Galleria Forni, “Flowers”, Bologna, Italy / Galleria D’Arte Contemporanea, Palazzo Ducale di Pavullo, “Flowers”, in collaboration with Daniela Facchinato, Image Gallery and Galleria Forni, curated by Paolo Donini and Daniela Del Moro, Pavullo (MO), Italy
2005 Galleria L’Incontro, “Gentes”, Lugano, Switzerland
2004 Galleria Artesegno, Udine, Italy / Palazzo Frisacco di Tolmezzo, “Checkpoint”, Udine, Italy
2003 Barbara Behan Gallery, London UK / Capri Palace, Capri, Italy / Galleria Capricorno, Capri, Italy / Sotheby’s, in collaboration with the Director Iris Fabbri, Lugano, Switzerland / Capricorno Gallery, curated by Antonina Zaru, Washington DC, USA
2001 Sotheby’s, in collaboration with the Director Iris Fabbri, Lugano, Switzerland
2000 Sotheby’s, in collaboration with the Dir. Iris Fabbri, Lugano, Switzerland
1997 Galleria de Arte El Catalejo, Marbella, Spain
1990 Galleria D’Arte nel Mondo di Fiori, Lugano, Switzerland
1989 Galleria D’Arte nel Mondo dei Fiori, Lugano, Switzerland
1987 Galleria D’Arte Poltera, Lugano, Switzerland
ART FAIR
2018 Wopart "Work on Paper Art Fair", Silvano Lodi Gallery (Lugano), Lugano, Switzerland
2017 Bologna Art Fair, Silvano Lodi Gallery (Lugano), Bologna, Italy / Wopart "Work on Paper Art Fair", Silvano Lodi Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland
2007 MiArt ’07, Della Pina Arte Contemporanea (Pietrasanta), Milan, Italy / KunStart ’07, Della Pina Arte Contemporanea (Pietrasanta), Bolzano, Italy
2006 MiArt ’06, Della Pina Arte Contemporanea (Pietrasanta), Milano, Italy / ArtVerona ’06 Della Pina Arte Contemporanea (Pietrasanta), Verona, Italy
AWARD
2013 Finalist 7a edition of the “Arte Laguna” Prize, Venezia - Arsenale, Italy / Winner of the “Mostra Personale” Prize, (Arte Laguna) Venice, Italy
2007 Premio Michetti, “Nuovi realismi”, Francavilla a Mare Prov. di Chieti, Italy
1995 1st Prize “La voce” Pro Castagnola, Lugano, Switzerland