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Roberto Pagliarulo

View Roberto’s work in our Summer Exhibition

Biography

Roberto Pagliarulo was born in 1979 in St. Albans to an Italian father and English mother. He was brought up in an artistic family, with his father being interested in art and photography and his mother being a professional actress. He was educated at Haileybury, where he was an academic and art scholar and received the College’s painting prize. He then went on to obtain a first class degree in History at Bristol University and an M. Phil in American Literature from Jesus College, Cambridge University. He then pursued a career in art and law, being represented by two art galleries in London and working for law firms, Slaughter and May and Norton Rose Fulbright.

In addition to a love of Roses as a subject matter, Roberto’s recent work is inspired by Italian culture, mythology and landscape and is both figurative and surreal, drawing parallels with the Metaphysical art of Georgio de Chirico. It is also full of colour. Unconventional imagery, unexpected compositions and unpredictable colour scheming depict his own particular reality. Roberto’s paintings are worlds within worlds, peopled by figures of antiquity where apples might be blue, trees are pink and windows open upon ancient ruins. These enigmatic cityscapes inspired by the light of the Mediterranean are inventive and dreamlike, drawing the viewer into a captivating perceptual experience.

“Roberto’s paintings are both beautiful and intriguing, and that mystery is at the heart of their reality.” Paul Richards, artist and senior tutor at The Slade School of Art.

“Italy has always been an important subject in Roberto Pagliarulo’s practice. With an Italian father, the depiction of the country allows the artist to explore his cultural heritage. Like artists Peter Doig and David Hockney, Pagliarulo paints the landscape with nostalgia, magic realism and as an expression of his identity. Whilst honouring Italy’s mythical history, Roberto Pagliarulo pushes past tradition with his distinctly calligraphic style of painting. The artist leaves you dreaming of an escape to Italy.

Playing on the notion of mythology, Pagliarulo’s cast of characters include fauns and satyrs, who herald the viewer, opening out their arms. He invites us to share in his waking dream, holding up a mirror into this fantastical world, where myth and reality collide.  The artist also creates a dream-like atmosphere through his enchanting and unconventional use of colour. In works such as ‘Ravello, Amalfi’ trees are painted purple, with complementary yellow foliage. In others, pathways appear in deep magenta. There’s a sublime simplicity to his flat blocks of Matisse-like colour, and warm summer light, through which he casts a magical spell over Italy.”       Ruth Millington, Art critic & Head of Careers at Sothebys

“A cacophony of colour to raise the spirits”, Catriona Oliphant, Radio & Media Production

Roberto regularly exhibits in London and his work is held in a number of collections. Recent exhibitions include: 18 September - 11 October 2022, “Colour” Highgate Contemporary Art, Group Exhibition; December 2021, “An exhibition of the works of Roberto Pagliarulo”, solo exhibition, St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club, Surrey; Summer 2021, “Still Life”, Group exhibition, Highgate Contemporary Art Gallery; 4 - 26 September 2020 “An Amalfi Dream”, solo exhibition, Highgate Contemporary Art Gallery; 22 March - 13 April 2017, “Classical Allusion and Colour”, solo exhibition, Highgate Contemporary Art; June 2016, Haileybury Festival of Arts, solo exhibition and lecture by Roberto on “Colour, Composition and Meaning”; December 2015 & January 2016, Group Show, Highgate Contemporary Art Gallery; 6 July–4 September 2015, Summer Farrago, Highgate Contemporary Art Gallery, Group Summer Exhibition; 17 June–3 July 2015 Colour: an exhibition of the works of Roberto Pagliarulo, Highgate Contemporary Art Gallery; October 2014, The Affordable Art Fair, Lena Boyle Fine Art Gallery, Battersea Park; January 2014 The London Art Fair, Lena Boyle Fine Art Gallery, Business Design Centre, Islington.

Current Exhibition

Further Reading