I was born in Cairo, Egypt into a family of Central European origin.
I attended high school and studied architecture and art history at university in Rome.
After taking twelve examinations, I went my own way, focusing entirely on painting and photography, which seemed to respond better than architecture to my urgent need to express myself with complete freedom.
When you choose art—or rather, when art chooses you—you have no need of academic qualifications. You need time, a great deal of time, in order to work with complete peace of mind.
My real school was life itself: the beauty and diversity of the world that I got to know when traveling from an early age with my beloved parents, certain works that I saw in museums, but also the everyday life I encountered in the streets.
It was by visiting collections of modern art and the studios of older artists but above all by working very hard that I began to understand.
I have done a bit of everything over the years in order to make ends meet, working as a waiter and seller of fresh truffles in New York, a warehouse keeper at a publishing house to Berlin, and sales and marketing manager for airport ground support equipment around the world.
I have always managed to work four days for the body and three days for the soul (art).
I would explain to employers demanding my services full time that I was Muslim on Friday, Jewish on Saturday, and Christian on Sunday.
In the meantime, I painted and exhibited the most fruitful results of my real work.
In 1987 I began an analysis of the work of Piet Mondrian.
I found in his paintings what was not written in the books.
Painting explained by a painter. Bruno Zevi, G. C. Argan, Michel Seuphor (old friend of Mondrian), J. M. Joosten acknowledged my studies with enthusiasm.
This has become a spiritual mission for me over the years.
Work and Experience:
Roma until 1978
Perugia, from 1978 to 1980.
New York City, from 1980 to 1985.
West Berlin, from 1985 to 1990.
Roma, Lanuvio and Aprilia, from 1991 to 2000.
From 2001 to present between Berlin and Rome taking care of my real job.
Exhibitions of Paintings, Photographs and Video Works:
Galleria P21 Arte, Roma - Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia - Rizzoli Gallery, New York City - Simon Maier Gallery, New York City - The Key Gallery, New York City - The Fourth Street Photo Gallery, New York City - Galeria San Juan, San Juan de Puerto Rico - Galerie Baumgarten, Freiburg i.B. - Galerie Off, Berlin - Klus Galerie, Zürich - It Art, Berlin - Galerie Dr. Luise Krohn, Badenweiler - Junkere Galerie, Bern - Meißner Edition Galerie, Hamburg - Kulturwerkstatt, Berlin - Studio d'Informazione Estetica, S. Antioco - Kunststation, Kleinsassen (Fulda) - Volksbank Galerie, Stuttgart - Villa Sforza Cesarini, Lanuvio - Associazione Amici dell'Azuni, Sassari - Ex Scuderie Farnese, Caprarola - Deutscher Werkbund Galerie, Berlin - Rocca Paolina, Perugia - Associazione Culturale Città del Futuro, Perugia - Ex-Chiesa della Misericordia, Perugia - Atelier Sciam, Berlin - Frankfurter Westend Galerie.
Private Collections:
Roma, Perugia, Milano, Firenze, Tel Aviv, Hamburg, Berlin, Freiburg i.B., Lörrach, Stuttgart, München, Frankfurt a.M., Zürich, Basel, Bern, Lugano, Neuchatel, Kloster, Aarau, Géneve, Bruxelles, New York City, San Juan de Puerto Rico, Barcelona.
Public Collections:
Berlin Senat - Kunststation Kleinsassen ( Fulda) - Citibank, San Juan de Puerto Rico.
Publications:
"How to See Broadway Boogie Woogie", L'Architettura, 428, June 1991
"Dynamic Interpretation of Urban Space", L'Architettura, 467, September 1994
"About Abstract Art", L'Unione Sarda of 16 August 1996
"Piet Mondrian, An Explanation of the Work", ACN, July 2006
"Mondrian Sehen Lernen", November 2006
Teaching:
Lectures and Seminars on Piet Mondrian and Abstract Art: International School of Arts, Montecastello Vibio (Perugia) - Associazione La Tela di Aracne, S. Antioco (Cagliari) - Kulturwerkstatt, Berlin - Associazione Giallo Blu Rosso, Lanuvio (Roma) - Associazione Culturale Città del Futuro, Perugia. - Associazione Culturale Nuova, Roma - Atelier Sciam, Berlin.
