Artwork by Paolo Cotani

Year: ‘70s.

Mixed media on paper.

Dimensions: 90 x 69 cm.

Paolo Cotani was born in Rome in 1940, where he had his first artistic experience at the beginning of the Sixties. In 1975 he exhibited his first elastic bands at the IX Biennale of Paris, followed by the Analytische Malerei exhibitions curated by the Bertesca in Genoa, Milan and Düsseldorf. In 1977, he was invited to the 16 Italian Artists exhibition in Rotterdam. In 1979, he had his first solo in an Italian public museum, the Palazzo dei Diamanti of Ferrara. In 1985, he was invited to the L’Italie aujourd’hui (Today’s Italy) exhibition in villa Arson, Nice. The following year, he took part in the XI Quadrennial exhibition at the Palazzo Congressi in Rome. During the early ‘90s he created the “Cancellazioni” and “Tensioni” – elastic bands mounted on steel structures.

It’s worth mentioning the important anthological exhibit “La costanza della visione” at the Palazzo Forti of Verona, in 1991. In 1992, the Cotani’s artwork was exhibited in the Galleria Niccoli of Parma, together with Scarpitta’s and Castellani’s artworks during the “Tensioni in superficie” exhibition.

In 2004, he took part in “L’immagine negata” at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca, Spain. In 2002, his works were displayed at the Permanent Exhibition of Milan within the “Pittura Analitica. I percorsi italiani 1970-1980” exposition. During the exhibition staging at Palazzo Ducale of Senigallia, Cotani died in January 2011.