body and matter
Luca Dal Vignale
Painted from the inside out, Luca Dal Vignale’s paintings are the result of an ongoing dialogue with matter itself. Guided by an intuitive voice, his work speaks in bold colors, vast scale, and thick, muddy textures. These paintings demand to be felt, not just seen. They are raw, physical manifestations of his inner landscape, unfiltered unconsciousness that pulses with explosive energy. Each layer is an act of revelation, sharing what is buried inside, only to conceal it again, again, and again, like waves that rise, open, and vanish.
In 2022, Luca relocated to a studio in Antwerp. The studio expands like a colorful nest, filled with scattered materials that reflect his lively, primordial process. It is an extension of his body, his painterly performances, and his love for creating simply for the sake of creating. This space serves as the heartbeat of the show today, where the studio itself becomes a symbol of his commitment to mark-making and the meeting of body and matter.
One painting stands out, an image that reads like a portrait but resists classification. At first glance, the nose, the moon-shaped chin, and the white, pointed ear anchor us in familiar, head-like territory. Yet the head has no flesh, no clear division between the outside and the chaos within. It is as though a mass of inner thoughts spills outward; caught in an accident that he (for once) chose not to conceal. I believe the likes of Frank Auerbach would recognize the intense engagement Luca has with this piece.
— Emma Louise Johnson
Luca Dal Vignale discovered his passion for art at the age of 18 in the atelier of a painter in La Spezia, Italy. His early work was deeply influenced by expressionist painting, which he explored while studying at the Academy of Carrara. Later, in Brussels, he pursued a double master’s degree in painting and tapestry, where his practice evolved into a more physical and material approach. Moving beyond traditional painting, he experimented with textiles, collaging, sewing, draping, and stretching fabric to create spatial compositions. In Antwerp, Luca further expanded his artistic vocabulary through performative, sculptural, and installation-based works. However, a deep sense of nostalgia led him back to painting, the medium he finds most expressive and liberating.
