Marco Grassi is an Italian painter whose work blends realism with surrealism, combining meticulous oil painting with bold, unexpected colour combinations and lacquering to create portraits of striking individuality and presence. Drawing heavily on the traditions of the Italian Renaissance, he builds depth and dimensionality through careful layering of colour and shadow. A pivotal influence
came from a visit to Russia in 2013, where he studied Byzantine icon painting and its devotional use of gold leaf. Grassi incorporated gold leaf backgrounds into his own work to lasting effect, lending each piece a warmth and luminosity that places contemporary subjects within an almost sacred visual tradition. His figures, rendered with energy and a bold palette, create a silent but powerful dialogue between subject and viewer.
In 2011 he was selected to show at the opening of the Italian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious honours in the contemporary art world. His works have since been exhibited at major international fairs including Art Basel, SCOPE Basel, and the Moscow Art Fair, as well as solo shows at Stella McCartney Space in Milan and New York, Gallery Vavilon in Samara, and galleries across Los Angeles, Rome, London, and Perth.
Born in Milan in 1966, Grassi now lives and works in Lugano, Switzerland.
