Collection: Davide Cicolani

Self-taught Davide Cicolani was born near Rome in Italy. He had a difficult childhood, and was struck by lightning at the age of 6 and the year after he was diagnosed with nephritis. He spent a lot of time at the hospital and it was here he started to make drawings.

The values expressed in his work are positive and the diversity of his creations brings an atmosphere of joy, vivacity, and excitement. Sometimes his characters are innocent, almost childlike, sometimes they are cruel, serious, but always ambiguous. They have strength, character. They retain all the kindness of the artist, but at the same time they are powerful, resolute and determined. The dense line, the lively color, gives them great expressive force.

Davide Cicolani prefers city maps, metro maps, and other folding surfaces. Indeed, folding plays an important role because it creates reflections of light. As a result, the light is reflected differently depending on where the drawing is displayed. Sometimes he adds inscriptions, either in his mother tongue, Italian or French (he lived in France for 10 years) or in his own language, which is known only to the artist. These are secret signatures and their keys are accessible only to spirits linked to him by the bonds of creation and friendship.