Valerio Adami

Biography of Valerio Adami

Valerio Adami was born on March 17, 1935, in Bologna, Italy.
He developed a passion for visual expression at a very young age. After studying at the Brera Academy in Milan, he moved to Paris, where his encounters, notably with Matta, manifested in his painting through early impressionist and post-surrealist influences.


He exhibited early in Italy (while still under 25), and European capitals quickly followed suit, as the power of his painting left no one indifferent. However, it was not until the threshold of the 1970s that the "Adami style" truly emerged, marking the triumph of narrative figuration. As an heir to the movement that connects painting with comics and the art of film posters, Valerio Adami is THE representative of this new figuration, which also saw the rise of painters such as Peter Klasen, Eduardo Arroyo, and, in France, Jacques Monory. All of them are heirs to American Pop Art (although they are less fascinated than their predecessors by consumer society).


In this perspective, Adami's work is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished and certainly one of the most assertive. His expression on the black line delineating the contour of each object, while vibrant, saturated, and non-realistic colors emphasize a direct vision rather than an interpretation of logical thinking, gives it an uncommon strength, that of the obviousness of a gaze.

His inspirations, initially focused on the modern world and human beings trapped in these cities without escape, turned towards the history of Western civilization in the late seventies.


He continues to pursue the same goal, showing us humans within their living environment, but now delves into history to present them, heirs of a world that spans from mythology to Stalin, encompassing both Pandora and her box of terror and Marat and his assassination!

During the eighties, the world's greatest modern art museums paid tribute to this immense artist who is now, in turn, an inspiration and initiator of inspiration for many young artists...


© Natacha PELLETIER for PASSION ESTAMPES