Silvana De Stefano

Silvana De Stefano is an Italian sculptor and architect.

Biography

Born in Naples, she moved to Rome where at the Accademia di Belle Arti, she attended Pericle Fazzini and Greco lectures on sculpture and Toti Scialoja lectures on painting. She graduated in 1986 in Architecture at La Sapienza-Università degli Studi in Rome.

Once graduated, she assisted the post-graduate lectures on urban planning engineering and architecture at the Università degli Studi in Rome. In 1989, she won a scholarship from the CNR (National Counsel on Research) at the University of California, Berkeley. She settled in California where while studying, she dedicated herself to sculpture and painting.

In 1992, she moved to New York City where she met the famous Art Gallery owner, Leo Castelli who suggested her to organize a solo exhibition at his West Broadway Art Gallery. But the artist had to postpone the exhibition when she committed herself, in 1994, commissioned by the Finmeccanica, to work on an installation within the company headquarters in Rome, the Palazzo di Vetro, build in 1963 (by Giò Ponti), Piazza Monte Grappa.

During the lengthy process of setting up this work, that the artist entitles "Movements", De Stefano is assisted by Leo Castelli, who visits her in Rome and follows the works from New York.

In 1998, commissioned by SACE, she created a sculpture called "Suspended Column", a brand new project within the SACE headquarters, Piazza Poli, behind the Trevi Fountain.

In 2001, within an architectural and interior design project, she transformed an old industrial manufacture into a vast conversion which becomes her home and study and which arouse interest in the architectural design world. Few magazines published reviews on it: Mercedes 2004, Architectural Digest Italy, Architectural Digest Mexico 2009 (that not only dedicated an article but also the front cover), Compasses Architecture & Design 2008, Shooting Photographic Fashion Style & Design Mercedes-Benz Magazine 2011. Today, the converted space is being used for both film making (new takes) and television. Several films and fictions were shot on location.

In 2002, she drew the Manifesto for UNESCO Italian National Commission.

In 2004, she mounted an exhibition of paintings within the 14th century old refectory of Palazzo Venezia in Rome. The exhibition was curated by both Claudio Strinati and the architect De Stefano, the latter focusing on the organization of the exhibition.

In 2006, for the introduction of the new Alfa Romeo Brera, a new way of thinking Art, at the Spazio Etoile -Fondazione Memmo, took place the solo exhibition curated by the Art Gallery owner Pino Casagrande entitled "Personale di Silvana De Stefano". Always in 2006, was elaborated and discussed a graduation thesis on the artist work entitled "Silvana De Stefano. The magic of the Suspended Balances" at the Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia degli Studi of Rome-La Sapienza.

In 2008/2009, she did get involved with a project of two artistic interventions for the internal revamping of residential buildings in Milan.

In 2009, she planned a project for the Expo 2009 for the town of Warsaw, Poland and also carried out the sculpture/installation "Elements" in Milan. Between the 90's until today, she worked on several architectural and interior design projects within privately owned buildings.

Main projects and works

• 1994: Installation "Movements", Palazzo di Vetro (Giò Ponti), Finmeccanica headquarters, Rome
• 1998: Installation "Suspended Column", Palazzo Poli, Sace headquarters, Rome
• 2002: Manifesto for UNESCO Italian National Commission
• 2004: Exhibition "Spazio-Luce", Palazzio Venezia, Rome
• 2006: Exhibition at the "Spazio Etoile", Fondazione Memmo, Rome
• 2008: Two artistic interventions for the internal revamping of residential buildings, Milan
• 2009: Project planning for the Expo 2009, Warsaw, Poland
• 2009: Sculpture/installation "Elements", Milan
• 2009: Workshop on innovation, Bnlparibas, Rome

Design

The architect/sculptor carried out interior design projects in both Italy and US.

The artist converted living/working space was mentioned in:

• Mercedes 2004 "La rivista delle idee in movimento"
• Compasses, Dubai, 2008, Architecture & Design Magazine
• AD Architectural Digest, 2009, Italian edition (US interior design magazine distributed across the globe)
• AD Architectural Digest, 2009, International edition
• Mercedes-Benz, 2011 Fashion Style & Design

References

• Colonna Sospesa, (Italian) Catalogue of the installation, Silvana De Stefano, De Luca Editore, Rome, 2001
• Suspended Column, (English) Catalogue of the installation, Silvana De Stefano, De Luca Editore, Rome, 2001
• Spazio luce, Catalogue of the exhibition, Silvana De Stefano, Roma, Palazzo Venezia, July–August 2004, by Claudio Strinati and Costanzo Costantini
• Movimenti, Catalogue of the installation, Silvana De Stefano, Rome, Finmeccanica headquarters, by Achille Bonito Oliva, Rome, 2008
• Il Messaggero, daily paper, 3 December 2001
• Il Tempo, daily paper, 7 July 2004
• La Stampa, daily paper, 10 July 2004.
• Il Messaggero, daily paper, 10 July 2004
• Il Giornale, daily paper, Rome ed., 12 July 2004.
• Il Tempo, daily paper, 15 July 2004
• Corriere della Sera, daily paper, 24 July 2004
• Rinascita, daily paper, 29 July 2004
• Il Messaggero, daily paper, 2 August 2004.
• L'Unità, daily paper, 18 August 2004
• Mercedes-Benz, Spazi per creare, December 2004
• Bimestrale Dell'Ordine degli Architetti di Roma, January–February 57/2005
• Compasses Architecture & Design, Dubai, November 2008
• AD Architectural Digest, Italian Edition, March 2009
• Il Messaggero, daily paper, 6 March 2009
• Corriere della Sera, daily pape, 7 March 2009
• Italia, daily paper, 10 March 2009
• Avanti, daily paper, 12 March 2009
• Il Giornale, daily paper, 21 March 2009
• AD Architectural Digest, International Magazine, May 2009
• Mercedes-Benz, Fashion Style & Design, September 2011

External links

Leo Castelli, Achille Bonito Oliva, Claudio Strinati, Giuseppe Appella