The Surreal Art of Angelo Accardi

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Angelo Accardi

Born in the south of Italy, Angelo Accardi grew up surrounded by both modern and classical art. Although he studied fine art at the Art Academy of Naples, he never completed his training. Preferring to learn by example and practice, Accardi opened his own studio. This is where he continues to work today, creating independently while drawing inspiration from the world around him.
 

This world encourages the audience to make connections between the art and themselves. While Accardi shows familiar subjects in dreamlike scenarios, the audience is able to relate to them in a new way. In this sense, Accardi paintings are artistic conversations that expand across cultures and trends. They are intriguing, ironic, playful, and striking.
 

Surreal Art Symbolism

In Accardi compositions there is a continuous contrast of “opposite poles”. This refers to classicism juxtaposed with symbols of the surreal, inserted to create a provocation. The best example of this is the repeated use of the ostrich and the rhinoceros. The ostrich and the rhinoceros are material figures in stagnant atmospheres that reveal the ambiguity of man.
 

In Accardi’s own words: “Man who with so much passion creates, with malice and lightness destroys. They are custodians in some cases and destructors in others.” While passion can be a destructive force, it is also responsible for joy. Accardi’s work reflects this.
 

A New Genre

While Accardi’s body of work stays true to surreal art with its ubiquitous themes of irony and chaos, Accardi also believes that the most straightforward and understandable style of art is pop art. For this reason, much of his work can be seen incorporating tributes to iconic Pop artists such as Robert Indiana, Roy Lichtenstein, and Takashi Murakami.

 

Pop art is relatable because it is created from everyday elements. For instance, The Simpsons are a satire of the human condition. To place them in a setting surrounded by the work of both surreal and neoclassical art masters creates both a layering of genres and a new multifaceted piece.

 

Setting the Stage

Accardi art is most often set in urban landscapes and art galleries. These are ordinary places where man lives his life yet in his work they are often seen as sparsely populated. In Accardi’s words, this is done deliberately so that the added artistic references give the scene more energy and life.

On the other hand, busier settings, in which there is already an atmosphere of excessive irony and artistic diversity, give balance to the composition and aim to lower the level of superficiality.
 

Angelo Accardi Art

Angelo Accardi’s surreal art represents a compromise between the art of the past and the art of the present. Discover the newest works of art in his expanding collection here.

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