Shatto Gallery is pleased to present Italian Quartet, a group exhibition showcasing artworks by Italian artists, Edoardo Cialfi, Frank Dituri, Mauro Manetti, and Massimiliano Poggio, as they explore the fine line between issues in contemporary aesthetics and Italy’s rich history of art. These four artists strive to create a distinct identity for themselves as unique artists through contemporary art that goes beyond social and cultural limitations. Art critic, Davide Silvioli, shares his interpretation of the artworks presented in this show. Suggestions Between Landscape and Symbol Art Critic, Davide Silvioli “The languages practiced by the four artists included in the exhibition constitute a case for reasoning about how some aesthetic categories, having an ancient art-historical origin, keep on being important in the contemporary art scene. In the works by Cialfi, Dituri, Manetti and Poggioni, they correspond to the tradition of the landscape and of the symbol; two visual domains deeply rooted also in the Italian artistic background. In particular, it is interesting to note how they are addressed by the artists, who relate them and highlight their evocative power. Landscape becomes a symbol of elsewhere and the symbol seems to introduce a mental landscape. Indeed, in each practice, although respecting individual aspects, there is the search for a point of balance between the interior and external worlds, between reality and its representation. So, these four authors, even if working independently, now are spontaneously developing an exploration characterized by a similar sensibility, corresponding at the basis of this group show. Despite the differences in the techniques used by each one, such as drawing, painting, or photography, it is possible to feel, in every case, the same expressive temperature. So outlined, the project offers a confrontation both with the characteristics of each research and whole of them, letting emerge similar thematic and stylistic features. Therefore, the bigger shared aspect by these four artistic directions is to be found in the investigation of the secret of things, of their second life. From this point of view, the works on show can be considered a translation of this tendency.” Edoardo Cialfi specializes in aerosol art and is particularly enthralled with creating landscape portraits. Cialfi focuses primarily on mists and storms in his art as he reinterprets these occurrences in nature as symbols that represent two different human experiences. Cialfi’s emotive work encapsulates human emotion through an artistic medium. Frank Dituri is a photographer whose work has been exhibited worldwide and often incorporates spiritual symbols and metaphors in his art. These metaphors pertain to Dituri’s memories from his childhood along with deep cultural Italian traditions. Dituri’s history and experience as an artist is reflected in his photographs. Mauro Manetti’s art depicts the relationship between man and nature while connecting these to classical art. Using different media including sculpture, painting, drawing, mosaics, collage and most recently with gold and silver leafing, his art always relates to the concept of identity. Massimiliano Poggioni specializes in painting and drawing, with incursions in other fields of visual art such as collage and digital manipulation. His art portrays a strong sense of the metaphysical. The artist represents natural places and urban contexts, portraying them as being in a condition of stasis, to the point of making them perceived as conceptual entities.