- Spiziri Art Group

ROBERT PATIERNO

“Art, for me, is an attempt to make order of chaos. In this sense, my work is observational in nature. What I perceive must be simplified, readjusted, and then a personal image appears. The Art object is not as important to me as the resulting conversations that occur. “

- Robert Patierno

The works of Robert Patierno are often striking representations of the chaos of existence. They provide commentary on everyday occurrences in a light that may not be evident within superficial thought. Patierno seeks to identify pockets of reality that may pass by unnoticed or be more interesting when taken out of context, only to portray them in a way that is curious or even alarming to the viewer. Patierno’s series of charcoal drawings entitled “Men working” have influenced his prints and exemplify this thought process as they employ various portrayals of men in the midst of traditional forms of labor. The simplicity of the subjects’ actions is overcast by the suspicions that the darkness of the drawings evokes in the viewer, creating an accompaniment of inexplicable fear and a “culture of fear”. As can be seen in the woodcut series “Story of Sally”, the timeless themes of Patierno’s works are the main elements that allow the work to be referred to as classics. Many of the paintings, prints and drawings are centered on universal ideas such as envy, revenge, fear, and love. Patierno’s work has a cyclical nature like that of the world; it has the ability to lead an audience on a journey from one point to the next and back to the beginning again without a pause. Although Patierno works with various media, he is most commonly identified as a master printer, specializing in polychrome relief printing.

Patierno exhibits internationally. His work is in numerous public and private collections.

Excerpts from a review by Christina Fainke, Art Critic, Philadelphia

Selected Work Samples
(click to view large size)