Mimmo Paladino

Mimmo Paladino (Domenico Paladino, born in Paduli on 18 December 1948) is a leading figure of the Transavanguardia movement, founded by Achille Bonito Oliva in 1980, which marked a return to painting after the conceptual trends of the 1970s.

Raised in Naples, Paladino developed an early interest in art thanks to his painter uncle. A visit to the 1964 Venice Biennale impressed him with American Pop Art, influencing his early conceptual work focused on photography. His first solo show took place in Caserta in 1969. In 1977 he created a large pastel wall work in Naples and exhibited at the “Triennale Internazionale für Zeichnung” in Wroclaw before moving to Milan.

By the late 1970s, Paladino shifted from conceptual to figurative painting, exploring color’s expressive and material values through abstract compositions marked by geometric balance. Between 1978 and 1980 he produced mostly monochrome paintings, combining primary colors, geometry, and found objects.

Throughout his career, Paladino has investigated the language of art through diverse media—drawing, painting, sculpture, mosaic, engraving, and film. From 1985 onward, he created major bronze sculptures and installations, notably a huge salt mountain in Naples’ Piazza del Plebiscito.

In the 1990s his works emphasized geometry, fragmentation, and the accumulation of signs, reflecting his ongoing inquiry into artistic language. His international presence grew through exhibitions across Europe and participation in events like the Sydney Biennale (1982), Zeitgeist in Berlin, and Documenta 7 in Kassel. Major retrospectives include the Lenbachhaus in Munich (1985) and the Italian Pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale.