Sofia Cacciapaglia Italy, Milan, b. 1983

Biography

“For me art is primarily about a sacred sense of life.”

Sofia Cacciapaglia is a Milan-based artist born in 1983 in Ponte dell’Olio, Italy. She studied Fine Art and painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, graduating magna cum laude in 2006. Shortly after completing her studies, she moved to New York, where she held her first solo exhibition in 2007 at Industria SuperStudio, curated by photographer Fabrizio Ferri. Since then, her work has been exhibited in galleries, foundations, and museums across Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and China. In 2011, she became the youngest artist invited to participate in the Italian Pavilion of the 54th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia, marking a significant milestone in her career. In 2023, her work was presented at Untitled Art Fair, further expanding her international presence.

Cacciapaglia’s paintings revolve primarily around the representation of women. In her large-scale oil paintings, female figures live in suspended, metaphysical worlds that exist beyond reality. Monumental yet ethereal, these figures emerge from dreamlike environments and occupy an enchanted space where connection is conveyed through gestures, touch, and silent exchanges. These subtle interactions create a delicate compositional balance, evoking a primordial vision of femininity.

Flowers frequently appear alongside these figures, softly dominating the space. They function as poetic extensions of the female bodies, such as symbols of tenderness, vitality, and renewal. Through soft shapes, luminous palettes, and fluid compositions, Cacciapaglia's work seeks harmony and lightness while preserving an atmosphere of mystery and quiet contemplation.

Alongside traditional canvas, the artist often works with humble materials such as cardboard and wrapping paper, drawn to their textured surfaces and neutral tones. In May 2019, she completed Locus Amoenus, her first immersive 360-degree installation, transforming the walls of her Milan studio into a blossoming garden using cardboard collected from the streets. The installation reflects an environmental sensibility, giving discarded materials a second life through the poetic representation of nature and the cyclical rebirth of spring.

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Works