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About Me

Introduction
Hi, I'm Michele di Erre, an Italian artist and I mainly deal with drawing, painting and illustration. My works are made with different techniques such as oil painting, acrylic and watercolour on different supports such as canvas, wood or paper. Most of my works begin as sketches, often ugly, but with a precise idea behind them that turns into a simple drawing made with pencils (2b, 4b or 9b) or charcoal (Pierre Noir). Most of my designs are inked, with brush or fine line pens for more sophisticated details. The latter are the prototypes for my black & white prints or simple individual designs. Some of them end with watercolour colours, others remain simple drawings that I carry in large format, on canvas or other supports to finish them in oil painting. Here are some photos to better understand my creative process.
In the year 2012, I discover the technique of "blind contour drawings" and for years I experimented with it on portraits from life and photography, in painting and drawing, discovering the enormous expressive possibility of this creative process that each time surprises me.


Study
2003 University of Turin DAMS (Disciplines Art, Music and Entertainment)

Michele di Erre
Tools (1).jpeg
Photo by Antony Stringer.jpg

Long Version of my story

Born in Turin on 12 February 1979, I have a twin sister, a mother and I had a father. I had an introverted childhood and a noisy, rebellious adolescence looking for something extraordinary. I was and I am dyslexic. The first goal in my life was to become a theatre actor. The school I attended gave me the opportunity to find a gateway to this world. I felt I needed a guide or mentor and found her in a theatre company in Turin: Marcido Marcidoris & famosa mimosa. This experience was intense yet incredible, terrible in some ways, akin perhaps to military training. Marco Isidori and "l'Abate" were my mentors in those years. There was no room for ego, just performing what you were told, it wasn't creative for me. My mentors were opportunists, using mentees for their own personal projects without giving room to grow them and instead sucking energy. Now looking back this helped develop my resilience, it was as your early twenties often are: formative. For a long time as an actor I worked alongside Daniela Dal Cin, an eccentric painter, set designer and art falsifier. Indirectly I learnt a lot about the world of figurative art. In 2004, I quit acting and decamped to Paris, working as a part-time waiter, the rest of the time filling my cup wandering around art museums.
The following year, I returned to Turin and for more than ten years dedicated myself to the profession of light design in the main theatres, simultaneously learning the profession of machinist, set designer and sound engineer. They were years full of inspiration and special encounters. In 2010, aged 31, in parallel with my work in the theatre, my love affair with studies of art, drawing and painting began and I haven't looked back. I found and still find everything an opportunity for inspiration. (Truly).
I taught myself from books and manuals, finding Betty Edwards particularly original and unusual. She focusses lessons on seeing instead of drawing per se and demonstrates how important it is to eliminate self-judgement to be able to grow as an artist. I sought out groups of academic and non-academic artists and educated myself studying and sketching masterpieces in museums and galleries. I met several artists, some in their atelier to learn or "steal the trade", others in the street or bars, exchanging opinions and advice. A few artists by name whom helped me to continue on this path: Paolo Pisotti, Andrea Roccioletti, Alessandro Bulgini, Gianluca Vigone, Andrea Gagliotta, Il Dime, Il Diste, Niconemonoé, Jimmy Rivoltella, Gerardo Rosato and ALL of the artists of Cavallerizza Irreale.
Cavallerizza Irreale was a multicultural centre in the heart of Turin, where for about 3 years I was part of it's creative staff (as a side - I happened to have a magnificent atelier with view of the Mole - the main part of Turin's skyline). In short, these were years in which we gathered, created something collective, or individual, sharing a common passion: making art. Each meeting taught me something, every book, person, artist or artwork has tattooed something inside me. Today it seems to be exceptional to live moments of this type with other artists, I'm so grateful to have had this rare opportunity and trust that there will be more.
I made the jump to full-time artist in 2016, giving up my day (mainly night!) job as light designer come jack-of-all-trades. This released time to do commissions, illustration fairs, exhibitions and competitions.
Since 2017, I started travelling around the world to explore more expressive possibilities, styles and different ways of thinking and living. I keep drawing and painting what I see and that which inspires me either from reality or from my dream universe. I'm an avid lucid dreamer and every night delights me with new visuals.

 

Mucca con Michele di Erre

Below is a list of artists, books and films that have marked and inspired me which I have the pleasure of sharing with you. Maybe we have something in common.

Contemporary artists: Jonas Burgert, Craola, Guillermo Lorca, William Kendrick, Lucian Freud, Arrivabene, Andrew Scott.

Old Master of art: Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Canova, Botticelli, Otto Dix, Degas, Van Gogh, Picasso, Giacometti, Bacon, Loutrec, Hopper, Chagall, Topor, Egon Shiele, Boldini, Bosch, Goya, el Greco, Bruegel, Salvador Dali, Hieronymus Bosch, Albrecht Durer, Bob Ross

The best illustrator: Serafini, Zero Calcare, Scott McCloud, Pazienza, Moebius, Manara, BlackSad, Tullio Pericoli, Eisner, Quino, Lorenzo Alessandri, Dautremer, Suan Tuan, Miyazaki, Peynet, Thelwell, Tezua, Toppi, Dr. Seuss, Tim Burton, Chuck Jones

My bestseller: Martín Eden, The strange in a strange Land, 1984, Harry Potter, Celestino Prophecy, Lucid dream made easy, Ami, S. la nave di Teseo, Making Comics, Sequential Art, Trattato della pittura, Il mattino dei Maghi, The Power of now, l'ordine del tempo, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, A volte ritorno, the trilogy of Baltimerus

Authors: Christopher Moore, Cortázar, Beckett, Jodorowsky, Castañeda, Jack London, Sergio Magaña, Charlie Morley

Music: Jack Black, Creedence, Led Zeppelin, Giorgio Gaber, Moriarty, Alela Diane, Danit, Sandra Bernardo, Radiohead, Simon & Garfunkel, Debussy, Paganini, Benjamin Clementine, Jefferson Airplane, R.E.M., Zap Mamá, Meredith Monk, Curawaka, The Doors, Nina Simone, Emiliana Torroni

Films: Donnie Darko, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Arizona dream, Inception, Back to the future, Army of Darkness, Spaceballs, Goonies, Apocalypse now, Molto rumore per nulla, Clerks, Big Lebowski, Brazil, Monty python, Laputa, Dark city, Fight Club, Buffalo '66, Pulp Fiction, In time, Inside out, Climax, Les Belle de la nuit, The Truman Show, Spirited Away, The doctor Strangelove, Blade runner, Shinning, November, Memento, Eternal Sunshine, 12 monkeys, Starship Troopers, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Big trouble in Chinatown, Braindead, Dead man, Freaks, Walt Disney, Pixar

Actors: Alessandro Bergonzoni, Antonio Rezza, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Leonardo Di Caprio, Carmelo Bene, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Woody Allen, Totò, Troisi, Bud Spencer e Terence Hill, Johnny Depp, Vincent Gallo.

Tools II
Photo by Antony Stringer
Michele di Erre

Performances & Installations
for more info go to blog page

Tools

Solo Exhibitions & Group Exhibitions

 

2024

Jerico, Colombia, Hay festival, "el sueño pequeño¨

2022

Torino, CasaMuseo ZonaRosato, Personale "The Nomadic Identity"

Torino, ViaBava 19, "The Nomadic Identity"

Torino, Caffeine, "Dagli Antipodi al Caffe'"

Torino, Atelier del Torchio, "Dagli Antipodi"

2018-22

distanced himself from the art system

freelance in art Globaltrotter StreetArt and more in

India, Nepal, Sweden, Poland, Australia, New Zeland, UK

2018

Torino, Galleria Mercurio, Matite furiose

Here 3, Cavallerizza Irreale

2017

Torino, Caffeine, Fiabe al banco

Torino, Cavallerizza Irreale, Communitas

Quiliano, Sacs, Diffusa

Zurich, Cabaret Voltaire

Art Basel, Galleria kunsthallekleinbasel

Torino, Cavallerizza Irreale, Here

Torino, Museo della Fantascienza

Svizzera, YIA Art Fair - Basel Art Center

Torino, Festiival della cultura dal basso, CameraChiara

Imbersago, FondazioneGranataBraghieri, Il vero

Pianezza, Teatro Laboratorio Creativo, Risvolti di una spece

2016

Vicenza, Galleria Metamorfosi, Trame de soi

(Cat.) France, Tulle, Rue des Art, Trame de soi

Pinerolo, Teatro del Lavoro, Immagini dall'intero

Albissola, Pozzo Garitta

Torino, Str.eat, Bersagli

(Cat.) Swiss, Kunsthalle Kleinbasel in Basel, Intact to the Future

France, Villa Mallet-Stevens, CACHET DE LA POSTE FAISANT FOI

2015

Torino, ATB Gallery, Inumans

Torino, Palazzo di Città, Emozioni sogno e realtà

(Cat.) Concorso Buenos Aires VII

Dogliani, WineArt

Vinadio, Forte di Vinadio, Vinai Fest

(Cat.) Varedo, ExpoArteContemporanea, Final Competition

(Cat.) Torino, TAC Ass. Culturale Azimut, Metamorfosi

Artist Residency in Haarlem, Amsterdam

Collaboration with a Rome NewPaper "Il Bestiario deli italiani"

Carmagnola. Circolo Margot, Umanoidi

Torino, TorinoArtGallery, Primavera

Torino, Belfood, L'Armata Vincibile

Torino, Laboratorio artistico Pietra, L'Armata Vincibile

Grigliasco, Sala del Comune, Armonie in Scala

2014

Torino, Educatorio della Provvidenza, Dualismo e unità

Torino, Adonis, Mostri nella Musica

Langhe, Camo Uflage Progect

Alessandria, PerlaNera, I senza stato

Torino, Vanchiglia Love Night

Torino, Garigliani Belle Arti, Mostri nella Musica

Biella, Bi-Box Art Space, Riusami

Organize with The Shivers at Sartoria Creativa

an Art Saison

"42 arte contemporanea"

2013

Torino, Fattore K, "Come li vedo"

Winner of XVI edizione ArtCompatition  Io Espongo 2013

(Cat.) Torino, Assessorato alla Cultura, Io Espongo XVI 

Moretta (Cn), Cascina S.Giovanni, To be in Art 4ed.

Valle Maira, SkyMarathon

Celle di Macra (Cn), Seles s'è Desta 3ed.

Chiusa Pesio (Cn), Chius'arte

Camo (Cn), Museo a cielo aperto

Asta per Haiti, Accademia Albertina Torino

Torino, Sartoria Creativa, “Piccoli, brutti, storti e malfatti”

(Cat.) Torino, Adonis, Vagarte

Torino, Belfood, Ritratti a sguardo periferico

Torino, Bar Luigi, Progetto di Alessandro Bulgini

2012

Torino, Zodiaco

Torino, T.Espace, Young Wood 2

(Cat.) Bra (Cn), Movicentro, Identita 4

Celle di Macra (Cn), Seles s'è Desta 2a edizione

Moretta (Cn), Cascina S.Giovanni, To be in Art 2ed

Torino, T. Espace, Urge

(Cat.) Torino, P-ars, Il mondo della fine

Create "The Shivers " a free artistic thinking

2011

Torino, FotoReportage, Paratissima

Torino, Salone del Libro, ArteVisual

Finale del concorso Memoria del Corpo