Artists

Paolo Maione was born in San Giovanni d’Asso in 1965. He lives and works in Reggello (Florence).

By the early 2000s, his work was already featured in overseas collections—represented by prestigious New York galleries—and in major exhibitions in Florence, such as *Amici carissimi* (curated by Adolfo Natalini at the Pananti Gallery).

In 2004, he reaffirmed his status as an international artist by exhibiting at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò (New York University) and the Sperone Westwater Gallery in New York.

In 2011, he exhibited at the Tuscany Pavilion during the 54th Venice Biennale, in collaboration with the Luigi Pecci Center for Contemporary Art in Prato.

In 2016, he participated in *Creature* (curated by Cristina Acidini) at the Accademia delle Arti e del Disegno in Florence.

Paolo Maione draws inspiration from a strong bond with his classical—specifically Etruscan—roots, evoking them through the very term *Rasna*, which identifies his works. *Rasna* refers to the name the Etruscan civilization used for itself, in contrast to the designations given by the Greeks and Romans; this choice underscores how his artistic vision mirrors a simplification of forms—rendering them solemn and ascetic—while momentarily diverting the observer from the strong vein of humor that projects the figures into a contemporary dimension. Amidst a constant interplay of humorous metamorphoses and ironic, surreal references, the figure of the donkey—the quintessential anti-hero—embarks on acrobatic feats and interacts with unlikely objects and animals.