Umberto Verdirosi

Born in Piedmont. Lives in Rome. Parents actors, born into the profession. Sicilian father, mother from Veneto. Painter, sculptor, actor, poet. Classical education. Spent his youth in various theatrical companies. Still young was the leading actor in the company of Cavaliere Mario Ruta. He replaced Gian Maria Volontè in the role of Aligi in D’Annunzio’s “La figlia di Jorio”. He is Romeo in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, Paolo in “Francesca da Rimini”, Cecco in Nino Berrini’s “Il beffardo”, Antenato in Carlo Veneziani’s comedy and had a thousand more roles. At 20 he formed “his” tent theatre and his own theatrical company, which he led until 1968.

Then, he stopped dedicating himself to theatre and production, and devoted himself solely to painting and sculpture. His works are to be found all over Europe, in America, from Canada to Florida, in New Zealand and Australia.

He has exhibited at the Export Art in New York, in Miami and Sarasota (Florida), and in most Italian cities.

He used to have galleries in Fiuggi, Chianciano, Spoleto, Assisi, etc. He has got two studios with permanent exhibitions in Orvieto and Rome. He wrote many critical articles about his painter colleagues. Author of seven books published with English parallel text, always available at his exhibitions. Verdirosi is self-taught, a free spirit. He defines himself as modern, not modernist… His art, his themes, his symbolism, his slogan (art meant as a message), his polemics, his manifesto, his “obituary of an art critic” present an artist who is free from cultural and artistic preconceived ideas and mystifications. All his books are dedicated to Osho, whom Verdirosi considers as his cosmic master. He is not a believer, he is not an atheist, he just wants to be and to be free to be. His zodiacal sign: Taurus. Ascendant: Aries.