Born in Asti in 1953 to an Italian father and a Greek mother, Carosso embodied a unique synthesis of two rich and distinct cultures. His vast, multifaceted body of work has been celebrated in exhibitions and retrospectives in Italy and abroad, earning him a prominent place in the contemporary art scene.

An Artist Between Two Worlds

Carosso is known for his ability to blend elements of Greek mythology with local Piedmontese themes, creating an artistic dialogue that transcends geographical and temporal boundaries. His bronze sculptures and large oil paintings evoke the myths and iconography of ancient Greece and Mediterranean civilizations, yet with a distinctive touch that makes them unmistakably his own.

The vivid colors and bold forms of his works recall 14th-century painting and the composition of Gothic stained glass, creating a visual effect that captivates and fascinates the viewer. Carosso’s interest in poetry further enriched his artistic output: he collaborated with some of the greatest poets of the 20th century, including Mario Luzi, Edoardo Sanguineti, and the Franco-Senegalese poet Léopold Sédar Senghor.

However, his most significant artistic partnership was with the Greek poet Ghiannis Ritsos. This collaboration gave rise to a series of works that uniquely and movingly combine poetry and visual art, such as hand-colored woodcuts inspired by verses from the poet of Epitaphios.

The Exhibition at Palazzo Mazzetti

Continuing its series of exhibitions dedicated to outstanding figures from the local area, Palazzo Mazzetti is hosting a major anthological exhibition of Carlo Carosso from August to October 2024. Curated by Asti-born poet Francesco Antonio Lepore, the artist’s leading critic and biographer, the exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of Carosso’s work, exploring the many facets of his inspiration. The exhibition is divided into several sections, each devoted to a specific aspect of Carosso’s artistic production.

The section “The Birth of the ‘Bacchi’” presents works from the 1970s, highlighting the first signs of the iconographic features that would later become defining elements of the mature “Bacchi” series. Here, Symbolist and Metaphysical influences gradually give way to more Mediterranean tones and colors.

In the section “The Island, the Sea, the City” visitors will find paintings and sculptures in which the sea and its deities, mythical islands such as Samos, and the artist’s famous “boats” take center stage. The works also portray urban life, with scenes of celebration, markets, and the Palio del Giubileo.

“Orpheus and Dionysus: The Poets and the Artist.” Carosso’s encounter with Ghiannis Ritsos gave rise to extraordinary graphic works. Woodcuts, drawings, and screen prints are accompanied by texts by the poets with whom Carosso collaborated. A rare 1987 film in which the artist plays the role of Orpheus is also screened, offering further testimony to his eclectic talent and his deep connection with poetry and mythology.

Carosso was also a prolific illustrator of labels for fine wines. The section “Artist-Signed Labels” displays a selection from the more than six hundred labels that helped promote local products. In the final years of his life, the Italo-Greek artist chose to place his inspiration at the service of the wine culture of his native lands, Piedmont and Greece, creating through his labels the most important collection of fine wines from Monferrato and the Langhe—one of the largest and most prestigious in Italy.

Carlo Carosso’s “Bacchi” were presented at the Centro Navigli in Milan in September 1990, and were subsequently exhibited in Asti in 1990, in the foyer of Teatro Alfieri and at Palazzo Ottolenghi, on the occasion of the Douja d’Or in 2006, as well as on many other prestigious occasions.

Alongside sketches, posters, bottles, and labels, the Palazzo Mazzetti exhibition also includes part of the advertising material and packaging of the companies involved, demonstrating how much the artist did to promote the products of his region both in Italy and abroad.

The exhibition is therefore an opportunity to discover or rediscover a master who was able to interpret and enhance the poetry, mythology, and beauty of the Asti area and the Mediterranean.