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Sandro CHIA (b. 1946, Florence) is one of the main exponents of the Transavanguardia movement, describing his practice as “mythical Conceptual Art." His compositions feature symbolism and aggregate mark-making, offering insight into contemporary social and political life through the formal language of Expressionism.
After graduating from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence in 1969, he traveled extensively across Asia and Europe before settling in Rome in the early 1970s. Initially close to conceptual practices, he soon embraced figuration, becoming one of the key figures of Transavanguardia, as theorized by Achille Bonito Oliva. His international career took off in the 1980s, with a pivotal participation in Documenta 7 in Kassel, 1980, and the Venice Biennale in Aperto 80, followed by solo shows in leading institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.
From the early 1980s, he also expanded his practice into sculpture, developing a monumental language that has been featured in major public commissions and collections, including works acquired by the Italian
Senate at Palazzo Madama and by the Province of Rome. His art has been exhibited widely in Europe, the United States, and beyond, with numerous retrospectives dedicated to his work.
Alongside his artistic career, Chia has cultivated a deep connection to Tuscany, where he established the Castello Romitorio estate in Montalcino, uniting his artistic vision with winemaking.