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Roberto Bernardi

Italian-born artist Roberto Bernardi describes his work as hyperrealism, a meticulous branch of painting closely related to photorealism. Bernardi is an expert in painting still lifes of chrome, plastic, glass and candy - glossy textured objects that generally don’t lend themselves to being captured realistically in oil on canvas.

What makes Bernardi’s work interesting is his ability to elevate the mundane to the fantastical through intricate attention to detail, giving “weight and depth to translucent objects, creating drama in the overlapping forms and infinite reflections that they create,” as Coded noted. There’s no schmaltzy retro filter applied, just an exacting eye for the interplay between textures and colours.

But the physical presence of the objects is just part of the intrigue. The juxtaposition of clutter and order, the organic and inorganic, become comments  on postmodern life and the technology that facilitates it. 

Solo Exhibitions

2016    Candyland, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

2014    Candy Paintings, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

2012    Caramelle, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
2011    Candy Paintings, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
2009    Beijing project, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Glass FX, Art of Glass 2, The Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Norfolk (U.S.A.)
​2007    Dirty Plates, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
2005    Giardini di Cristallo, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York​ (U.S.A.) 
2004    Spazi Infiniti, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.) 
             Albermarle Gallery, London, England​
2002    Robert Kidd Gallery, Detroit, MI​ (U.S.A.)
2000    Galerie De Castiglione, Paris, France
             Palazzo delle, Perugia, Italy​
1995    Umbria Jazz, Perugia, Italy​

 

Group Exhibitions

 

2020 Rarity Gallery, Greece

2016    Feast for the Eyes, Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, New York

             Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Musée d'Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium

             Art Miami New York Pier 94, "Roberto Bernardi and Mel Ramos", May 3 - 8,                                                                                      Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Kumu - Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia

             Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Osthaus Museum Hagen, Hagen, Germany

             Realisme Amsterdam Art Fair, Mark Peet Visser Gallery, Netherlands

2015    Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Museo de Bellas Ares de Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain

             True Colors, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Art Miami, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Candyland, Opera Gallery, Hong Kong, China

             Summer Group Exhibition, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

2014    Contemporary Realism Biennial, Fort Wayne Museum of Art

             Photorealism: The Sydney and Walfa Besthoff Collection, NOMA, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans (U.S.A.)

             Context Art Miami 2014, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Photorealism, The Everyday Illuminated, Jonathan Novak Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, California (U.S.A.)

             Art Silicon Valley, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

2013    Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Thyssen - Bornemisza Museum, Madrid, Spain

             Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Saarland Museum, Saarbrucken, Germany 

             Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, England

             Photorealism Revisited, OKCMOA - Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklaoma City (U.S.A.)

             The Butler Institute Of American Art, Howland Township, Ohio (U.S.A.)
2012    Hyperrealism, Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan
             Photorealism, Galerie De Bellefeuille, Montreal, Canada
             Photorealism. 50 years of Hyperrealistic painting, Tübingen Museum, Tübingen, Germany
             All Inn, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Palm Springs Art Fair, Imago Galleries (U.S.A.)

             Palm Springs Art Fair, Scott Richards Contemporary Art (U.S.A.)
2011    Stand Still, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation at MANA Art Center, Jersey City, (U.S.A.)
             Real: Realism and Diverse Media, Imago Galleries, Palm Desert, (U.S.A.)

             What kind of real ?, Albemarle Gallery, London
2010    Sweet tooth, Scott Richards Contemporary Art, San Francisco (U.S.A.)
             Grand opening 2010, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Real(ists), Selby Gallery – Ringling Collage of Art and Design, Sarasota (U.S.A.)
             Art Hamptons, Louis K. Meisel Gallery (U.S.A.)
2009    Summer Views: Gallery Artists & Invitational, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Small Paintings from Around the World, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York

             40 Years of photorealism, Louis K. Meisel Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

​​             Photorealist paintings, Arthur M. Berger Gallery, Manhattanville college, New York (U.S.A.)

2008    Unforeseen Reflections, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Arte contemporanea per i rifugiati, seventh edition, Sotheby's, Milan, Italy

             SPF 20 - Shades of Summer, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Arte contemporanea per i rifugiati, seventh edition, Sotheby's, Rome, Italy

             Monaco 2008, Prince Fine Arts, Monte Carlo, Monaco
             Art Chicago 2008, Louis K. Meisel Gallery, Chicago (U.S.A.)

2007    Arte Contemporanea per I Rifugiati, Musei Capitolini, Rome, Italy

             Culinary Arts, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Structure, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Iperrealisti, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Arte Contemporanea per I Rifugiati, UNHCR, Christies, Milan, Italy​

             Art Twenty, New York Art Fair, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Group Show, Albemarle Gallery, London (England)

2006    Summer Suite, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Three Person Show, Albemarle Gallery, London

             Contemporary Realism 2006, M.A. Doran Gallery, Tusla, OK (U.S.A.)
             Winter Reflections, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             Art Miami, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)

             10th Anniversary, Albemarle Gallery, London (England)

2005    Re-presenting Realism VII, Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY (U.S.A.)
             New Photorealists, Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, FL (U.S.A.)
             What is Realism?, Albemarle Gallery, London, curated by Edward Lucie - Smith
             Cars and Ketchup: Photorealist Images of the American Landscape, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art,  

             Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (U.S.A.)
             Personal Places, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Winter in Blue, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York​​ (U.S.A.)
2004    New American Realism, Tony Brunelli Fine Art, Binghamton, NY (U.S.A.)
             The Big Picture, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Vertical Arrangements, Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Seeing is Believing: American Trompe L’oeil, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT (U.S.A.)
             Summer is..., Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             New Photorealists, Louis K. Meisel Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Blow Up, St. Paul’s Gallery, Birmingham, England
             Summer show, Albemarle Gallery, London, England

             David Klein Gallery, Birmingham - Detroit (U.S.A.)

             Art London, Albemarle Gallery, London, England
​2003    Albemarle Gallery, London, England
             Painting Glass, Bernarducci Meisel Gallery, New York (U.S.A.)
             Albemarle Gallery, London, England
             Art Chicago, Bernarducci Meisel Gallery, Chicago, IL (U.S.A.)
2002    Albemarle Gallery, London, Eng land​
             Paisley Tyler & Co., London, England
             Robert Kidd Gallery, Detroit, MI (U.S.A.)

2001    Albemarle Gallery, London, England
             Robert Kidd Gallery, Detroit, MI (U.S.A.)
             Albemarle Gallery, London, England
2000    M.F.F. Galerie, Nice, France
             Galerie Rocha, Barbizon, France
             Alexander of Florence Gallery, San Francisco, CA (U.S.A.)
             Galleria Ortarte, Novara, Italy
             Albemarle Gallery, London, England
             Galleria Questarte, Fiera d'Arte Contemporanea, Innsbruk, Austria
1999    M.F.F. Galerie, Nice, France
             Galerie Rocha, Barbizon, France
             Alexander of Florence Gallery, San Francisco, CA (U.S.A.)
             Galleria Ortarte, Novara, Italy
             Galleria Questarte, Villa Farsetti, Venice, Italy
1998    Galerie Rocha, Barbizon, France
             Galleria Fidesarte 16 Asta, Venice, Italy
             Galleria Ortarte, Novara, Italy
             Galleria Fidesarte 17 Asta, Venice, Italy
             Galleria Got, Paris, France
             Alexander of Florence Gallery, San Francisco, CA (U.S.A.)
             Galleria Artesegno, Mostra Mercato d'Arte Contemporanea,"Arte Padova 1998", Padova, Italy
​1997    Centro Espositivo Hotel, "La Rosetta", Perugia, Italy
             Palazzo Comunale, Perugia, Italy
             National Museum of Fine Arts, La Valletta, Malta
             Galleria Arearte, Ancona, Italy
1997    Galleria Artesegno, Udine, Italy
             Gallerie le Miroir des Maitres, Geneva, Switzerland
1996    Centro Espositivo Hotel, "Fonte Cesia", Perugia, Italy
             "Grande percorso artistico", Perugia, Italy
             Palazzo Comunale, "Todi Festival", Perugia, Italy
1995    Palazzo Pietromarchi, Perugia, Italy​
             Mostra Mercato d'Arte Antica e Moderna, Terni, Italy​​​

 

Bibliography

 

2016    The Artist Forum, Saints & Sinners/Bernardi by Michael Goldstein, March 06

             Sweet Treats, American Art Collector, March 2016, pag 102-103 

             Sugar Castles, Arttrade.TV, 27 Feb 2016

             Work of the Day, Art New York, 25 Feb 2016

             The Sounthhamptom Review, Real, Yet More than Real by Ana Daniel, volume X, Winter/Spring 2016 pag. 95 and 98

2015    Sugar and Sweets, by D. Goldstein, Oxford University Press Editions, pag 535

             Repubblica.it, Il vestito di Beuys, 22-0 -2015 by Carlo Alberto Bucci

             Candyland, by Gilles Dyan and Shirley Yablonsky, exhibition catalogue, Opera Gallery

             Eldiario.es, La exposición 'Hiperrealismo 1967-2013 del Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao concluye el próximo día 19 by Europa Press Bilbao,  07-01- 2015

             Hipescience.com "Hiper-realismo:11 artistas que vao deixar voce de queixo caido" 03-12-15

             SociArt Network, "una coppia iperrealista. Spence e Bernardi" by D. Marcatajo 05-08-15

             Revista Indie, Hiperrealismo.1967-2012, by Sara Fernandez

2014    Photorealism in the Digital Age, Abrams Editions, Back Cover and pag. from 51to 58

             Seven Bridges Volume 2, 2008-2013, Seven Bridges Editions, pag 93

             Photorealism: Beginnings to Today, by Miranda Lash, Louis K. Meisel, and Russell Lord

             Daily Mail, Mail on Line, 14 January 2014, "Everything including the kitchen sink: Artist creates incredibly...."

             Artdaily.org, 9 November 2014, "New Paintings By Roberto Bernardi and Raphaella Spence at Bernarducci.Meisel.Gallery"

             Abitare(Corriere della Sera), 3 March," I maestri del Fotorealismo a Birmingham"

             VIP (Romanian Edition), 17 May, "Lumea banului si elita artei mondiale"

             Antena 3 Spain, 14 January 2014, "Un artista italiano convierte los articulos mas cotinianos en pinturas Hiperrealistas"

             20 Minutos” El Museo Bellas Artes de Bilbao acoge una retrospectiva con 68 obras emblemáticas del movimiento hiperrealista”, by Europa Press Bilbao 07 Oct 2014

2013    Hatje Cantz Verlag, Neuerscheinungen, Hatje Cantz Editions, Front and Back Cover and pag 28-29

             Huffington Post, 17 January 2013, "Roberto Bernardi Hyperrealist paintings: Amazing Still Life of Chrome, Plastic, Candy.."

             El Mundo, 22 March 2013, "Del Arte Extremo de Copiar", pag 45

             Finanzas.com, 12 May 2013 "50 anos de Hiperrealismo. Esto no es una foto"

             El Confidencial, 22 March 2013, " El espectaculo Hiperrealista esegura la taquilla al Thyssen"

             Radio Madrid, 21 March 2013, "El hiperrealismo pictorico ilega al Museo Thyssen"

             Revista de Arte, 21 March 2013, "El Impactante Hiperrealismo americano y europeo en el Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza"

             El Imparcial, 30 March 2013, " Museo Thyssen: Hiperrealismo"

             Republica.com, 10 March 2013, "El Thyssen organiza la primera gran antologica sobre el Hiperrealismo"

             Tele Madrid, 22 March 2013, "Hiperrealismo en el Thyssen"

             Unicom blog(Confindustria), 24 March 2013," In mostra a Madrid la pittura iperrealista"

             El Confidencial, 21 March 2013, " La Magica confusion del hiperrealismo, en el Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza"

             ABC.es Cultura, 22 March 2013,"La realidad supera a la realidad en el Museo Thyssen"

             Il sole 24 ore, 22 March 2013, " Più vero del vero, la pittura iperrealista in mostra a Madrid"

             Schwabishes Tablatt, 9 January 2013, "Im Blickfang"

             Purple clover.com, 10 Dec 2013, " The New Masters"

2012    Fotorealismus, 50 Jahre Hyperrealistiche Malerei, European Museum Tour catalogue, Hatje Cantz Editions

             Artdaily.org, New painting by Roberto Bernardi and new cityscapes by Raphaella Spence, October 18

             The New York Observer, pag. b 22, October

             Blouin Art Info, by Chloe Wyma, October 18

             American Art Collector, Seeking complexity, pag 106-107, October 2012

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