14 Feb — 30 Mar 2025 at Space Gallery St Barth in New York, United States
Detail of Nunzio de Martino's Untitled, 2022 Polyester seams on canvas 35.43 x 27.56 in (90 x 70 cm)
This February, Space Gallery is proud to unveil a new collection of works by the celebrated Italian artist Nunzio De Martino at our Soho location. Renowned for his evocative and dynamic creations, De Martino’s work invites viewers into a profound exploration of color, form, and motion.
In the works of Nunzio De Martino, colors transform into metaphorical elaborations, leading to the discovery of unspoken words. These creations inhabit the liminal spaces—the pause between one line and the next, the interval between surfaces—transforming what might seem like silence into a powerful absorption of matter and structure. This dynamic interplay mirrors the experience of being enveloped by the energy his works emit.
De Martino’s art transcends stillness. Though anchored within the artist’s meticulously constructed frames, his pieces possess a vitality that evokes the infinite motion of birds in flight. They seem to glide across the canvas, leaving behind a wake of delicate traces, much like the rhythmic beating of wings that imprint the atmosphere. This vibrancy imbues his works with a sense of perpetual movement, drawing the viewer into an evolving narrative.
The artist resists categorization, creating works that defy traditional artistic labels. His process— drawing, sewing, brushing, stretching, and liquefying materials onto canvas and fiber—results in pieces that connect the pictorial traditions of the past to a contemporary context. His works are not mere images but dimensions of inner silence that resonate with the timeless geometricality of Renaissance artists, reminiscent of Piero della Francesca’s “mathematical” approach to painting. In De Martino’s hands, black and white merge into intricate patterns, forming cracks and expanded spaces that balance the totality of compositional rigor with the intimacy of detail.
His canvases celebrate this duality, offering both the wonder of their intricate details and the strength of their compositional unity. Like interstellar journeys traced across galaxies, his works are bridges between worlds, inviting viewers to explore the infinite connections between the parts and the whole.
De Martino’s mastery extends to the musicality of his compositions. His brushwork exhibits a rhythm and precision reminiscent of geometric rigor, creating a harmony that reflects both the traditions of the past and the innovative spirit of the 21st century.
Nunzio De Martino, born in Naples in 1967, earned a diploma in photography in 1985. In the late 1980s, he moved to Milan, where he began working as an assistant to renowned fashion photographers, including Helmut Newton, Albert Watson, and William Garrett. He then spent about five years as an assistant to Gian Paolo Barbieri, collaborating on the creation of two books, Tahiti Tattoo and Barbieri Fashion. De Martino worked with prominent international companies such as Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna, Inghirami, Armata di Mare, and Channels, as well as magazines like Mondo Uomo, Rockstar, and Superbe. Since 2005, he has shifted his focus from fashion photography to art.
Nunzio de Martino Untitled, 2023 Polyester seams on canvas 19.29 x 17.72 in (49 x 45 cm)
Nunzio de Martino Untitled, 2024 Polyester seams on canvas 15.75 x 11.81 in (40 x 30 cm)
Nunzio de Martino Untitled, 2022 Polyester seams on canvas 27.56 x 19.69 in (70 x 50 cm)
Space Gallery SOHO
428 Broome Street
New York City, NY 10013