About Fabrizio Tiribilli; something about me
I am an multidisciplinary artist from Italy who lives in the hills of Florence.
I have developed over time through the culture in which I grew up, my personal experiences, and my ongoing study and practice. I have worked in various disciplines: ceramist, designer, art and design teacher, graphic designer, and much more. This diversity of experiences allows me today to approach any artistic or educational project free from preconceptions and with a cross-disciplinary perspective that takes every point of view into account.
I am a figurative artist; I express myself primarily through painting and drawing. Imperfection as a source of inspiration is a theme very close to my heart. I have battled cancer five times; this experience has shaped the way I make art. I paint with oil paints on OSB, a type of wood made from compressed wood chips, because it restores my sense of texture (sometimes I apply the paint with my fingers, caressing it as if it were ceramic) and because the irregular wood chips break up the brushstrokes and forms, giving meaning and redemption to my scars.
I was married to a woman and have two daughters; I discovered and embraced my homosexuality as an adult—a late bloomer, as they say. In my works, I explore the nuances of love in all its expressions and the wonder of life. I love details, which reveal hidden harmonies.
In 2018, following a meeting with Marco Tonucci, who has deuteranopia, the Colorblindness Creativity Project was launched. A creative and educational project that explores color blindness as a source of inspiration for improving accessibility and social integration. Art is a powerful tool for conveying knowledge and stimulating different perspectives on the world around us.
Color blindness has also influenced my approach to art: I often use few colors and prefer those that allow a color-blind person to see my paintings the same way I do, bridging the differences. At other times, I cater to the heightened sensitivity of color-blind people toward details, playing with light and volume and paying close attention to small details. I’m interested in fostering integration, accessibility, and awareness.
Intensity is a word people very often use when talking to me about what they see in my work. Exploration and Integration, both visually and in terms of content, are perhaps two more words that help shed light on my artistic journey.
Painting male bodies means not only expressing my personal nature, but also reconnecting with a millennia-old artistic tradition and seeking to actively respond to contemporary society. In my view, eroticism is a natural element, a window through which to connect with the many facets of the human being. My artistic practice is a constantly evolving journey that evolves alongside my life. In every work, there is something that has passed through me and that I wish to offer, allowing it to engage in a dialogue with the viewer.
Education
Being born in Florence on February 8, 1963, and growing up in a city so rich in beauty was perfect for me, as I’ve always been very curious and loved drawing ever since I was a child. I created my first painting at the age of 11.
I began my studies at the Institute of Ceramic Art in Sesto Fiorentino. I then attended the Department of Contemporary Art History at the University of Florence under the guidance of Antonio Del Guercio, thanks to whom I also learned the basics of conceptualizing and curating exhibitions.
During those same years, I refined my drawing technique at Mary Ann Luchetti’s school. Even today, I love to learn and study in depth: every choice I make in my work is backed by a reason.
Exhibitions and Awards
1982National Prize Francesco Merlini
For the top graduate from the art schools, presented during the exhibition at Villa Corsi Salviati in Sesto Fiorentino.1983Curator for Joe Tilson
Professor Antonio Del Guercio has entrusted me with curating the works of Joe Tilson in the arcades of the Volterra market for Art Itinera.1987Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz and solol exhibition
I was included among the contemporary Italian artists by the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence. That same year, I held a solo exhibition in the Cloister of Giuliano da Sangallo in Florence.'90sExhibitions and awards
In the years that followed, I received various awards and participated in many exhibitions—both group and solo—some of which I conceived and curated myself. I would like to mention my solo exhibitions at Palazzo Ranghiasci in Gubbio, my participation in “Discovery of Italy” in New York, and other exhibitions in Turin, Florence, Milan, and Brussels. For several years, I have had solo booths at ArteFiera Bologna and Abitare il Tempo in Verona.1991Capraia Prize '91
This was followed by awards received at Vindesign Piacenza and in various editions of the Premio Italia.1995MIBACT
I am recognized as a master craftsman and was selected by MIBACT to participate in the MuseoMuseo project, which brings to life the first collection of objects related to Italy’s museum heritage. This first collection is presented to the public in an exhibition held in the prestigious Sala Bianca at Palazzo Pitti. Seeing my works in that legendary space was an unforgettable experience.2020BiffiOnline
During the lockdown, I was selected by the Biffi Gallery as one of the first three artists for the BiffiOnline Project, an innovative digital exhibition successfully conceived by Stefano Gazzola. In 2021, the exhibition was presented in person at the Biffi Arte Gallery in Piacenza.2021Artistic Director of Lucignano Sensi e Amore
I served as artistic director of Lucignano Sensi e Amore, a series of cultural events in Lucignano (AR) conceived with Daniele Torrini and in collaboration with the B&B Il Gianduia.2022B.A.Co.
I have been working with B.A.Co. Baratti Architettura e Arte Contemporanea since 2022.2023Exhibitions
I am exhibiting in Provincetown (MA) at the Woodman Shimko Gallery, and in Italy at the Literary Café of the Piombino Archaeological Museum, curated by BaCo Baratti Architettura e Arte Contemporanea.2024New York
I teach as a Guest Artist at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, invited by Dean Troy Richards, at the recommendation of Professor Ron Amato. As the founder of the Colorblindness Creativity Project, I am tasked with carrying out various activities: an opening lecture at the Katie Murphy Amphitheater and several workshops for all disciplines within the Department of Art and Design. In collaboration with Isabella Bertoletti, director of the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures, I led a symposium on the language of color. I was interviewed by Jada Schumacher to include my research on color blindness as a design resource in a section of her book “Hue, Chroma, and Poison Dart Frogs: How Color Changes Everything”. In the following months, I collaborated with the Interior Design program at FIT, led by Professor Eric Daniels, to develop proposals that incorporated the perspective of color-blind individuals into the renovation of an after-school program space in a building on Union Square in Manhattan. The collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology continues, at the invitation of Professor Allan Denis, at the Florence branch as well. The students are developing a visually integrated portfolio and mini-collection.2024New collaborations and exhibitions
In the fall of that same year, I began collaborating with the University of Florence, the Department of Physics, and the National Institute of Optics/CNR through various workshops, webinars, and a painting that was included in Enlighting Mind, a contemporary art collection dedicated to visual perception housed within the same department. Also in 2024, at the invitation of Paolo Martini, I exhibited again in Provincetown at the Crown & Anchor Gallery. In the summer, I had a new exhibition at the Woodman Shimko Gallery in Provincetown. In the fall, I participated in the group exhibition Dirty Little Drawings at the historic The SoHo Project Space in New York, ranking among the top 5 best-selling artists out of the more than 60 participating artists.2025Solo Exhibition
I am exhibiting again in Provincetown SOUL OF EROS The Italian Art of Fabrizio Tiribilli. This is an exhibition in which most of the works are being presented to the public for the first time. With 21 paintings, 30 drawings, and over 40 pieces of affordable art, I am presenting myself in the broadest, deepest, and most honest way possible. From October 2025 to May 2026, a large collection of paintings and drawings was exhibited at the Woodman Shimko Gallery in Palm Springs.2026Last activities
In collaboration with B.A.Co. Baratti, a series of cultural events is taking place at various locations, including the Esagono venue and the Visitor Center of the Baratti Archaeological Park: Extraordinary Facts in the Perception of Colors. A symposium titled: If It Works Well for Someone with Color Blindness, It Works Better for Those Who Aren’t, the workshop Colorblindness Creativity—open to everyone—and the exhibition FREECOLORS: Color Blindness, Endless Inspiration. The Color You Don’t Expect. An online event hosted in collaboration with Prof. Stefano Bramante and sponsored by ADHD Piemonte.