NICO
Nicolò Gaddi – Nico – is born in Grado on 9 October 1956.
In 1979, Nico, who is at the time still working as a chef, founds the “Pittori Gradesi” group together with other artists.
In 1985, together with his friend Giuseppe Assirelli, Nico becomes interested in photography and opens a photo studio in Grado.
His encounter with the graphic artist Massimo Scifoni awakens Nico’s passion for graphics.
The art printer Federico Santini is also decisive for Nico in his development and leads to his intensive occupation with printing techniques.
Influenced by the watercolour painter Melisenda Malison and her brother the sculptor Gianfranco Malison, Nico extends his artistic work to painting, especially watercolor painting, and sculpture.
His further development leads him to the “arte del revoco”, which becomes his trademark.
Nico passes away on 2 March 2022.
L’ARTE DEL REVOCO
Nico ‘l à mane comò vate ‘l tò su i ligni che lassa le aque: i suri e i culuri de le grisióle, i ciodi rùsini de le barche fondae. Al tò su grèbini e carancanti, piere ciuciae da l’onda del sal. Stichi, cane e ciari de luna, luse del sielo e stiàfe del mar. Elo ‘l ingruma l’arte del revoco, del vento che reporta quel che xe stao, di sighi di corcai carghi de fame, di visi arai da l’eternitae. Nico ‘l à ‘l estro di veci marineri ch’i veghe ‘l paese vogâ stramàn, ma i serca l’anema in duti i pinsieri consando ‘l sielo ‘nsieme col mar.
(di Mauro Marchesan)
THE ART OF REVOCO Nico has hands as big as a fishing net, he picks up pieces of driftwood left by the water: Cork and the colors of the reeds, rusty nails of sunken boats. He picks up limestones and stones, stones crushed by the salty waves. Stems, rushes and moonlight, celestial lights and the breaking of the sea. He collects the art of remembering, the wind that brings back what was, the cries of hungry seagulls, the faces that have been permeated by eternity. Nico has the inspiration of the old sailors who see the country passing by, but in all thoughts seek power to unite the sky with the sea. Mauro Marchesan
