BIOGRAPHY

Comics are art!
...I paint it in acrylic on canvas.

Umberto Gagliano

Designer | Art Painter

Comics are Art and Umberto Gagliano paints them in acrylic on canvas!
Umberto Gagliano's artistic production is largely a tribute to John Romita Sr., the great illustrator of the American MARVEL comics who gave inspiration to the pioneers of Pop Art(Roy Lichtenstein) and enchanted him in 1977, at the age of seven, influencing his graphic style forever.
Umberto Gagliano's fame received a great boost at comics industry events where he exhibited his first works alongside the greatest contemporary MARVEL artists who expressed wide appreciation for him.
Umberto Gagliano boasts today numerous personal and collective exhibitions, he exhibits in New York, Dubai, London, Paris, Berlin, Palma de Mallorca, the Caribbean and throughout the country in Institutional Galleries, private and in prestigious locations.(Rinascente Store).
His style, typically American comics from the 60s, is appreciated and used in the official images of the third Christian holiday in the world for size and participation. (Saint Agatha in Catania), to which the Artist dedicates an entire collection of acrylics on canvas (W S. Agata - Catania in Pop Art).
His works are present in the Catalogs of Comics Sector Events and in National Art Catalogs (National Institute of Culture 2024).
His works are created in his studio in Catania.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS


2025

Catania, "Pop Icons" and "Catania in Pop-Art", Window display in Rinascente. RINASCENTE Store.

2024/2025

Catania, "Made in Italy" and "Catania in Pop-Art", Showcase in Rinascente. RINASCENTE Store.

2024

Catania, Sant'Agata 2024, Showcase in Rinascente. RINASCENTE Store.

2022

Catania, POP ART & COMICS, Modern Art Gallery. Department of Culture, Municipality of Catania.

Catania, LEGALITY, Palazzo degli Elefanti - Council Chamber. Municipality of Catania.

2020

Catania, POP ART & COMICS, RINASCENTE Store.

2019

Catania, VIVA S.AGATA - CATANIA IN POP ART, Palace of Culture, Municipality of Catania.

2018

Catania, POP ART AND COMICS, Etna Comics 2018, Exhibition Area. Le Ciminiere - Catania.

Catania, VIVA S.AGATA - CATANIA IN POP ART, Palace of Culture, Municipality of Catania.

2016

Catania,POP ART AND COMICS - SHOTS AND BRUSHES, Proloco and Municipality of Milo (CT).

GROUP EXHIBITIONS


2025

New York, ARTEXPO NEW YORK 2025, Pier 36 Manhattan, New York (USA).

Basel, ART BASEL WEEK, Artboxy live -Train Station, Basel (CH)

St Georges, "Art Bar Grenada Gallery", Grenada (Caribbean Islands).

Dubai, "ANDAKULOVA Gallery", Dubai (UAE).

Zug, "THOMSON GALLERY", Zug (CH).

Palm, "CASA del ARTE" Gallery, Palma (ES).

Berlin,"Nicoleta Gallery", Berlin (DE).

2024

Zug, "THOMSON GALLERY", Zug (CH).

Palm, "CASA del ARTE" Gallery, Palma (ES).

Berlin,"Nicoleta Gallery", Berlin (DE).

Dubai, "ANDAKULOVA GALLERY", Dubai (UAE).

Paris, ARTEXPO PARIS 2024, Agnes Nord Galleries, Paris (FR).

2023

Venice, CASANOVA, Venice Art Gallery, Venice.

Ravenna, SPRING IN ART, Ravenna Art Gallery, Ravenna.

Venice, COLLATERAL TO THE VENICE CARNIVAL, Venice Art Gallery, Venice.

2022

Venice, EPILOGUE TO THE VENICE BIENNALE. Venice Art Gallery, Venice.

Monza, POP ART, MIA (Monza International Art), Monza.


2018

London, SICILY FEST 2018, The Boiler House, Brick Lane, East London, London.

2017

Ragusa, ARCADIA COMICS & GAMES 2017, Giardini Iblei, Ragusa Ibla.

Catania, ETNA COMICS 2017. Exhibition in Artist Alley, Le Ciminiere - Catania.

2016

Catania, ETNA COMICS 2016. Exhibition in Artist Alley, Le Ciminiere - Catania.

Palermo, PALERMO COMIC CONVENTION 2016. Exhibition in Area Comics, Fiera del Mediterraneo, Palermo.


2015

Catania, THE ORIGINAL COMICS OF MARVEL AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON, Leaf, Sicilia Journal, Catania.

2004

Catania, FESTIVAL OF LIGHT, Second edition, AR.PE.CA. and Municipality of Catania. Boschetto della Plaja, Catania.

2003

Catania, FESTIVAL OF LIGHT, First edition, AR.PE.CA. and Municipality of Catania. Boschetto della Plaja, Catania.


ARTIST STATEMENT


I was born artistically at the age of seven in 1977.

One August morning my father had the bright idea of buying me a "SPIDER-MAN" comic book that had already been published in America in 1966. I was astonished when I saw for the first time the wonderful drawings by John Romita Sr. that would be the inspiration for Roy Lichtenstein's Pop Art in the years to come.


John Romita Sr.

Everything I observe takes on a cartoonish vision.

Still images invade my mind, from comics to television, from music to design, the concept of "Beauty" that accompanies my childhood pours into my works in a reality sometimes "revised" and much more romantic to be able to shelter me from the ugliness of everyday life, and where the colors of the superheroes' costumes, yellow red and blue, become absolute protagonists.

John Romita Sr.

Before creating my paintings, I sometimes design, in pencil on paper, complex and detailed architectural compositions of monuments and buildings. Wonders and places of the world serve as a backdrop to comic book characters in the foreground, who are then adapted to new settings.

Bozzetto

In the need to keep alive the emotions of my childhood, through my works,

mostly tribute to John Romita Sr.,

I invite the viewer to enter my inner world.