Vittorio Matino was born in 1943 and established himself over the years as a key figure in Abstract Art, making color, understood as pure luminous energy, the central element of his artistic vision. During his formative years in Veneto in the 1960s, Matino absorbed the tradition of Venetian color-light radiance. After moving to Milan in 1971 and spending extended periods in Paris, he traveled across Europe, refining his study of painters from the modern tradition. In 1975, during a trip to the United States, he deepened his understanding of the masters of the New York School and Color-Field Abstraction. A long stay in New York in 1989 proved decisive in leading his painting in a new direction of exploration. His exhibition at P.A.C. in Milan in February 1990 summarized all the key stages of his artistic journey since 1986.
In 1995, he co-founded the Art Club with Piero Dorazio, originally created in the postwar period. In 1996, as part of the international project Arte-Metro-Roma, he created a 14-meter mosaic for the Bologna metro station in Rome. He held numerous solo exhibitions in the 2000s and participated in the 56th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, Collateral Event, in 2015 with the group exhibition Frontiers Reimagined, Art That Connects Us, at the Museo di Palazzo Grimani.
The strength—and challenge—of Matino’s artistic practice has always been the dissolution of cultural boundaries. He traveled extensively, studied Asian and African arts, and deepened his connection to American Action Painting and Color-Field Abstraction. His exhibition activity has continued uninterrupted since 1967, with over 95 solo exhibitions and numerous group shows in Europe, North America, and Australia. Matino held solo exhibitions in several museums and public spaces, including Museo Civico, Palazzo Chiericati in Vicenza; Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, Milan; Galleria Civica, Villa Valle Valdagno; Palazzo Pretorio, Cittadella; and Museo Civico di Brunico. His works are part of major Italian museums and private collections, including the Museo del Novecento, Intesa San Paolo Galleria d’Italia, Fondazione Prada, and Edison in Milan. His work has been the subject of numerous publications.
In 2018, he relocated to Nice, where he passed away on August 17, 2022.
