Mario Surbone

Biography of Mario Surbone

Mario Surbone, born in Treville Monferrato on September 8, 1932, emerges as a significant figure in the field of contemporary Italian art. His early steps in the art world were marked by in-depth studies at the Artistic Lyceum and the Albertina Academy in Turin, under the guidance of illustrious masters such as Felice Casorati.

Surbone’s public debut took place in 1958 at the National Exhibition of Youth Art in Rome, marking the beginning of an artistic career that developed with great coherence and originality. Between the late 1950s and early 1960s, the painter spent a significant period in Paris, a fertile ground for his artistic growth. Immersed in the atmosphere of French informal painting, he began to outline an increasingly rarefied and abstract style, leading to the geometrization of human and object figures with a strong emphasis on contours.

From the 1960s onward, Surbone explored the expressive potential of monochromatic surfaces, using different materials such as cardboard and metal. In 1968, driven by experimental impulses, he embarked on the path of “Incisi,” adopting regular cuts on cardboard supports. This marked a key phase in his career, highlighting a bold fusion of irregularities and geometry that would characterize many of his subsequent works.

The artist pushed further, working with large-scale acrylics on wood, often composed of multiple elements. His work is characterized by a unique relationship between geometric forms and natural elements, creating harmony that, even through complexity and irregularity, captivates the observer.

Surbone’s approach is characterized by a profound reflection on matter. Through engravings and openings, often executed on cardboard supports, the works manifest an aesthetic exploration that develops with the same intensity as detailed elaborations and preparatory drawings.

His artistic evolution has been noted and celebrated by a series of prestigious art critics such as Albino Galvano, Paolo Fossati, Giulio Argan, Enrico Crispolti, and many others. Numerous solo and group exhibitions, both in Italy and abroad, have contributed to consolidating his position in the contemporary art scene.

The 1996 monograph edited by Francesco De Bartolomeis provides a detailed retrospective of Surbone’s artistic journey. In the following years, exhibitions and recognitions have attested to the ongoing relevance of his artistic production.

The last major exhibition in Milan in 2016, focused on “Incisi 1968/1978: The Essentiality of Form,” further emphasized Mario Surbone’s extraordinary contribution to contemporary art. His presence at Artefiera Bologna 2017 offered continuity to this remarkable artistic journey, confirming his status as a prominent figure in modern Italian art.

The subsequent exhibition is “Incisi (1968-1978)” at CAMUSAC – Cassino Museum of Contemporary Art.

Works by Mario Surbone in Institutional Collections

• Calasetta, MACC. Civico Museo D’Arte Contemporanea
• Comune di Treville, Collezione Civica
• Macerata, Musei civici Palazzo Buonaccorsi

Auction Results for Mario Surbone

“Inciso R14″, 1973

35x35cm acrylic on cardboard

Signed and dated on retro

In a display case with a white tempera frame, likely executed by the artist.

Aste Babuino

“Inciso B136” 1975

72x72cm Egg tempera on cardboard

Artwork signed and dated on the reverse where the artist’s studio label is located.

Sant’Agostino Aste

“Equilibrio BN”, 1968

101x71cm Egg tempera on cardboard applied on panel

Signed on verso: M. Surbone 1968

Farsetti Arte