Stefano Contiero

Introversione

I am a soft-spoken introvert, and it's ok.

In the age of self-promotion, self-branding, self-selling, and self-loathing, I feel out of place. But don't we all?

I am a kid of two cultures: Italian and Dominican. Feeling torn about duality is my bread and butter.

My name is Stefano, and I create art.

I create art for many reasons, but mainly to be myself.

Code is my clay, but I'm no algorithm expert: I throw some code together, and it returns me some interesting stuff.

They call it Generative Art.

This is also a fair representation of my approach to everything: use what's available in my life, and mix it to create my own reality.

Everything that ever happened so far, led me to this place in time.

I firmly believe that everything is temporary, and change is the only constant until we die.

Fate is sealed, but homo faber fortunae suae.

You can have a glimpse of my past here, or I'm more than happy to have a chat, just be mindful about the first line.

Artist Statement

I seek to understand who I am. I use art as a medium to express everything I'm too afraid to tell myself. Everything I would love to say, but I don't yet dare to tell. It is a dialog between my inner self, the laws of life, and entropy. I'm driven by my subconscious, which becomes one with the artwork in the process. There's something deeply visceral and personal about it: it feels like opening my guts and spill them on a canvas.

The medium or the technique is not really the focus, as long as they don't get in the way and give me the freedom to experiment without overthinking. I found my heart between the tactile feeling of paint and the tamed randomness of code, striving to find a balance between analog and digital. Humanizing machines and digitalizing reality.

Artist Bio

Stefano Contiero is an Italian-Dominican self-taught artist born in Bassano del Grappa (IT). During childhood, he developed a strong interest in technology and design, which first led to a career in tech, and later combined into generative art.

This perfect mix of algorithmic and visual arts is Stefano's favorite medium. He explores self-reflection and expression through a continuous feedback loop between his subconscious and technology. His parents' often-clashing cultures and personalities gifted him a fragmented sense of belonging, which plays a big part in his inspiration and is key to understanding himself.

After developing his craft in solitude for many years, he became known for Frammenti (Art Blocks Curated Series 3) and Rinascita (Art Blocks Playground), which led him to be one of the top 20 NFT artists globally in 2021. In addition to creating digital art, nowadays, Stefano also explores ways to integrate physical media in his practice.

Exhibtions

2023

Intimità, Tonic.xyz — San Francisco, CA (USA)

2022

Mexico City Collection, Bright Moments — CDMX, Mexico
FakeWhale Collection, Valuart, Lugano — Switzerland
Art Blocks X Samsung 837, Community event — New York City, NY (USA)
Diversity of NFTs — Times Square showcase, NFT.NYC, New York City, NY (USA)
A dialog with Herman de Vries, Galleria Cortesi, Artefiera — Bologna (Italy)
Decentral Art Pavilion, during Biennale di Venezia — Venice (Italy)
MetaVanity by Hadem and Vanity Fair, during Biennale di Venezia — Metaverse (Italy)
GENERATIVE ART GENESIS, 6529 Museum — OM Metaverse
VCA Residency Auction Event, Vertical Crypto Art — Metaverse

2021

The Digital, Miami Art Week 2021 — Miami Beach, FL (USA)
A.R.E, Generative Art Fest — Berlin (Germany)
NFT ART WEEK — Hangzhou (China)
The Crypt Gallery X Christie's — New York City, NY (USA)
NFT ART WEEK — Shenzhen (China)
Global NFT Art Season, Central Academy of Fine Arts x Neal NFT Art Lab — Shanghai (China)
Exhibition #0: Genesis, Art Blocks — Marfa, TX (USA)
META-MENAGERIE, Ars Electronica — New York City, NY (USA)
MOCA celebrates Processing.org 20th Anniversary, Museum of Crypto Art — Metaverse
Art Blocks Curated Series 3 — Metaverse

Interviews & Panels

Generative Art and the Future of NFTs, Fog Fair
In Situ Stefano Contiero, Tonic.xyz
Stefano Contiero in conversation w/ Jesse Draxler., FakeWhale Live
Interview with Stefano Contiero, GrailersDAO
Art Blocks After Dinner Mints w/ Stefano Contiero, Ponyo
NFT Artist Twitterview 13. Stefano Contiero, David All
Stefano Contiero X NFT Granny, Artynft.io
Slowing down with...Stefano Contiero, Marcelo Soria-Rodriguez
In Conversation with Stefano Contiero, Jeff Davis (Art Blocks)