Antonio Pio Saracino

Antonio Pio Saracino (Italian pronunciation: [anˈtɔːnjo ˈpiːo saraˈtʃiːno]; born 1976) is an Italian architect and designer based in New York City. Saracino has designed monuments, buildings, and modern furniture, and several of his designs are part of the permanent collections of museums such the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Art and Design in New York City and the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Saracino's work has been shown in international exhibitions and received reviews in publications such as The New York Times and Architectural Digest. Among his notable projects are the public statues The Guardians: Hero and Superhero in Manhattan's Bryant Park. Vogue named Saracino "among the most prolific Italian designers abroad."

Saracino was born in 1976 in Apulia, in the south of Italy, and attended the La Sapienza University of Architecture in Rome, where he graduated with a Master's Degree in 2003. He worked at La Sapienza as an assistant professor of architectural design and also worked with several international architectural firms. In 2004 Saracino began collaborating with Steve Blatz, an architect based in New York. Saracino has created designs for several companies and individuals such as Eni, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Bloomingdales, the Italian government, Matt Mitcham.

Saracino's work has been placed as part of the permanent collections in several museums such as the Brooklyn Museum, and has been shown in solo and group exhibitions both in Italy and internationally. He has won several awards for his work and received accolades from ARTnews magazine and New Italian Blood.

The Museum of Arts and Design in New York featured Saracino’s work in the 2013 exhibition Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital.

In 2013 Saracino was commissioned to design a public art project for Bryant Park in Manhattan, entitled The Guardians: Hero and Superhero. The project consisted of two 13-foot-high statues, one made of marble and one made of stainless steel, that depicted "legendary civic heroes". The first statue, The Guardians: Hero was inspired by Michelangelo’s "David", and was created as a gift by the Italian Government and Eni to symbolize friendship between Italy and the United States.

Saracino's work has been the focus of several reviews. Vogue reviewed him positively, remarking that Saracino was "among the most prolific Italian industrial designers abroad and has been beatified by serial accolades." He has also been covered in publications such as The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Interior Design, and Wallpaper.

Saracino has designed buildings, monuments and modern furniture. A selection of his design include:

Projects

Public art

Products

Permanent collections

• Ray Sofa, Edition, 2010, Permanent Collection Museum of Arts and Design, New York City
• Ray Chair, Edition, 2010, Permanent Collection Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
• Cervo Chair, Edition, 2010, Permanent Collection Brooklyn Museum, New York City

Exhibits

Group shows

• 1998: PORTRAIT 2000 (Chiostro del Bramante in Rome)
• 2003: Video Exhibition (Videopolis National Festival Urban Space in Padova, Italy)
• 2005: Winner Exhibition: Metropolis Next Generation Design Competition (NEOCON in Chicago and International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City)
• 2006: Prototype, models and mock-ups physical tools in a digital age (Lincoln Center in New York City)
• 2007: Mythos (National Museum in Tirana, Albania, Lanitis Foundation in Cyprus, Byzantine Museum in Athens)
• 2007: New Generation of European Art ([useum of Contemporary Art, La Centrale Electrique in Brussels, Belgium)
• 2008: Public Art Installation "Adolescence of Force" (Europalia. Europa Festival 2007-2008, Brussels)
• 2009: ITALIDEA- Italian Excellence (Instituto Cultural Cabanasin in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Museo José Luis Cuevas in Mexico City)
• 2009: ARTEVERONA at the International Art Fair (Emmeotto Gallery in Bologna Italy)
• 2009: Studio Contemporary NYC (Pavilion of Art & Design in London)
• 2009: Matt Dive Gold (LipaniPuntin Artecontemporanea in Rome)
• 2009: Italian Artists in New York at ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program in New York)
• 2009: European Design Award for a sustainable present (EESC in Brussels)
• 2010: "Diver's House" (Smith & Hall Gallery in Sydney)
• 2010: Italian Art Today - site specific installations (Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco)
• 2010: ICFF, International Contemporary Furniture Fair (New York)
• 2011: BUILT ArtReal, in association with Sydney Design
• 2011: Top Ten Italian Architects of the New Italian Blood Award (traveling exhibition in Sciacca, Ragusa, Salerno, Rome, Ferrara, Bologna, Venice, Milan, Treviso, Genova, Amsterdam, Siviglia, and Barcelona)
• 2011: Saracino's Recent Works (Italian Pavilion in the World at the 54th Venice Biennale)
• 2012: Rossana Orlandi Showroom (Milan Design Week)
• 2012: Musei di Carta, Temporary Museum Superstudio (Milan Design Week)
• 2012: LEDs Ball (MAD Museum in New York City)
• 2012: BOFFO Show House (New York City Design Week)
• 2013: Design Days Dubai, Erastudio Gallery (Dubai)
• 2013: Design Days Dubai, Industry Gallery (Dubai)
• 2013: Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital, Ray Sofa / Permanent Collection - Museum of Arts and Design (New York City)
• 2014: Ri-conoscere Michelangelo (Gallera Accademia, Florence)

Solo shows

• 2009: Myths and Rhythms from the new millennium (Emmeotto Gallery in Rome, GMT+7, Art & Design Gallery in Brussels, Belgium, and the MARS, Center for Contemporary Art in Moscow)
• 2009: Victory over the Sun (Caraffa Museum in Córdoba, Argentina)
• 2010: NATURE / DATA (Industry Gallery, Washington DC)
• 2011: GATE 150 (Caraffa Museum in Cordoba, and the MuBE Museum in Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• 2011: Saracino's Recent Works (Italian Pavilion in the World at the 54th Venice Biennale)
• 2011: Antonio Pio Saracino: Unitas Multiplex, a new world (Galleria LipanjePuntin in Trieste, Italy)
• 2012: Second Nature (Bosi Contemporary Gallery in New York City)
• 2012: Nature and Design (Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles)
• 2012: The Globe installation (IIC in Los Angeles)
• 2012: The Arches of Hopes, installation (Out Hotel and Times Square, New York City)
• 2013: The City Within, Bloomingdales, Dubai Mall (Dubai)
• 2013: The Guardians: Hero and Superhero, Three Bryant Park, New York City (permanent installation)
• 2013: The Guardians: Hero and Superhero, documentary projection, Times Square New York City

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• Wallpaper.com
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• http://www.iiclosangeles.esteri.it/IIC_LosAngeles/webform/SchedaEvento.aspx?id=564
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• http://justintimberlake.com/tag/antonio-pio-saracino/