YURI CATANIA
Photograph & Visual artist
Yuri Catania
Yuri Catania is a visual artist, renowned for his expertise in creating street art installations using the paste-up technique, trasforming his works into live performances involving the portrayed subjects or people connected to the project’s theme.
His photography dominates public or private urban and architectural setting on a large scale.
Catania’s works, crafted with sustainable materials such as printed paper, water-based inks, and glue, are ephemeral. Each piece is composed of hand-cut collages overlaid, creating a three-dimensional, tactile appearance. Catania enhances each installation by integrating augmented reality, bridging the digital with the physical artwork.
JazzAscona’s 40th anniversary will be celebrated with “Jazz Off The Wall”, a street art exhibition presenting Yuri’s large-format paste-ups with more than 40 portraits of the artists who have contributed to the festival’s history.
Yuri Catania’s artwork
From August 30 to September 11, 2023, he realized the participative work “Lvgaxy Astro Flowers” on the façade of the Palazzo dei Congressi in Lugano. Stretching 42 meters, the installation engages in a dialogue between the nature of Parco Ciani, technology, and the representation ofastronaut Claude Niccolier, reaching a height of 8 meters. This piece creates a circuit of hope between the science exploring planets detached
from nature and the biodiversity uniquely characterizing our planet.
On April 1-2, 2023, Catania created “IMperfect”, a giant 120-meter artwork in a public space in Milan to support breast cancer research, in collaboration with the IEO-MONZINO Foundation.
In 2021, the “I Gatti di Rovio” multiple installation transformed the town with 120 giant subjects, becoming the largest solo open-air exhibition with Rovio and its architecture as the protagonist in Ticino, Switzerland.
Catania has exhibited his works in various cities, including Milan, Venice, Zurich, New York, Paris, and St. Petersburg. His works are part of collections at the Banca Stato Switzerland, Migros Zurich, and numerous private collectors.
In addition to site-specific works, Catania is the creator of various series of fine art photographs, mixed media pieces, and NFTs. His career began in the fashion world as a photographer, with his works published in prestigious magazines such as Vogue, Numerò, Harper’s Bazaar, and many others.