Francesco Arena’s works originates from Italian history, in particular from the political and social facts that characterize the recent past. Events that have often been hidden or ‘hushed up’ gain a new life through the synthetic and metaphorical forms of his sculptures.

Francesco Arena (born 1978) lives and works in Cassano delle Murge, Bari. His work has been shown in the solo exhibitions 2012 Trittico 57, Museion, Bolzano; Orizzonte con riduzione di Mare, Monitor, Roma; Com’è piccola Milano, Peep Hole, Milano; Art Statement, Art Basel 2010 and Teste, Fondazione Ermanno Casoli, Fabriano. He also has taken part in several group exhibitions including: 2012 The Revolution Must Be Made Little By Little |Part 2: The Squaring of the Circle, Galeria Raquel Arnaud, Sao Paolo; Sotto la Strada la Spiaggia, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Torino; 2011 Il bel paese dell’arte, GAMEC, Bergamo; Pleure qui peu rit qui veut – Premio Furla, Palazzo Pepoli, Bologna; Contemporary Art in the Evolving City, organized by Nomas Foundation and IMF Foundation, Roma and Practicing Memory – In the Time of an All–engaging Present, Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella. In 2009, Arenae won the Premio Ermanno Casoli Prize and in 2011 he was shortlisted for Premio Furla Prize.