Andrea Collesano was born in Pontedera in November 1980. In 2004, he graduated in painting at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence, with a thesis analysing the metamorphic and mythological figures in Bocklin painting, focusing in particular on the zoomorphic part. The sea, nature and animals are his main sources of inspiration. His subjects range from small miniatures representing small insects to large works where the main characters are whales and other mysterious creatures of the abyss. Black ink on paper prepared by himself, giving the material a taste of ancient times and a feeling of melancholic serenity.

Stains and all the effects obtained by the “invecchiatura”(lit. to make it older) often become the starting point of his work. Inspired by the ancient, the lost and the old symbolic and naturalistic engravings, Andrea tries to recreate the world dwelling in his mind. Charachteristic symbols and elements are: keys, bicolour chess, horizons undefined and patches of architectural elements like for instance an abandoned lighthouse. There is no trace of human presence, just animals.