Art In The-Heart - collettiva di arte contemporanea
Galleria dei San Giovanni - Finale Ligure (SV)Art In The-Heart - collettiva di arte contemporanea
Painter · Bordighera · Italian Riviera
Federica Orsini
Surrealist and metaphysical painting, where dreams become reality
Poetics
The painting of Federica Orsini
«I let myself be seduced by the Surreal and the Metaphysical, beginning to savour the intrigue of that world.»— Federica Orsini
Federica Orsini is an Italian painter born in Bordighera and based in Imperia, on the western Italian Riviera. Her painting speaks a clear and elegant surreal language, with strong symbolic accents: female faces with a suspended gaze inhabit landscapes that look like theatre stages, where time has stopped.
In her metaphysical painting, distant forms and objects meet along a horizon that recalls the stage of life: floating spheres, moons resting in the hair, guardian animals, hair dissolving into clouds. A dream realism made of vibrant colour and silence, where every object becomes an enigma.
Hers is a constant dialogue between dream and reason, between light and shadow. She almost always paints without sketches, directly on canvas, guided by imagination: the result is fairy-tale visions set in timeless «non-places», an ideal bond between woman, animals and nature.
1999her first exhibition, in Imperia
15+exhibitions in Italy and France
LouvreCarrousel du Louvre, Paris
SenateItalian Senate, Rome
Gallery
Rooms of dreams
Ten paintings, ten thresholds. Scroll to walk through the gallery and open each artwork to look at it up close.
Suspended thoughts
Cloud hair and spheres in orbit
The sky on her shoulders
Maiden, white elephant and starry sky
Anime Affini
2017
The moon harvest
A crescent moon in a wooden spoon
Cuore di Contadina
2024
Tempi Sovrapposti
2016
The red sky
A turquoise sphere in the palm of her hand
Pensieri silenziosi
2023
Cosmic connections
The moon as a halo of the dream
Sguardi fra terra e cielo
2021
Unendo gli opposti
2017
Paesaggi dell'anima
2023
Distinti Pensieri
2019
Desert resonances
The body as instrument, the wind as music
Terra madre
2018
Visione luoghi paralleli
2022
Ingenue Anime Sognanti
2017
Metamorfiche Visioni
2017
Sintesi Evolutiva
2017
Dentro e Fuori dai Giochi
2017
Piccolo Mercurio
2017
Intima Notte
2016
The sprout
A Renaissance interior, a metaphysical silence
Light, matter and woman
META|FISICA · Syracuse
Vergine Con Giglio
olio su tela
Iconography
Atlas of symbols
Silent presences return again and again in Federica Orsini's painting, like words of a secret alphabet. Choose a symbol to discover the artworks where it appears.
The sphere
Blue, white and lunar spheres float in the air or rest in a palm. They are thought taking shape: the geometric order of Metaphysics entering the dream.
Federica Orsini at work on the beach, facing the sea of the Riviera.
Biography
From the Riviera to the dream
Federica Orsini was born in Bordighera on 20 December 1979. She lives and works in Imperia. She graduated from the Art High School of Imperia in Advertising Graphics and, after a period of training in communication, worked for about ten years in the creative sector: graphic design, corporate communication, marketing and publishing.
Alongside her work she always cultivated her passion for painting, which after the age of thirty became an intense and continuous research. She works with oil on canvas, acrylic and mixed media; surrealism, metaphysics and contemporary pop surrealism became her greatest fascination and inspiration.
«I have always felt, deep inside, the need to express myself through colour and form.»
She has exhibited since 1999 in galleries, art fairs and historic venues: from Galleria Rondò in Imperia and Villa Ormond in Sanremo to the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris in 2014. In 2016 she was one of two painters invited to the Italian Senate for the conference «Art, Science and Wellbeing». Her solo shows have taken her to Piedmont, Sicily (Noto and Syracuse), Lazio and all over Liguria.
Her advice to anyone who wants to make art is «not to stop at stereotypes» and to «mediate as much as possible between reality and illusion»: perhaps the clearest summary of her own painting.
- Born in
- Bordighera, 1979
- Lives in
- Imperia, Liguria
- Techniques
- Oil on canvas, acrylic, mixed media
- Language
- Surrealism, metaphysics, dream realism
- Education
- Art High School of Imperia
- Awards
- Special Prize «Il Mondo delle Donne», Turin 2014
MASTERS AND AFFINITIES
Giorgio Morandi●Felice Casorati●Sebastiano del Piombo●Hieronymus Bosch●Pieter Bruegel the Elder●Surrealism●Magic realism●
Exhibitions
The journey of the artworks
From the Riviera dei Fiori all the way to Paris: stop after stop, Federica's canvases have travelled across Italy.
A «vibrant use of colour» and a «metaphysical sense of space», between the surreal and symbolism: a painting that unites waking life and dreams.
2026 2025 Immaginando – realismo onirico
Cassino · Galleria Avanguardie ArtisticheSolo show, 3–24 May. Curated by Luigi D'Agostino: dreams and the female figure as an enigmatic muse.
2025 Canticum - In Chartis Mevaniae - Collettiva
Sala Gialla - Comune di Anagni - Comune di Bevagna ( Perugia )Canticum - In Chartis Mevaniae a cura del prof. Alberto D'Atanasio
2025 A Luxe "The Light" - mostra degli artisti Liguri a curatrici Claudia Andreotta e Francesca Bogliolo
Arroscia Residency ThinkArt - Pieve di TecoA Luxe "The Light" - mostra degli artisti Liguri a curatrici Claudia Andreotta e Francesca Bogliolo
2024 Diavoloacquasanta
Ventimiglia Alta · Former church of San Francesco6–19 July, with sculptor Carlo Maria Maggia: thirty works on the theme of opposites, between painting and sculpture.
2022 “Instabiffiarte” – collettiva
Galleria Biffi - PiacenzaGalleria Biffi Arte – Piacenza – “Instabiffiarte” – collettiva
2022 “Famiglia: avventura da condividere” a cura di Alberto Moioli – collettiva
Palazzo Terragni -LissonePalazzo Terragni – Lissone (Monza e Brianza) “Famiglia: avventura da condividere” a cura di Alberto Moioli – collettiva
2022 Galleria Kelyfos - bipersonale
Albissola Marina ( Savona )Galleria Kelyfos – Albissola Marina ( Savona ) – bipersonale
2022 Connessioni Cosmiche Silenti
Albissola Marina · Galleria Kélyfos25 September – 16 October, with ceramicist Gianluca Cutrupi. Curated by Paola Gargiulo.
2022 "Around The Sun" Palazzo Beneventano - Collettiva
Pinacoteca d’ Arte Contemporanea - Palazzo Beneventano - Lentini (Siracusa )Palazzo Beneventano – Lentini ( Siracusa) – Pinacoteca d’ Arte Contemporanea - #Around The Sun – collettiva
2022 “Cuore di fanciulla coda di pesce” – collettiva
Galleria del Castello - ImperiaGalleria del Castello - Imperia – “Cuore di fanciulla coda di pesce” – collettiva
2022 Contea del Caravaggio - Collettiva
San Giovanni La Punta – Catania2022 – Contea del Caravaggio – San Giovanni La Punta – ( Catania) - collettiva
2022 Le Muse “Creazione Donna” - collettiva
Villa Biener - Museo Arte Moderna – Moiano (IM)Villa Biener - Museo Arte Moderna – Moiano (IM) – Le Muse “Creazione Donna” - collettiva
2021 Artender Gallery - Personale
Alassio - SavonaArtender Gallery – Alassio (SV) - personale
2020 Chiostro Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - Pittrice Invitata relatrice Conferenza sul Novecento Italiano
Chiostro Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - Roma2020 – Chiostro Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - Roma sale del Senato . Presentazione video 3 Opere e relazione conferenza sul Novecento Italiano - Curatrice Daniela Diaferio
2020 Pubblicazione opera copertina su “un Paesaggio del Sentimento” dedicato a Nico Orengo
2020 – Pubblicazione opera copertina su “un Paesaggio del Sentimento” dedicato a Nico Orengo, scrittore, giornalista e poeta italiano, scritto da Federica Lorenzi, edito da MIMESIS/ETEROTOPIE – distribuito sulle piattaforme on-line
2019 Solo show in Alassio
Alassio · ArtenderDecember 2019 – January 2020, on the Cadorna promenade.
2018 META|FISICA: luce, materia e donna
Syracuse · Former Church of the Convento del Ritiro, Ortigia8 December 2018 – 6 January 2019, curated by Giorgio Franco. Light as matter and femininity, inspired by Saint Lucy.
2018 Visioni Atemporali
Noto · Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata8–30 September, more than twenty works. Curated by Vincenzo Medica for Studio BARNUM Contemporary.
2017 Palazzo Ducezio - Collettiva
Noto - SiracusaPalazzo Ducezio Noto (SI) – collettiva - a cura di Vincenzo Medica per Studio BARNUM Contemporary
2017 Palazzo Samone - Cuneo – Archivi Lungo il Nilo - collettiva
CuneoPalazzo Samone - Cuneo – Archivi Lungo il Nilo - collettiva
2017 Palazzo Beneventano - Personale
Lentini - Siracusa2017 – Palazzo Beneventano – Lentini (SI) Italia Nostra – personale
2017 Spazio Interno 2 - Personale
Saluzzo Cuneo2017 – Spazio Interno - 2 Saluzzo (CN) - presso Sale espositive - Rotary Club - personale
2017 Pensieri in quattro tempi
Saluzzo · Interno 2 and Spazio Culturale PiemonteseJanuary – February: oil paintings inspired by ten fairy tales by Matteo Cadorin, from the book illustrated with her works.
2017 Spazio Culturale Piemontese - Personale
Saluzzo CuneoSpazio Culturale Piemontese - Saluzzo (CN) - personale
2016 Complesso Monumentale Monreale - collettiva
Monreale - Palermo2016 – Complesso Monumentale Monreale (PA) - collettiva
2016 Biblioteca Comunale Imperia - Collettiva
Imperia2016 – Biblioteca Comunale – Imperia- Collettiva 4 artiste donne esposizione Progetto Provincia "Continuamente Donna" - collettiva
2016 Silenti interpretazioni pittoriche
San Lorenzo al Mare · Oratorio della MisericordiaAbout twenty paintings spanning surrealism, metaphysics and pop surrealism.
2016 Pubblicazione opera su “Seguendo un Pensiero” traduzione del Leopardi da Sandro Bajini
SanremoPubblicazione opera su “Seguendo un Pensiero” traduzione del Leopardi da Sandro Bajini noto drammaturgo, traduttore e scrittore italiano.
2016 Museo del Capitolo Pigna - Mostra Personale
Sanremo2016 – Museo del Capitolo Pigna – Sanremo (IM) - personale
2016 PREMIO MATTEO OLIVERO Fondazione Amleto Bertoni XXXVIII
Saluzzo CuneoFondazione “Amleto Bertoni XXXVIII – Saluzzo - PREMIO “MATTEO OLIVERO” partecipa in esposizione collettiva
2016 Art, Science and Wellbeing
Rome · Italian SenateOne of two painters invited to the conference: «a fruitful cultural exchange that stimulated reflection».
SENATE2015 Pensiero oltre il tempo
Forlì · Vernice Art FairMarch 2015, contemporary art fair.
2014 Art Shopping
Paris · Carrousel du Louvre24–26 October: Federica's works at the art fair beneath the Louvre pyramid.
PARIS2014 Il Mondo delle Donne · Animali · Personal 7 Styles
TurinThree exhibitions between March and June. At «Il Mondo delle Donne» she received the Special Prize.
SPECIAL PRIZE2013 Carrousel Du Louvre
ParigiCarrousel Du Louvre - Parigi - Fiera Mercato - presenza esposizione
2010 Art and Restoration Fair
FlorenceNovember 2010.
2000 Il Gioco dell'Arte
Sanremo · Villa OrmondFebruary 2000, art competition in the historic Sanremo villa.
1999 The first step
Imperia · Galleria RondòDecember 1999: her first exhibition, where it all began.
Interactive experience
The piazza of dreams
Compose your own metaphysical vision. Add spheres, moons, towers and arcades, drag them across the piazza and change the time of day: watch the shadows stretch and the dream take shape.
Choose an object on the right to start your dream.
Objects
Tip: drag objects with the mouse, or select them and use the arrow keys to move them and Delete to remove them.Tip: drag objects with your finger; tap an object and then the red × to remove it.
Contact
Write to the artist
For information about artworks, purchases, commissions, exhibitions and collaborations, Federica will be happy to hear from you. She replies in Italian and English.