Davide Zulli (1993 - Varese, IT) is an Italian artist living and working in Antwerp. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna and Pxl-MAD in Hasselt (BE). His practice is based on the use of speculative narratives drawn from theory, fiction, cinema and role-playing games as a means of exploring the world. These narratives serve as an imaginative framework to address specific contemporary issues, such as climate change, the dichotomy between the artificial and the natural, and the wasteful and neglected state of certain places in cities. Zulli's background is rooted in graffiti. Being part of the graffiti scene community has allowed him to observe and explore the city from a completely different perspective. He experiences structures, railway stations and hidden underground networks in a way that goes beyond passive everyday use, allowing him to see a clear link between the city and the concept of Unmonumentality. In his works he combines natural and organic forms with industrial and artificial elements to create a layering of different symbols, both real and invented, which provide the viewer with multiple suggestions and create unexpectedly familiar narratives.

 

Recently his research evolves into a more direct observation of the territories surrounding us. Language and maps are used by Zulli as tools to deconstruct the concept of “landscape” as a way to observe the society.

 

Zulli participated in numerous exhibitions both in Italy and Belgium. Some of the more recent are ‘The Order of Chaos’ (Gallery HiocoDelany), ’Non Succede mai Nulla’ (Anonima Kunsthalle, Italy), ‘PANTA RHEI’ (Geukens & De Vil gallery, BE), ‘Impossible Enough to be an Art Space’ (Lichtekooi, BE), and ‘Spells & Promises’ (Creative Factor Turnhout, BE). He curated ‘Ravager of Time’ in 2022, which used an old brewery from the early 1900s as an exhibition space, also known as the former location of Atelier FAAR. The aim of the exhibition was to explore the Unmonumental theme through fantasy literature, horror and role-playing. He participated in and won the ‘galleries’ and ‘Poliart’ categories of the Combat Art Prize 2024. Currently, Zulli is part of the Antwerp-based collective Atelier-FAAR, a dynamic reality that uses disused places in the city related to gentrification as a base for its venues.