Marco Bertuzzo is a Toronto based artist whose colourful and narrative-driven work is rooted in, and informed by, the European influences of his youth. Growing up, Marco spent summers in Europe, where he was drawn to the allegorical art of the Italian Renaissance and this early inspiration continues to resonate through his work.
Marco’s mixed-media paintings examine the unexplored narrative, creating work that often straddles the line between beautiful and tacky, erotic and the grotesque, and meaning and meaninglessness. He reconfigures the old, creating a new visual dialogue through work that references historical art without being reverential. What has always struck me the most about Marco’s work is how it brings together disparate and ambiguous elements in a way that invites viewers to engage with it through their own personal narratives and experiences.
Marco has participated in several solo shows, the most recent being the 2019 Signs of an Endless Future where he used enamel paints on glass and plastic, layering transparencies to create sculptural elements. The work for this show was a continuation of the methods he had explored during his MFA work at Central Saint Martins. Since graduating in 2018, Marco has turned his focus towards community-centered art practice, participating in collaborative community projects and teaching. Marco was recently selected to complete a mural project for Port Credit, where he designed and painted four benches for the community.
Whether through watercolour, enamel paints on transparencies, community projects, or his more recent interest in digital art, Marco continues to advance and evolve his creative practice in new and inspiring ways.
Which ‘hood are you in?
I used to be located in the Stockyards, but I’ve recently moved a few blocks west of that for more studio space.
What do you do?
I’m an artist, art educator and designer, but I’m always pursuing new projects and have recently become interested in up-cycling vintage furniture as well as building a further following for my practice.
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on a new series of digital prints inspired by the rose windows of the Notre Dame cathedral called “Histories”. These kaleidoscopic prints replace the holy allegory of the original windows with a my own hectic collage of symbols both contemporary and archaic. Through this reimagining I’m hoping to call under question the function that these original pieces hold in today’s society where we still hold them as culturally valuable even though their original meaning and function may be lost.
Where can we find your work?
My work can be found on my website and my Instagram.
