Mario Canali
Encyclopedia
Mario Canali began his artistic career in 1975 as a painter. Shortly thereafter he turned his attention to electronic
and digital art
and is considered one of the pioneers of that art form.
, he was part of the Correnti Magnetiche Research and Electronic Art Group. The groundbreaking works produced by the group were widely heralded and received many prestigious awards at such international exhibitions as Siggraph
in Los Angeles
, Ars Electronica
in Linz
, Imagina
in Monte Carlo
and Nastro d'Argento
in Rome
.
In 1989, Mr. Canali was awarded the Immagine Elettronica Prize in Ferrara
for his pioneering work in electronic art. In 1993, working in collaboration with acclaimed computer scientist Marcello Campione, he created Satori
, a revolutionary installation that featured the usage of immersive virtual reality for artistic and expressive purposes.
In 1994, he founded Studio Canali with the goal of creating interactive installations capable of sensing psychophysical
parameters and expressing that data as displays of light, sound, images and video. Assisted by psychologist Elio Massironi, computer scientist Marcello Campione and cabinet maker Leonardo Aurelio, he created a series of innovative works that combined art with science and technology. These displays were experienced and enjoyed by thousands of people in a wide range of venues ranging from: Museums and trade-shows, raves and fashion shows, community centres and private parties, technological festivals and psychology conventions.
Since 1998, the company has focused on creating interactive installations enhanced by the use of technologies and the diffusion of digital thought as a means of promoting social interactions. In 1999 he designed the Cultural Entertainment Centre in an abandoned industrial area in Sesto San Giovanni
in conjunction with the Reload Cultural Association.
From 2000 to 2002, he created and managed Ludiialydis with performer Xena Zupanic: a psycho-bar, meeting place, experimentation and event production centre. In 2003 - 2004 he began the Arcnaut project, organizing a series of events focused on the conceptual understanding of art, science and philosophy and the interaction of these dynamics. In 2004 he began the restoration of a facility in Milan that would serve as a show space for these creative projects as well as house his research and development activities. The new Studio Canali is both a residence and a public meeting place; A painting studio and a research facility; An art gallery and an exhibition space. It was inaugurated in the spring of 2007.
Mr. Canali also serves as a guest lecturer at the Multimedia Department of Brera Fine Arts Academy and ‘Cognitive Environments and Emotional Sceneries’ at the Digital Environment Design Master of the NABA Academy of Arts and Design in Milan where he lectures on such topics as "Art and the Paradigms of Complexity".
Electronic art
Electronic art is a form of art that makes use of electronic media or, more broadly, refers to technology and/or electronic media. It is related to information art, new media art, video art, digital art, interactive art, internet art, and electronic music...
and digital art
Digital art
Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process...
and is considered one of the pioneers of that art form.
Biography
From 1985 to 1996, together with his colleagues Flavia Alman, Sabine Reiff and Riccardo SinigagliaRiccardo Sinigaglia
Born in Arona in 1953, Riccardo Sinigaglia is an architect as well as musician. He teaches electronic music at Milan Conservatory where he studied during the seventies with Angelo Paccagnini....
, he was part of the Correnti Magnetiche Research and Electronic Art Group. The groundbreaking works produced by the group were widely heralded and received many prestigious awards at such international exhibitions as Siggraph
SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH is the name of the annual conference on computer graphics convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization. The first SIGGRAPH conference was in 1974. The conference is attended by tens of thousands of computer professionals...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Imagina
Imagina
is the name of an annual conference on computer graphics that takes place in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. It was created by The Institut national de l'audiovisuel . The first IMAGINA festival was held in 1981, while the actual name IMAGINA was only introduced in 1986. It is sometimes compared to the CG...
in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
and Nastro d'Argento
Nastro d'Argento
The Nastro d'Argento is a movie award assigned each year, since 1946, for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
In 1989, Mr. Canali was awarded the Immagine Elettronica Prize in Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
for his pioneering work in electronic art. In 1993, working in collaboration with acclaimed computer scientist Marcello Campione, he created Satori
Satori
is a Japanese Buddhist term for enlightenment that literally means "understanding". In the Zen Buddhist tradition, satori refers to a flash of sudden awareness, or individual enlightenment, and is considered a "first step" or embarkation toward nirvana....
, a revolutionary installation that featured the usage of immersive virtual reality for artistic and expressive purposes.
In 1994, he founded Studio Canali with the goal of creating interactive installations capable of sensing psychophysical
Psychophysical
Psychophysical may refer to:*Psychophysics, the subdiscipline of psychology dealing with the relationship between physical stimuli and their subjective correlates, or percepts...
parameters and expressing that data as displays of light, sound, images and video. Assisted by psychologist Elio Massironi, computer scientist Marcello Campione and cabinet maker Leonardo Aurelio, he created a series of innovative works that combined art with science and technology. These displays were experienced and enjoyed by thousands of people in a wide range of venues ranging from: Museums and trade-shows, raves and fashion shows, community centres and private parties, technological festivals and psychology conventions.
Since 1998, the company has focused on creating interactive installations enhanced by the use of technologies and the diffusion of digital thought as a means of promoting social interactions. In 1999 he designed the Cultural Entertainment Centre in an abandoned industrial area in Sesto San Giovanni
Sesto San Giovanni
Sesto San Giovanni is a comune in the Milan metropolitan area, located in the province of Milan and region of Lombardy in Italy. Its railway station is the northernmost stop on the Milan Metro M1 line. The city is informally referred to as "Sesto"...
in conjunction with the Reload Cultural Association.
From 2000 to 2002, he created and managed Ludiialydis with performer Xena Zupanic: a psycho-bar, meeting place, experimentation and event production centre. In 2003 - 2004 he began the Arcnaut project, organizing a series of events focused on the conceptual understanding of art, science and philosophy and the interaction of these dynamics. In 2004 he began the restoration of a facility in Milan that would serve as a show space for these creative projects as well as house his research and development activities. The new Studio Canali is both a residence and a public meeting place; A painting studio and a research facility; An art gallery and an exhibition space. It was inaugurated in the spring of 2007.
Mr. Canali also serves as a guest lecturer at the Multimedia Department of Brera Fine Arts Academy and ‘Cognitive Environments and Emotional Sceneries’ at the Digital Environment Design Master of the NABA Academy of Arts and Design in Milan where he lectures on such topics as "Art and the Paradigms of Complexity".