Manasse Rampino: An Artistic Journey from Italy to Dubai

Italian-born but Dubai-based, Manasse Rampino carves out his niche in the world of art, blending classic influences with the vibrancy of pop. His work, balanced between black and white with explosive colour, figurative with abstract, is inspired both by his deep academic background and instinctive love of experimentation. His paintings are an experience not to be seen but to study contrast, a sensation that evokes wonder and curiosity. Big, bold, and innovative, his vision puts him as one of the uprising stars of the contemporary scene.

Manasse Rampino was born in Italy in 1989 and is a contemporary artist. He merges classic techniques with pop and abstract art in a dynamic way. His artistic education started at “G. Pellegrino” Art Institute, which he entered to start studying pictorial decoration. There, he received his classical training through performing oil painting, mosaic, and life drawing. However, this classical education did not turn out to be the main leading line in Rampino’s art. He became addicted to bright colours and strong contrasts; this attraction to pop and abstract art slowly turned his interests into a signature style that merged old and new. The experiences of Rampino in the various creative fields he found himself in have influenced his career as an artist. After graduation, he moved to Rome for studies in theatre and cinema, further expanding his knowledge in visual storytelling. Between 2010 and 2018, Rampino was based in Milan, where he also worked in fashion-a field whose roots are deeply entwined with those of artistic expression and creativity. His time working in fashion influenced his sense of style and aesthetic, helping him hone his ability to mix and juxtapose elements that may seem ostensibly at odds.

In 2018, Rampino moved to Dubai, where his artistic career was reborn. This energetic, cosmopolitan art environment in Dubai gave him new impetus and opportunities to continue his work. The eclectic mixture that his art had already become continued to further evolve in this new environment, his paintings now marrying the traditions of Italian fine art with the bold and energetic colours and themes of modern pop art. Rampino’s work could be encapsulated in one word: contrast. Whether it’s the juxtaposition of classical figures against bold, abstract backgrounds or a mix of refined shades with splashes of bright, vibrant colour, the art of Rampino is always one of balance and opposition. He is particularly fascinated with the merging of figurative and abstract forms, black and white with vivid hues, and the exploration of space and nature next to classical portraits and sculptures.

This love of contrast enables Rampino to reinterpret classical themes in a modern light, giving the work a fresh and really contemporary feel. While most of his pieces boast elements of traditional portraiture or landscapes, it’s in the way they are presented-feeling distinctly modern with geometric shapes, bold brushstrokes, or unexpected pops of colour. The result is a sense of action and movement in his art, and enables the viewer to see the ordinary through fresh eyes. Rampino’s leap into pop and abstract was less a break away from his training and more into areas covered by that very classical training. He is quite obviously in love with colour as expressed by his bold use of hues, often exploding onto the canvas in a riot of expression. The playful yet calculated approach to colour enables him to create works that are at once dynamic and harmonious.

The usage of abstract elements, especially in his latest works, bestows a sense of freedom and spontaneity on the works of Rampino. Quite often, the abstract forms are mixed with figurative ones, a dialogue between the two being obtained. His paintings question the viewer on what happens when those diverse elements-colour vs. monochrome, figurative versus abstract, classic versus modern-intersect one another.

Manasse Rampino’s career is the epitome of evolution and change while remaining rooted in one’s foundation. A classical artistic education provides a great backbone for his more experimental works to shine and be intellectually as appealing as they are visually. Merging contrasting elements-classical with modern, figurative with abstract, black-and-white with bursts of colour-Rampino developed a style entirely of his own.

Based in Dubai since some years, Rampino is one of the most outrageous exponents of contemporary art able to hypnotize every audience with the unusual, violent use of colour and innovative approach to contrast. And with each new work, his star goes on shining ever higher in the international art scenario.