Painter
Davide D'Elia is an Italian artist known for installations and found objects partially covered with antifouling paint, as well as works using acrylic and fluorescent acrylic on supports including fabric and Plexiglass, to explore time, material change, and preservation.
Review key details about Davide D'Elia's career, installations, found objects, antifouling paint, acrylic, fluorescent color, Plexiglass, material change, preservation, and conceptual methods shaping his work.
| Born | 1973 · Cava de' Tirreni, Italy |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Italian |
| Paint-related media | Antifouling paint · Acrylic paint · Fluorescent paint |
| Common supports | Found furniture, fabrics, canvas, metal objects, Plexiglass, interiors, and other existing objects |
| Documented examples | Fluo Tante 00 and Fluo Tante 02, acrylic on tartan fabric · Fluo Riana, antifouling and fluorescent acrylic on vintage floral damask fabric · the FRESCO cycle, eight paintings on Plexiglass |
| Working method | Partially covers aged or changing materials with uniform painted fields to contrast preservation with natural deterioration |
| Known for | Conceptual works using marine antifouling paint as both material and metaphor |
Sources: ABC ARTE biography, ABC ARTE bibliography and practice notes, Port Tonic Art Center: Davide D'Elia's works, NOS Production: FRESCO, Artsy: Fausto, and Designboom: Antivegetativa.
See the paint types documented in D'Elia's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining each medium's properties, uses, and working characteristics.
Antifouling paint is an underwater marine coating formulated to deter fouling organisms such as barnacles, weeds, and slime from attaching to a boat hull. Formulas include hard, ablative, polishing, copper-based, and copper-free systems, so the exact product must match the hull material and water conditions.
Acrylic paint is a fast-drying, water-based paint made with pigment and an acrylic polymer binder. It is widely used in art and decorative projects because it is versatile and durable.
Fluorescent paint uses highly vivid pigments that appear especially bright under strong light and ultraviolet illumination. Unlike glow-in-the-dark paint, it does not continue glowing after the light source is removed.
See the surface types documented in D'Elia's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining how each support behaves and is prepared for painting.
Wood is a natural, porous material with grain patterns and absorbency that vary by species and cut. Its surface may also contain knots, resin, or an existing finish.
Fabric is a flexible material made by weaving, knitting, or bonding fibers. Its fiber content, texture, stretch, and washability affect how paint bonds and wears.
Canvas is a woven fabric used as a flexible support for painting. Artist canvas is commonly made from cotton or linen and sold either raw or coated with a ground layer.
Metal is a hard, nonporous material used in furniture, fixtures, equipment, vehicles, and architectural components. Its smooth surface gives ordinary paint little mechanical grip, and bare iron or steel can also corrode beneath a weak coating system.
Plexiglass is a rigid acrylic sheet with a smooth, nonporous surface and sensitivity to incompatible solvents that can craze or damage the material.
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