Francesco Pacelli

Perugia, Italy / 1988

Lives and works in Milan, Italy





Francesco Pacelli graduated in Design from Politecnico di Milano. His artistic journey started from an interest in materiality and technology before transitioning into contemporary art. He assisted artist Roberto Cuoghi during the making of the exhibition Putiferio at Hydra Slaughterhouse, Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art in Greece. He was also involved in the artistic direction of Dimora Artica, a project space in Milan.

Pacelli's work spans various mediums, including ceramics, synthetic materials, metals, drawings, and light. He creates sculptures, immersive installations, and drawings that explore themes such as the intersection of science and spirituality, the relationship between nature and artifice, and cosmic narratives. His creations often merge into fantastic and alternative environments, offering viewers an escape into unreal yet plausible scenarios.

Through his work, Pacelli invites viewers to question the boundaries between reality and imagination, offering a space for reflection on the complexities of the contemporary world.

His recent exhibitions include Dark Forest at El Chico in Madrid (2024), Stones and stars and spells at Des Bains in London (2023), Holobiont Rapsody at Eastcontemporary in Milan (2021), Notturno at UnaVetrina in Rome (2020), Fishy Fishy Fishy X at Rehearsal in Milan (2019), and Abisso Elastico at Current Project in Milan (2019). He has also participated in group exhibitions at venues such as Haus N in Athens (2022),  Manufacture et Musée National in Sèvres (2022), Spazio Volta in Bergamo (2021), Musée National Adrien Dubouché in Limoges (2019), and Nerve Visual Gallery in Londonderry (2016).




Our Exhibitions











I promise I’ve heard a stone whispering 
2025
soft pastels on paper
93 x 69 cm



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Time before time (Suolo), series 

2025
wood box, epoxy resin, wood chipboard, clay, pewter
70 x 30 x 4 cm



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Queen (La vita delle falene)

2025
Phosphorescent pigment on Hahnemuhle paper
Etching, limited edition of 30
30 x 25 cm




Some things need an impulse to move II 
2023
Bronze
23 x 11 x 12 cm



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Termo servo aero elettro-magneto elasticità

2022
Aluminium, clay, EPS, inox steel, epoxy resin, acylic resin, cosmetic pigments
61 x 72 x 160 cm



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Echoes

2021
Epoxy resin, fabric, steel, plaster, polyurethane foam, acrilic spray, synthetic feathers  
61 x 72 x 160 cm




Betaparanoica
2021
Glazed ceramics
21 x 17 x 16 cm



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Notturno

2020
Metal pipes, EPS, epoxy resin, cellulose, polyurethanic resin, acrylics, pigments, sand, neon light
Site specific project



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You did love it so, you did love it like a son

2019
Epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, polystirene, cellulose, alluminium, wires, ceramics, acrylics, spray paint, flexible LED light 
Max dimensions 4 x 4 x 3 m (without wires)



EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND2024 Finalist, E.ART.H. Foundation contemporary art prize
2022 Postnature and contemporary creation, Seminar / Institute for Postnatural studies Madrid
2018 - 2020 Artistic direction of Dimora Artica project space, Milano, IT
2016 Assistant of Roberto Cuoghi for the making of the exhibition Putiferio 2013 MS in Industrial Design, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, IT



SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026 Nessun Boato, LC Contemporary, Milan, IT
2025 - 2026
NINETEENEIGHTYSEVEN, at Des Bains, London, UK
2024 Dark Forest, two person show with Estefanìa Flores, at El Chico, Madrid, ES
2023 Stones And Stars And Spells, at Des Bains, London, UK
2021 HOLOBIONT RAPSODY, two person show with Stach Szumski, Eastcontemporary, Milano, IT
2020 Notturno, UnaVetrina, Rome, IT 2019 FISHY FISHY FISHY X, Rehearsal, Milano, IT
Abisso Elastico, Current Project, Milano, IT
2018 Ballata Vogelkop, Display, Parma, IT



SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 
2026 Finestre, Studio con finestra, Pesaro, IT 
2025
Ovunque ci fermiamo l’altrove si fa casa, Spazio Torrso, Pesaro, IT; CENTROTAVOLA, residency curated by Collettivo Flock, Borgo Cannistrà, IT
2024 Bagliore (site specific project) Residenza Le Fonticelle, Frosolone, IT; DAWN IS NOW ONCE AGAIN, Greenfield project space, London, UK;
2023 Ring Ring Ring, Pal project gallery, Paris, FR; Lingua Morta, Divario space, Rome, IT; COZZIE LIVS, PART II, Des Bains, London, UK; Fuori Porta, Villa Pacchiani, Santa Croce sull’Arno, IT; EMOTIONAL FLUCTUATIONS, Tube Culture Hall, Milano, IT;
2022 On Hearing of an Absance, Haus N, Athens, GR; Formes Vivantes, Manufacture et Musée National, Sèvres, FR; Poggio Tempesta, Contemporary fire, Cerreto Guidi, IT; Abbiamo invitato un po’ di artisti nello spazio pt.II, Osservatorio Futura, Torino, IT; This must be the place, Composit Flagship store, Milano, IT
2021 MACINA, ViaFarini.Work, Milano, IT; corpoacorpoacorpo#2, Surplace Varese, IT; LES DANSES NOCTURNES, Spread Museum, Entrevaux, FR; Address Uuknown II, Edicola Radetzky, Milano, IT; STARRY SPECULATIVE NIGHTS, Spazio Volta, Bergamo, IT; ENTR-ACTE, Renata Fabbri, Milano, IT; IN-FESTA, Coatto project space, Milano, IT;
2020 Luna Calante, Residenza La Fornace, IT; Virtual Archipelago, online project; BAITBALL (01), Palazzo San Giuseppe, Polignano a Mare, IT;
2018 TETSUO’S BODY, 9hours Hotel Otemachi, Fuchu, Tokyo, JP; Formes Vivantes, Musèe National Adrien Dubouchè, Limoges, FR; Innesti, Walk-in studio festival, Milano, IT; Screen Tearing, Dimora Artica, Milano, IT; Naturalia et Artificialia, Ca’ Marsala, Bologna, IT



PRESS & PUBLICATIONS
2026 
Direzione Pittura: Intervista a Francesco Pacelli, Exibart (https://www.exibart.com/focus-pittura-emergente-in-italia/direzione-pittura-intervista-a-francesco-pacelli/);  DL Review: “Nessun Boato” Francesco Pacelli at LC Contemporary, Daily Lazy (https://daily-lazy.com/2026/02/dl-review-nessun-boato-francesco-pacelli-at-lc-contemporary-milan.html); 
Francesco Pacelli, COEVAL (https://www.coeval-magazine.com/coeval/francesco-pacelli)
2024 Expo Dark Forest de Estefanía B. Flores y Francesco Pacelli, NEO2 (https://www.neo2.com/expo-dark-forest-de-estefania-b-flores-y-francesco-pacelli/); Dark Forest, ARTMIRROR (https://artmirror.org/exhibitions/1175-dark-forest); Flores e Pacelli, un dialogo sull’invisibile: la mostra da El Chico di Madrid, Exibart (https://www.exibart.com/mostre/flores-e-pacelli-un-dialogo-sullinvisibile-lamostra-da-el-chico-di-madrid/); Dawn is Now Once Again at Greenfield Project Space / London, DAILY LAZY (https://daily-lazy.com/2024/05/dawn-is-now-once-again-at-greenfield-projectspace-london.html)
2023 Francesco Pacelli “Stones and Stars and Spells” Des Bains / Londra, Flash Art Italia (https://flash---art.it/2023/11/francesco-pacelli/); STONES AND STARS AND SPELLS, KubaParis (https://kubaparis.com/submission/370884) Stones and Stars and Spells, Saliva.Live https://saliva.live/exhibitions/2c960c15); Francesco Pacelli “Stones and stars and Spells” a Londra, hestetika (https://hestetika.art/francesco-pacelli-stones-and-stars-and-spells-a-londra/ #google_vignette); Stones and stars and spells. Francesco Pacelli in mostra a Londra, artslife (https://artslife.com/2023/12/03/stones-and-stars-and-spells-francesco-pacelliin-mostra-a-londra/); Francesco Pacelli o della materia, FORMEUNICHE (https://formeuniche.org/francesco-pacelli-des-bains/); Lingua morta: dall’unità alla varietà della pittura, Juliet (https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/lingua-morta-dallunita-alla-varieta-dellapittura/)
2022 On Hearing of an Absence at Haus N Athen/Athens, Greece, DAILY LAZY (https://daily-lazy.com/2022/12/on-hearing-of-an-absence-at-haus-n-athenathens-greece.html); Francesco Pacelli, Quadriennale di Roma (https://quadriennalediroma.org/francesco-pacelli/); Poggio Tempesta. Oliviero Fiorenzi, Nicola Ghirardelli, IPER-collettivo, Francesco Pacelli, OFLUXO (https://www.ofluxo.net/poggio-tempesta-group-exhibition-at-poggio-tempestiflorence-italy/); Poggio Tempesta: un nuovo polo culturale per l’arte contemporanea in Toscana, ArtsLife (https://artslife.com/2022/06/03/poggio-tempesta-un-nuovo-polo-culturale-perlarte-contemporanea-in-toscana/); Raccoglier Tempesta. Collettiva di giovani in un nuovo centro culturale nel cuore della Toscana. JULIET (https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/raccoglier-tempesta-collettiva-di-giovaniartisti-in-un-nuovo-centro-culturale-nel-cuore-della-toscana/); Di universi creativi e narrazioni. Intervista a Studio TreTre, ArtsLife (https://artslife.com/2022/03/27/di-universi-creativi-e-narrazioni-intervista-astudio-tretre/);
2021 Macina, KubaParis (https://kubaparis.com/archive/macina); Les Dances Nocturnes, KubaParis (https://kubaparis.com/archive/les-danses-nocturnes); Six questions for Francesco Pacelli, Tique (https://tique.art/interviews/six-questions/francesco-pacelli/); Holobiont Rhapsody, dove l’invisibile diventa visibile. Stach Szumski e Francesco Pacelli a Eastcontemporary, JULIET (https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/holobiont-rhapsody-dove-linvisibilediventa-visibile-stach-szumski-e-francesco-pacelli-a-eastcontemporary/); Holobiont Rhapsody, Stach Szumski and Francesco Pacelli, OFLUXO (https://www.ofluxo.net/holobiont-rhapsody-stach-szumski-francesco-pacelli-ateastcontemporary-milan-italy/); Holobionist Rhapsody, Stach Szumski e Francesco Pacelli, Exibart (https://www.exibart.com/arte-contemporanea/holobiont-rhapsody-stachszumski-e-francesco-pacelli-eastcontemporary/); Stach Szumski and Francesco Pacelli at eastcontemporary, ARTMIRROR (https://artmirror.org/exhibitions/650-stach-szumski-and-francesco-pacelli-ateastcontemporary);
2020 Holobiont Rhapsody at eastcontemporary / Milan, DAILY LAZY (https://daily-lazy.com/2020/12/holobiont-rhapsody-at-eastcontemporarymilan.html); Tetsuo’s Body, ARTMIRROR (https://artmirror.org/exhibitions/469-tetsuo-s-body)
2019 Tetsuo's Body, OFLUXO (https://www.ofluxo.net/tetsuos-body-off-site-collective-exhibition-curated-byandrea-samory/); Tetsuo’s Body, [ANTI]MATERIA (https://anti-materia.org/eyecandy-1/2020/1/23/semana-2052-tetsuos-body); Tetsuo’s body at Nine Hours Hotel Otemachi /Tokyo, DAILY LAZY (https://anti-materia.org/eyecandy-1/2020/1/23/semana-2052-tetsuos-body); Interview on HESTETIKA Magazine, Vol. 36 Fishy fishy fishy X. Ambiguità: creatività, BALOON (https://www.balloonproject.it/francesco-pacelli/); Fishy fishy fishy X, [ANTI]MATERIA (https://anti-materia.org/eyecandy-1/2019/11/4/semana-1941fishy-fishy-fishy-x); Francesco Pacelli at Rehearsal Project / Milan, DAILY LAZY (https://daily-lazy.com/2019/10/francesco-pacelli-at-rehearsal-projectmilan.html); ‘Fishy fishy fishy X’ by Francesco Pacelli at Rehearsal Project, Milan, TZVETNIK (https://tzvetnik.online/portfolio_page/francesco-pacelli-at-rehearsal-project/); Francesco Pacelli at Rehearsal Project Space, ARTMIRROR (https://artmirror.org/exhibitions/403-francesco-pacelli-at-rehearsal-projectspace); L’organismo e la sintesi: le simbiosi di Francesco Pacelli, FORMEUNICHE (https://formeuniche.org/dialogo-con-francesco-pacelli/); Innesti, BALOON (https://www.balloonproject.it/innesti/); Abisso Elastico, [ANTI]MATERIA (https://anti-materia.org/eyecandy/2019/5/5/week-168abisso-elastico); ‘Abisso Elastico’ by Francesco Pacelli at CURRENT, Milan, TZVETNIK (https://tzvetnik.online/portfolio_page/francesco-pacelli-at-current/); Screen Tearing. Il glitch come incantesimo rivelatore, BALLOON (https://www.balloonproject.it/screentearing/);
2018 Francesco Pacelli at Display / Parma, DAILYLAZY (https://daily-lazy.com/2018/12/francesco-pacelli-at-display-parma.html); Francesco Pacelli y las delicias de Vogelkop Ballad, NEO2 (https://www.neo2.com/francesco-pacelli/); Francesco Pacelli - Ballata Vogelkop | Spazio DISPLAY, Parma (https://atpdiary.com/francesco-pacelli-ballata-vogelkop-spazio-display-parma/); Naturalia et Artificialia, JULIET (https://www.juliet-artmagazine.com/naturalia-et-artificialia-2/)