Francesco Zorzi is a multidisciplinary artist based in Amsterdam working with a wide variety of mediums, informed by his background in design, his love for the world of Color and his fascinations into the mechanics of vision, perception and interpretation of reality.
His works are united by the quest for the qualities of what makes us ‘human’, reflecting on how we interact with what’s in front of our eyes, how we make sense of it and how we explore the inner-worlds we create with it.
His explorations - whether dissecting Colors or Shapes - can be seen as an ongoing study on the structure of their inner components and the interaction between each other.
Our human experience is fundamentally intangible, always seen from 'within'.
We try to express how we feel to others using codes–like language, like music—to communicate feelings, to overcome the isolation of ourselves. Color is one of these universal tools.
His recent works are abstract color fields speaking about the dualism of reality.
Like self portraits of the interiority of his experiences rather than the exteriority of his body — each one framing a different moment in time — these abstract configurations are like fragments of a kaleidoscope in perpetual movement without a beginning or an end, offering the viewers a moment of reflection, new playgrounds for exploration and wonder.
His works are united by the quest for the qualities of what makes us ‘human’, reflecting on how we interact with what’s in front of our eyes, how we make sense of it and how we explore the inner-worlds we create with it.
His explorations - whether dissecting Colors or Shapes - can be seen as an ongoing study on the structure of their inner components and the interaction between each other.
Our human experience is fundamentally intangible, always seen from 'within'.
We try to express how we feel to others using codes–like language, like music—to communicate feelings, to overcome the isolation of ourselves. Color is one of these universal tools.
His recent works are abstract color fields speaking about the dualism of reality.
Like self portraits of the interiority of his experiences rather than the exteriority of his body — each one framing a different moment in time — these abstract configurations are like fragments of a kaleidoscope in perpetual movement without a beginning or an end, offering the viewers a moment of reflection, new playgrounds for exploration and wonder.
His visually ambiguous works (mainly wax-crayons or spray color pigments) are an investigation on Color itself — its visual perception as well as the duality of Color as both lightwave and matter. Each artwork is the result of a complex layering of different tones, applied next to and on top of each other, creating an ever evolving, ever pulsating flux of constant dynamic movement.
The appearance of their color frequencies and the structure of their pigmented matter influence directly the ways they interact and ‘talk’ with each other, mutually attracting or repelling one another.
The appearance of their color frequencies and the structure of their pigmented matter influence directly the ways they interact and ‘talk’ with each other, mutually attracting or repelling one another.
They can create harmony or tension. Sometimes they blend and dance together at different speed, in an homogenous flow or in multiple streams and directions.
These brightly-hued abstract artworks are as much about color as they are of about emotions altogether: on one side they explore the phenomenological impact color has on human perception (seen from the point of view of the viewer being in front of the artworks); on the other they interact with the ineffable emotions and sensations guiding the process of mixing both color frequencies as well as the pigmented matter (seen from the point of view of the artist producing the artworks).
The colors of each artwork are immersive, physical and tactile, just like the process of its creation:
Ethereal and vibrating but also palpable and present at once.
The colors of each artwork are immersive, physical and tactile, just like the process of its creation:
Ethereal and vibrating but also palpable and present at once.
Solo Exhibitions:
2025
We Are Multitudes.We Are One.
FZ Atelier, Amsterdam NL
2024
If You Asked Me About A Flower,
What Would I Say.
FZ Atelier, Amsterdam NL
2018
MACULA / The Theater is in The Mind
American Academy in Rome, Rome IT
Group Exhibitions:
2026
We Are Multitudes. I Am One.
Selfie van de Ziel
NDSM Fuse, Amsterdam NL
2024
Crayons Works
AFF, Amsterdam NL
2021
Reflections & Frames
Sound Light Color Atelier, Amsterdam NL
2021
Contemporary Art Biennial
Pulchri Studios, Den Hague NL
2019
MACULA / Open Studios
American Academy in Rome, Rome IT
2019
MACULA / Cinquemostre
American Academy in Rome, Rome IT
2017
Mint Luminates
Mint Gallery, London UK
Awards & Grants:
2025
Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Amsterdam NL
Production Grant
2019
Creative Industries NL, Amsterdam NL
Production Grant
2019
Lago Film Fest, Treviso IT
Shortlisted: Best Original Soundtrack Award
Shortlisted: Veneto Director Award
2018
Embassy & Consulate General of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands in Italy NL
Production Grant
2018
Rosco International, Production Grant
2018
Cernit Belgium, Production Grant
Fellowships:
2018
American Academy in Rome, Rome IT
Tiffany & Co. Fellowship
Residencies:
2016
Walk & Talk Azores
Ponta Delgada, Azores PT
Art in Public Space:
2019
Fluxes - Painting, site specific
Art City NDSM, Amsterdam (NL)
Commissioned by: Art City NDSM
2019
Lagoon (L’Argo) - Painting , site specific
Perestrello, Municipio V, Rome (IT)
Commissioned by: Embassy & Consulate
General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
in Italy NL
2016
Trilha (Trail) - Painting & installation, site specific
Art City NDSM, Amsterdam NL
Painting Performances:
2021
Painting Flashes
Milieu + De Ceuvel, Amsterdam NL
2019
Painting Fluxes - NDSM Open 2019
Art City NDSM, Amsterdam NL
2019
Painting Lagoon (L’Argo)
Perestrello, Municipio V, Rome IT
2017
Painting New Grammar - NDSM Open 2017
Art City NDSM, Amsterdam NL
Artist Books:
2019
Macula - The Theater is in The Mind
Edition of 50
presented at LFF19- Lago Film Fest, Treviso (IT)
Publications:
2021
So What / Vuoto 2 - Controverso
Artwork & Essay txt,
Published by Orizzontale + Atto
ISBN 9788894576917
2019
Il film girato con occhi affetti da Maculopatia.
L'Arena / 28 Luglio 2019
Newspaper article
written by Alessandro Foroni
2019
Cover & Article on magazine
American Academy in Rome, Rome IT
Screenings:
2025
Macula - The Theater is in The Mind
Macula - Il Teatro è nella Mente
FZ Atelier, Amsterdam NL
2023
Macula - The Theater is in The Mind
Macula - Il Teatro è nella Mente
L’Intervento Psicologico nel Mondo dell’Ipovisione, Rome IT
2019
Macula - The Theater is in The Mind
Macula - Il Teatro è nella Mente
LFF19 - Lago Film Fest, Treviso (IT)
Shortlisted: Best Original Soundtrack Award
Shortlisted: Veneto Director Award
Lectures & Artist’s Talks:
2026
We Are Multitudes. I Am One.
Selfie van de Ziel
NDSM Fuse, Amsterdam NL
2025
We Are Multitudes. I Am One.
Selfie van de Ziel
FZ atelier, Amsterdam NL
2024
If You Asked Me About A Flower,
What Would I Say.
FZ atelier, Amsterdam NL
2019
MACULA / The Theater is in The Mind,
MACULA / Il Teatro è nella Mente
Lago Film Festival 2019 / Director’s Talks
Interview by Matteo Zadra
2018
Macula / The Theater is in The Mind
American Academy in Rome,
Shoptalk Francesco Zorzi & Victoria Moses
2017
The Macula Project
Pecha Kucha, Amsterdam NL
2017
The Thermal Paper Project
Fabrica, Treviso IT
2016
Quarteirão & Public Art
Walk & Talk Azores PT
Work Presentations:
2019
Artribune - Cinquemostre 2019 Δx Displacement
Aarome.org - Cinquemostre 2019 Δx
2019
Displacement
Aarome.org - AAR Open Studios 2019
AAR magazine 2019 - American Academy in Rome
2019
LFF19 - Macula - The Theater is in The Mind
interview: Mattia Coletti
2019
NDSM press 2019 - NDSM Open 2019
2018
Studio Viewing - Francesco Zorzi
interview: Greta Madline, Coco Olakunle
Art Fairs:
2026
AFF - Hamburg DE
2025
AFF - Bruxelles BE
AFF - New York USA
AFF - Hamburg DE
2024
AFF - Amsterdam NL
Education:
2008 — 2011
MA - Product Design, Politecnico School of Design, Milan, IT
2008
AHO - Oslo School of Architecture & Design,
Oslo, NO
2004 2008
BA - Industrial Design, Politecnico School of Design, Milan, IT