Udine, 1912 – Zurich, 1976

Afro Basaldella – Afro – was born in Udine in 1912. He completed his training in Venice, where he obtained a diploma in painting in 1931. In 1930, thanks to a scholarship from the Fondazione Artistica Marangoni in Udine, Afro had the opportunity to travel to Rome together with his brother Mirko and come into contact with the artistic environment of the capital, meeting the artists Cagli, Mafai and Scipione.

In 1932, he spent some time in Milan where he exhibited the following year at the Galleria del Milione; here he met artists such as Birolli, Morlotti and Arturo Martini. In 1935 he moved to Rome and participated in the Quadriennale and the following year in the Venice Biennale.

In 1950, Afro travelled to the United States and began a 20-year collaboration with the Catherine Viviano Gallery. American painting had a profound impact on Afro’s artistic research. In 1954 he took part in the Gruppo degli Otto and in 1956 he was awarded the prize for best Italian painter at the Venice Biennale. His international engagements are numerous, including awards and participation in important group exhibitions.

In 1958 he created a large mural for the UNESCO Palace in Paris. Two years later he received the Guggenheim Prize in New York, and in 1971 the President of the Republic Prize at the Accademia di San Luca in Rome.

After the death of his brother Mirko in 1969, Afro suffered alternating health problems and thinned his painting and exhibition activities. After teaching painting at the Academy in Florence until 1973, Afro moved to Zurich, where he died in 1976.

© AFRO, by SAIE 2025