Camberwell, London

classes: Drawing • Photography • Painting

5.0 (5)

Hi, I’m Antonino Pilade — an Italian artist and filmmaker born in Catania in 1976 — and the founder of Contemporary Reflection Art Studio. My passion for art started early, exploring painting, ceramics, and sculpture, and over the years, my work has grown into a multidisciplinary practice combining visual art, film, photography, and experimental media. I’ve been based in London since 2009/10, but my artistic journey has taken me across Italy and Europe, collaborating with incredible artists and institutions.

I held my very first solo exhibition, Metropolitani, back in 1997 at the Monumental Cloister of St Chiara in Naples — an experience that set me on the path to blending mediums and storytelling in bold ways. Since then, I’ve exhibited at venues such as the Pavilion de l’Arsenal Museum of Architecture (Paris), Galleria d’Arte Contemporanea di Rosanna Musumeci (Sicily), and Vernon Gallery (Prague) for the Tina-B Contemporary Art Festival. My work has included everything from large-scale ceramic and video installations, to site-specific interactive pieces like The 4th State for the Kilburn Festival in Camden.

Collaboration has been a huge part of my career — whether working with renowned photojournalists like Sergio Siano (IL MATTINO), or directing music videos, short films, and independent features between 2014–2020. I even co-founded the UK’s first Italian TV channel, Italia UK TV, where I served as a director and developed original programming.

In recent years, my Contemporary Reflection series has been a space for exploring photography, sculpture, and mixed media to examine identity, relationships, and social inequality. A highlight for me was winning the Gold Award at the 2023 London Photography Awards for my project EGO, and the latest exhibition ANEMOS which I curated at Magan Gallery.

Through my studio, I aim to create not just art, but conversation — inviting people to reflect, feel, and connect. Whether through exhibitions, teaching, or collaborative projects, my goal is to make art a mirror for contemporary life, one that speaks both personally and universally.

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