L'uomo del gioco, 2010. Woodcut, 22x22 cm

UMBERTO GIOVANNINI is raised in a relationship of deep attraction for the arts, he undertook the study path of those who love drawing: art school, then three years of graphic design school, culminating with the degree in art history. But what has contributed most to his love for the world of the printed images, has been spending part of his childhood in the artisan typography of his maternal uncles. His approach, aged twenty, to printmaking was a natural progression.
So from 1991 to 2010, he made about 600 graphic works, experimenting with different techniques of original artwork, with a special love for the polychrome woodcut, a system that he perfected for personal printing: complementary matrices. The series “Sequenza Temporale”, “Tarocchi di Sigismondo”, “Mediterraneo” e “Dante” has been exhibited in Italy, Britain, USA, Japan, Australia. In recent years, he approached the possibilities of graphic techniques with low environmental impact that characterize the activities of his new studio opened in 2009: the Opificio della Rosa.
Based in both in Italy and London he is a member of the printmaking studio East London Printmakers.
As a historian of printmaking he has been invited to curate numerous monographic exhibitions. The catalogues were published by VACA vari cervelli associati, a Ravenna based association – of which Giovannini is co-founder – which since 1990 has been involved in publishing, filmmaking, visual arts and the international competition “Books never ever seen”.

Karaoke Blues, poster for the singer Daniele Maggioli, woodcut and letter-press, 100x70 cm., 2010