Roberto Coda Zabetta at the Ronchini Gallery

Many of us have looked into the night sky while drinking a glass of something alcoholic and wished to travel the world conducting gigantic expressions of emotion. Most of us do not fulfil this wish, we continue with our night and finish our drink. Some people however, do.

Roberto Coda Zabetta is a true citizen of the world. Born in Biella, Italy in 1975, he studied in Rome and at Central Saint Martins, and exhibited in Rio, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Hong Kong, Moscow, London, New York City, Tel Aviv and all over Italy throughout his life. He has also acquired many prestigious awards including the Passaggi a Nord-Ovest award of the Pistoletto Foundation, The Premio, Arte-Fiera award, and the Miart Young Artist award.

Zabetta is currently exhibiting his recent amazing work at the Ronchini Gallery in London. Upon entering the building, the viewer is met with five giant black and white paintings that seem at first to be abstract expressionist. The content of the paintings initially seems different from previous work, and yet the huge, bold, sweeping brush strokes convincingly prove this is work by the artist’s enthusiastic hand.

To try and describe an abstract work, particularly Zabetta’s, would almost seem foolish; one risks resorting to all the clichés – strong, bold and powerful. These are all true, so it’s near impossible to avoid them. Two of the paintings at the Ronchini Gallery were created during the artist’s visit to Singapore, and based upon the active volcano there, Mount Merapi – Merapi 2009-2010. New words come to mind: power, energy and destruction. Three paintings were created after visiting Japan. One has the unmistakeable shape of a mushroom cloud, and another word comes to mind: death.

So what next? Zabetta has plans to head to Brazil in the future, no doubt to be inspired by the dramas unfolding in government – a true representation of what the man is like, travelling the world to get to the heart of Man. The exhibition is a small window into our consciousness, showcasing fear and power.

Verdict:  ★★★★★

Alexander Devenport

Roberto Coda Zabetta is at the Ronchini Gallery until 31^st July 2013, for further information visit here.