BEDDRU

Through my art, I hope to elevate one’s gaze above aesthetics.  When I craft a piece, I witness time and embrace societal change through beauty.

––BEDDRU, Painter

Giuseppe Bellia (BEDDRU) is a self-taught Italian artist whose multi-media paintings playfully reconcile ancient imagery and fresh modern vibrancy. Inspired by seventeenth century Italian technique, he utilizes reverse paintings methods on plexiglass. BEDDRU modernizes this process through pure, vivid pigments. The observer’s eye is lured by striking vibrance and intrigued by enigmatic ancient figures who emerge into the present. 

BEDDRU’s formative creative years were spent in Agrigento, Sicily, where he absorbed the traditional Greek art influence, paying special attention to the beauty of the human form in nature. After studying the great masters, he left Italy for Belgium to expand his practice. BEDDRU’s work is reminiscent of the Fauvist movement in its abstraction and emphasis on strong color. Aside from being visually and historically interesting, his work conveys self-discovery, emotional awakening, and the personal significance of place. He colorfully portrays Mediterranean life as derived from ancient Islamic rule in Sicily. BEDDRU represents those who are socially rejected––“out of place”–– in his stark juxtaposition of modern textures and ancient forms, directing attention toward the essence of the human being rather than the superficiality of the manipulated image. BEDDRU is influenced by Egon Schiele’s raw sexuality, Vincent Van Gogh’s representations of poverty and everyday life, and David Hockney’s unparalleled water scenes.