Nerone e Patuzzi

Nerone Ceccarelli
Italy 1937 – 1996
Giancarlo Patuzzi
1905 – 1977
Artists, sculptors

Nero Ceccarelli, stage name of Giovanni Ceccarelli was an Italian sculptor. He worked under the banner of research characterized by the integration between art and architecture, while he developed sculptures linked to a rigorous geometric abstractionism. Since 1954 he has lived between Venice and Florence, where his studies focus mainly on some Tuscan artists including Masaccio, Donatello, Paolo Uccello, Giovanni Pisano. In the meantime, he attended the sculpture course at the Academy of Florence and, following the family’s move, to that of Venice, where he met his friend Giancarlo Patuzzi. In 1962 he founded the NP2 Group, an acronym that includes the initials of Nerone and Giancarlo Patuzzi: together with other artists they “experimented with new sources of poetic expression from materials”.

In 1964 Nerone called his brother, Piercarlo Ceccarelli, who until then had been interested in electronic data processing and business organisation, to join the NP2 Group. The intent of the group is to promote the integration of art into architecture together with other professionals, including Luigi Marchisotti, Dedalo Montali, Lucia Petrocchi, Virgilio Petrocchi, Raoul Portal, Jolanda Novi, Piercarlo Iorio, Evian Medici, Luciano Patetta, Nicoletta Medici, Carlo Mollino, Angelo Cortesi. The presence of Piercarlo Ceccarelli proves to be fundamental during the first years of the Group, as he, with his managerial skills and working links with the USA, will be responsible for the promotion of ideas and organizational aspects. Furthermore, thanks to Piercarlo Ceccarelli, sample exhibitions were organized between 1965 and 1967 in cities in the United States and Canada: New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

Gruppo NP2 was an influential artistic collective that operated in the Torino area. Known for their innovative and avant-garde approach, the group made significant contributions to the art scene during their active years. Led by talented artists, including Nerone Ceccarelli and Gianni Patuzzi, Gruppo NP2 left a lasting impact with their unique style and creative endeavours. The group’s works often showcased a fusion of geometrical forms and abstract elements, captivating viewers with their artistic expression and experimentation.