Mark Kostabi (Los Angeles 1960)

Artist and composer, Mark Kostabi is a provocative personality: he publishes interviews with himself, in which he deals with the subject of the commodification of contemporary art and in which he defines himself as a "product of suburban pop culture", highlighting the provincial, imitative and almost parodic character of his art. In 1988 he founded Kostabi World, an integrated study, gallery and office complex, famous for the employment of painters and creative assistants. Kostabi's music has been interpreted in New York, Japan, Italy and Estonia by great orchestras and soloists. Kostabi is responsible for the graphics of music LP covers - Use Your Illusion by Guns'n'Roses, Adios Amigos of Ramones - and numerous products, including a Swatch watch, several limited edition vases and computer accessories.

In 2000 the Guastalla Gallery published the first Italian monograph dedicated to the artist with an introduction by Luca Beatrice. In 2012 was realised the Full Circle, dreaming Modigliani personal show in Guastalla Centro Arte gallery. For the Gallery he created the multiple bronze sculpture Service and six runs of color lithographs. A work Omaggio a Modigliani, oil on canvas, is exhibited in the Casa Natale Amedeo Modigliani Livorno.