A New Code for Understanding the Present.
Andrea Ravo Mattoni, Valentina Picozzi
from 27 October at Artrust in Melano
How can painting interpret the technological, economic and symbolic transformations of our time?
NOVUS CODEX stems from the convergence of the artistic research of Valentina Picozzi and Andrea Ravo Mattoni, two artists who, coming from different backgrounds, have chosen to engage with a shared question: how to interpret the present through new visual codes.
The exhibition forges a novel dialogue between hacker culture and sacred iconography, Bitcoin and the Renaissance, artificial intelligence and manual craftsmanship. The works emerge from overlaps and cross-pollinations in which symbols of the contemporary world coexist with references to art history, giving rise to a new iconography capable of narrating our times.
On the one hand, the work of Valentina Picozzi – one of the first artists to have explored the imagery of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies – translates themes such as decentralisation, value, scarcity and individual freedom into images. On the other, Andrea Ravo Mattoni continues his exploration of the relationship between painting and technology, transforming digitally generated images into works created through the practice of painting and the use of spray cans.
The result is an exhibition that does not pit the past against the future, but rather connects them through material, colour and painting, questioning the role of human beings in the age of artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
VISIT THE EXHIBITION
From 27 October 2026
Tuesday – Friday: 10.00 – 17.00
Saturday: by appointment
Closed on public holidays
At Artrust, Via Pedemonte di Sopra 1, 6818 Melano
FREE ENTRY
Andrea Ravo Mattoni
Andrea Mattoni was born in Varese in 1981 into a family of artists. His first experiences as a graffiti artist date back to 1995, under the pseudonym Ravo. He then enrolled at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, devoting himself to oil and acrylic painting on canvas. In 2003, he created and founded THE BAG ARTFACTORY in Milan’s Bovisa district, a real magnet for graffiti artists and other artists. He deepened his exploration of painting whilst simultaneously reviving his spray-painting work: in 2016, he launched the project ‘Recovering Classicism in the Contemporary’ by spray-painting reproductions of classical artworks onto large walls. In 2019, he took part in the ceremony marking the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death in Amboise, attended by Presidents Macron and Mattarella. In 2021, he launched the ‘La Cattedrale’ project in Somma Lombardo, transforming a former derelict factory into a hub for socialising and creativity.
Valentina Picozzi
Valentina Picozzi is an Italian artist who, since 2012, has been developing a body of work dedicated to the themes of money, technology and the digital transformation of society. One of the first artists to explore the phenomenon of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in a contemporary context, she creates works that blend urban culture, pop imagery and social commentary. Throughout her career, she has exhibited in Italy and abroad, using her artistic practice to address issues relating to value, individual freedom, innovation and the relationship between humans and technology. Her works are characterised by an immediate visual language and an ability to translate complex themes into accessible and engaging images.