Born in a family of artists, with ancestors who date back to the great masters of the ‘Seicento Romano’, he combined his accademic training with the artistic heritage inherited from his family since childhood.
Born in Rome in 1963, he lives and works between Rome e New York City where he shares his life and studio with the internationally renowned artist Marina Abramovich, his lifetime companion whom he recently married.
Despite his international fame and recognition- including his partecipation at the 52°nd Edition of Venice Biennal, one solo show at MACRO in Rome, a group show opening at PS1 Moma in New York and another group show in Tel Aviv - Paolo always mantained a humble attitude and warm sense of humor throughout our interview.

From the beginning of his artistic carrier in the early ‘90’s , the artist became known for his idea of anti-monumental sculpture, which he creates prevalently using soft, elastic materials such as rubber tubes, nets, paper and papier maché.
Canevari’s work thus aims to avoid both the concept of “monument” and the rhetoric which is inherent to the idea of “traditional” and “classical” sculpture, partly through the use of simple and inexpensive materials.

When and why did you decide to become an artist?

I would say that I am a “figlio d’arte”. I come from a family of artists, my grandfather was a painter and a mosaicist, my uncle a sculptor and my greatgrandfather was a painter as well. I had a classical artistic training, a very traditional one at the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Rome, and then after that, three years of private and intense studies in drawing and painting…Basically I never ‘decided’ to be an artist, I guess I always had it in my DNA.

The presence at the Venice Biennale is a huge recognition for an emerging artist. How did the collaboration with Robert Storr come about?

I met Robert Storr in 2005 for the first time, and then I had the chance to see him again in many occasions in NY…in 2006 Storr was part of the jury for the Belgrad art Sallon curated by Rene Block where I was showing one of my videos. So he came up to me one day and asked me to show him a project I was working on back then. Two months later I went to Venice to meet him with a DVD in my pocket…the video that is now on view at the Venice Biennal.

What brought you to New York City?

I wanted to challenge myself in a City like NY, that offers exceptional opportunities for artistic growth and achievement on the international stage. It has been a real journey into a unique conglomeration of converging worlds cultures and civilizations. The City is nowadays for us artists what Paris used to be in the 1920’s…

How does the american audience react to the ideological and political implications implied in some of your videos?

I see my work as a ‘democratic’ message, understandable on many levels. I believe in art as an opportunity to convey an ethical message that builds a strong collective consciousness… beyond the limits of time and place where the work has been created…I see the audience then as a global identity and not a geographic one. 

What do you want to be said about your work?

I wish it would help people to look at the world from a different perspective…