Jonathan Vivacqua: the artist who paints with petroleum and used motor oils

Jonathan Vivacqua, born in Erba in 1986, is an artist who stands out in the contemporary panorama for his ability to transform industrial materials into tools of aesthetic and social reflection. His work explores the boundary between architecture, design and sculpture, using elements such as concrete, polystyrene, resin and even fossil fuels, which become metaphors for the complex relationship between man and the environment.

His works, which range from monumental installations to material paintings, are characterized by the balance between rigorous geometric shapes and an urban aesthetic often imbued with a critical message. Vivacqua is particularly fascinated by the contrast between the solidity of materials and their conceptual lightness, creating works that challenge the viewer to rethink the perception of matter and its role in our world.

Used motor oil and thermal coats in his works

For his paintings, Vivacqua uses used engine oil, usually destined for disposal in recycling centers. The impurities, combined with iron oxides and wood impregnating varnishes, create dynamic and magmatic surfaces. These layers light up with shiny lumps or fade into opaque areas similar to nests of tar. The deep black comes alive with ocher and golden streams in some works, while in others it is crossed by intense red flashes, giving life to a palette of visual and emotional contrasts.

Vivacqua’s sculptures are made of polystyrene, a material derived from petroleum, light, accessible and considered “noble” by the artist for its infinite expressive possibilities. Characterized by a regular repetition of self-supporting structures, the works present black surfaces obtained thanks to the use of graphite, the same material used in the panels for thermal insulation. Vivacqua does not design the shapes in advance, but lets the result emerge from a process of combination and interlocking, evoking educational games for children and the Montessori playful-educational method.

A bridge between minimalism and brutalism

Vivacqua’s artistic influences include the American minimalism of artists such as Donald Judd and Richard Serra, as well as architectural brutalism, with a clear reference to the rationalism of Adolf Loos. However, what sets him apart is his ability to blend these influences with a contemporary sensibility that addresses global issues such as sustainability and human impact on the environment.

An art that invites reflection

Vivacqua doesn’t just create visually impressive works; his work invites us to reflect on the very nature of the materials we use, often associated with pollution and degradation, transforming them into symbols of artistic rebirth. His paintings, made with used engine oil and metal powders, reveal a tension between beauty and contamination, between the creative and destructive potential of modernity.

A constantly evolving path

With exhibitions in prestigious spaces and growing attention from critics, Jonathan Vivacqua represents one of the most interesting voices in Italian contemporary art. His ability to transform unconventional materials into works of great aesthetic and conceptual depth makes him an artist who challenges the boundaries of traditional art, proposing a bold and innovative vision of our relationship with the world.