Albert Chiarandini

Albert Chiarandini (September 30, 1915 – December 18, 2007) was an Italian-Canadian painter most closely associated with Group of Seven in his art.

His heritage includes 3,000 paintings, mostly in oil, in portraiture, landscapes, and compositions genres. As an art master, he influenced new generation artists, such as Giuseppe Pivetta (born. 1938) and Bruce Smith (1925-2005).

In the 1960s, he became an elected Fellow of the International Institute of Arts and Letters (F.I I A.L.) and an appointed member of the Ontario Society of Artists.

Being under the influence of the hippie culture, the artist painted and painted a series of portraits of Yorkville bohemians who agreed to pose for him. Among them is David Fennario, later an acclaimed Montreal playwright.

Philosophically, Chiarandini held pessimistic views about society and life. His diary entries in the 1960s refer to humankind’s dishonesty and materialism. Chiarandini denounced the North American preoccupation with money and the "crazy world" of the mid-1980s. "Life is not easy" was the refrain he repeated during conversations and interviews in 2004. This worldview, which Chiarandini verbalized in diaries, also emerges in visual form from his paintings.

Exhibitions and galleries

In 1938, Chiarandini had his first exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario in the company of members of the Group of Seven. The Georgina Arts Centre & Gallery of Ontario has organized an exhibition in collaboration with the Canadian Cultural Center of the University of Udine.

One of Chiarandini's masterpieces is on display in Toronto City Hall.