Marcello Landi

Marcello Landi (1916–1993) was an Italian painter and poet.

Biography Landi was born into the artistic Landi family in Cecina in 1916. In 1948 he co-signed the Manifesto of Eaismo, an analysis of man's new role in the Atomic Age, alongside the poet Guido Favati and the painters Voltolino Fontani, Angelo Sirio Pellegrini and Aldo Neri. He participated in the group's exhibitions in 1949, at the Casa di Dante in Florence; in 1953 at the House of Culture of Livorno, and finally in 1959 at the gallery Pascucci in Grosseto. Landi and Favati followed the central tenets of the movement with great conviction.

The 1950s were years of intense literary activity, culminating in his winning the poetry prize from the City of Florence (1955), and another poetry prize from the Citadel in 1956. During this period Landi devoted himself actively to debating ideas in contemporary art through columns in major newspapers, especially "Il Giornale del Mattino" (Florence). In 1970 he won the poetry prize "Montebelluna", and in 1983 the "National Literary Prize" of Pisa.

In the 1960s he formed the painter's group 'Gli Ultimi' together with Fontani and Pellegrini Sirio and exhibited continuously at the Bottega d'Arte Livorno. His paintings usually depicted 'atomic landscapes', in which the descriptive and narrative element is reduced to the pure essence of forms, showing a keen sense of abandonment and loneliness.

In 1977 he moved from Livorno to Rome. In the same year, he was honored with the establishment of the "National Poetry Prize Marcello Landi" in Livorno, which was awarded until 2001.

The last few years of his life were complicated by poor health and psychological problems. These would impact his activities until his death in Rome in 1993.

Collections of poetry Speranza da inventare, editore Vallecchi, Firenze 1953. Storia a pezzi, edizioni La Mangusta, 1955. Via dalla Terra, editore Vallecchi, Firenze 1959. Uomo e uomo, editore L’Ussero, Pisa 1964. La prova dei pianeti, editore Trevi. Roma 1968 Le pietre di Volterra, Nuove edizioni Vallecchi, Firenze 1974. La città nera, editore Fermenti, Roma 1976. Dietro i battenti, Nuove edizioni Vallecchi, Firenze 1979. Horror vacui, editore Trevi, Roma 1980. Malmenati orizzonti, editore L'Officina Libri, Roma 1982. La memoria demente, editore Florida, Roma 1982. Fantapoesie in ciclostile, Stampart, Roma 1984.