Stefano Di Maulo was born in Rome in 1958. His artistic activity began in the 80s, with the creation of some ceramic sculptures. Then he began working on the series of “formal experiments”, distorting the use of the execution technique and decontextualizing the subjects treated by common use and this lead him to the modelling of ants around the second half of the 90s. Di Maulo’s research is discreet and solitary. He lives and works in Viterbo.   After meeting the artist in 2008 at the Biennale of the Arts of Italy, Belvedere di San Leucio (CE), Monteoliveto Gallery invited the artist on the occasion of the Year of Astronomy within the exhibition in Naples “Contemporary art to rediscover the sky“.  Subsequently, the gallery curated two personal exhibitions of the artist in Naples and Nice in 2009, entitled “Fourmis 2070 #” with the collaboration of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Nice and the presentation by Chiara Ciappelloni.  

In all these events, Di Maulo’s ants invaded the gallery spaces with a colourful three-phase installation to focus the viewer’s attention on those ‘hidden worlds’, often ignored, inviting man to rediscover them to admire their beauty and authenticity. ANTS, these living beings at the same time ridiculous for their size and intriguing for their organizational skills, Stefano Di Maulo invites us to enter his universe by describing his theory: equipped with grey matter and reflective abilities, the human being too often tends to destruction. The ants, devoid of real intelligence, unite and militate in a low voice, allying themselves in a permanent construction. A touch of science fiction, a touch of criticism of humanity and a little fashion. And when the room is darkened, we can discover “the planet of the ants”.

From 2009, many of his installations are visible in Monteoliveto Gallery who has represented them in many art fairs and events in Milan, Naples, Nice, other European cities and in the Principality of Monaco.