Swiss-Italian Visual Artist Yuri Catania works at the intersection where nature and technology converse. Based in Rovio (Ticino, Switzerland), he has developed a distinctive visual language that evolves across photography, painting, sculpture, collage, and monumental installations. Living within a physical and poetic ecosystem in the Swiss Alps, his environment flows directly into his artworks, creating a bridge between the natural world and digital experimentation.
Astro Credy 2026, Palazzo Credinvest Bank - Lugano Switzerland
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Yuri Catania is an internationally recognized visual artist renowned for his monumental, eco-sustainable paste-up installations. Rooted in photography, his mixed-media art creates surreal dialogues with the environment, blending space exploration with local nature.
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The Female Astronaut as Protagonist: Women take center stage in his universe. His works feature the first woman on the moon and the pioneering "space motherhood" sculpture, beautifully intertwined with flowers photographed at his CasaGalleria.ART atelier in Rovio.
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Record-Breaking Street Art: He is the creator of the largest paste-up installation ever made on a 6-story glass building at Palazzo Credinvest in Lugano.
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Participatory & Biodegradable: His ephemeral public art is crafted from sustainable paper. He turns art into a collective experience by actively involving local schools and the community in the creation process.
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Hidden Dimensions: Catania expands his physical artworks using UV colors and Augmented Reality (AR), bridging the real and digital worlds to reveal interactive, multi-layered meanings.
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"I bring the beauty I see from my surroundings to the streets. The moon I photograph rising over Monte Generoso directly from my Rovio atelier is the same moon that unites us with the rest of the world: a universal symbol of connection that bridges every distance. In my artworks, the flowers cultivated by my wife in our CasaGalleria garden, which I capture through my lens in the stillness of the night, alongside Vanessa butterflies, become icons of resilience and uniqueness, capable of blooming with strength and authentic beauty."
Yuri Catania, Visual Artist
GIANT STORIES ON PAPER
Ephemeral Public Art: Yuri Catania's Sustainable Paste-up Installations
"Giant Stories on Paper" is Yuri Catania's ongoing project of monumental public street art. Commissioned by cities, museums, and institutions, these artworks blend analog photography, large-scale paper collage, and deep community involvement.
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Eco-Friendly & Biodegradable: Utilizing the paste-up technique with natural materials and eco-glues, Catania's murals are completely sustainable. They bloom on urban walls and naturally vanish without polluting or damaging the architecture.
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An Inter-City Dialogue: These ephemeral narratives have transformed cityscapes across borders, with notable installations in Lugano, Milan, Ascona, Zurich, and Geneva.
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current exhibitions
Yuri in Wonderland is Yuri Catania’s solo exhibition, retracing the stages of his artistic journey during his stay in Rovio. This collection features photography, mixed media art, and sculptures, including an exclusive world premiere: his first bronze sculpture representing "Space Maternity."
🌟 Grand Opening of the First Stop We look forward to welcoming you to the grand launch event to begin this space journey together: Date: April 19, 2026 Time: 11:00 AM MIGROS TO THE MOON A project by Yuri Catania In collaboration with the Migros Culture Percentage Ticino Location: Migros Melano
YURI IN WONDERLAND:
beyond photography into surreal Mixed Media Art
Representing the core of Yuri Catania’s artistic poetics, Yuri in Wonderland is a surreal mixed-media series where constellations of painted flowers meet space exploration. Evolving from his roots as a traditional photographer, Catania moves beyond the camera lens, transforming the night photography of his CasaGalleria.ART garden in Rovio into highly tactile, multi-layered masterpieces.
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The Astronaut Metaphor: In this surreal universe, the astronaut symbolizes modern humanity, isolated by technology (like our smartphones) and disconnected from the natural world, yet desperately seeking to bridge the gap between the digital and the physical.
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Pioneering Subjects: The series introduces the iconic Astrogirls and the unprecedented concept of Space Motherhood (Maternità Spaziale), placing female figures at the center of the lunar narrative.
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From Paper to Bronze: Catania shatters the boundaries of traditional prints. His overpainted physical artworks blend diverse materials such as paper, concrete, oil, and acrylics. The collection now features absolute novelties: innovative 3D sculptures and the artist's first bronze sculpture.
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Nature & Technology: Living immersed in the nature of Rovio (Ticino, Switzerland) but deeply connected through tech, Catania paints real local flowers, creating surreal floral constellations that dialogue with the coldness of space.
DOCUMENTING ART IN ACTION & the creative process
→ Watch all videos on the official channel
Dive into the visual archive of Yuri Catania. Watch the making-of documentaries, time-lapse videos, and street art performances that bring the artworks to life. From the quiet precision of the Atelier in Rovio to the monumental public installations in Lugano, Ascona, Milan, Zurich, and Geneva, experience the journey behind the art. Discover the techniques: see how analog photography transforms into paste-up murals and how hand-painting adds a unique layer to every piece.
