Dario Illari is the founder of East London’s prestigious Jealous Gallery and Print Studio, known for its collaborations with artists including David Shrigley, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Gavin Turk, Harland Miller, Gary Hume, Rachel Howard, Chris Levine, Chantal Joffe and Rose Wylie, not to mention involvement with established art institutions from the V&A to White Cube, Whitechapel Gallery to The Imperial War Museum: in other words, Illari knows a thing or two when it comes to contemporary art.
Read moreWith a background in ceramics, Dario’s own compositions tend towards the three dimensional, even in the printed form: he is best known for his charming, fridge magnet prints, spelling out words and mantras in the classic, colourful children’s shapes. Yet, in spite of his impressive roster of collaborators and exhibitors, and his own success as a visual artist, Illari’s view of his role in the art world remains refreshingly grounded: “I truIy love what I do and am privileged to work with artists on a daily basis,” he say. “I understand artists and the worlds they inhabit. I believe what art can be, should be and what it is. I understand its importance both culturally and historically. The rest about me is just filler.”
