«John Paul Fauves was the first NFT we showcased. We sold it directly from our platform. One of the biggest Crypto art collectors in the world»
Plan X Gallery, an unconventional and innovative art gallery
Gallery owners Marcello Polito and Nicolò Stabile founded Plan X Gallery with the intention to bring an unconventional and innovative art space distributed in the region of the dynamic metropolis of Milan, up to the quant island of Capri. Plan X has, therefore, become the gallery that strives to showcase the wonders that are ahead of us, which we all bypass. Polito and Stabile, in fact, showcase the unique and imaginative talents of artists around the world. They have aspired to take an unusual perspective by presenting the art of the future today.
Based in the island of Capri and the heart of Milan, Plan X Gallery currently offers two spaces. A rooftop exhibition space located on the world renowned Piazzetta in the island of Capri. Plan X rooftop is complete with a selection of artworks that embody the miscellaneous spirit of the island. While Plan X Gallery is the central space which offers an immersive exhibition space, dedicated to experimental projects.
«We recently changed locations in Milan. Our new venue is located in one of the best parts of Milan, the Opera district. In Capri we still have the Rooftop. In the summer we are planning to open a third location which will also be in the island of Capri. We refurbished an old site in Capri to use it for particular projects and residencies for artists. We like to invite artists to the island to feel inspired by the island and its culture to create and replicate parts of Capri into their work».
Lampoon review: Plan X Gallery’s mission
Establishing themselves on the modern art market their mission is to research, support and represent artists globally to enhance each of their artistic productions in the best way possible. «Curiosity is what starts the process for us. We participate in many forms of research, whether they are studio visits in person or through video calls online. As a gallery we have to embrace the artists message and voice their opinions through our avenue».
When producing an exhibition, they build a concept around the artist’s vision. An important factor for the two owners is that each artist they represent becomes part of the Plan X family. «We work with a few artists and we invest our time and beliefs into their artwork in order for results to come straight from the beginning. Each artist differs from one another and has their own way to express themselves».
Further, Polito and Stabile treat the gallery as a safe space for artists to express any issues they may face. They involve themselves in the creative process together with the business side of each collaboration. «It’s more than selling artworks. To us it’s about giving each artist a guarantee that they can have a career in this creative industry».
Juxtaposition exhibition with artist John Paul Fauves
Travelling around the world to cities such as London, Los Angeles, New York and Paris, the two owners have found several creatives to work alongside. Roberto Bruno, Timothy Gateway and Tyler Shields to name a few. Their latest exhibition is with artist John Paul Fauves.
«John Paul Fauves was one of the first artists we worked with. We started with him two and a half years ago. He is based in Costa Rica and we wanted to give him the possibility to have his first show in our new gallery here in Milan. We opened the new gallery space with his show, and it was a huge success for us both». The show is titled juxtaposition because it represents perfectly who John Paul Fauves is.
«When you see his artwork, you view each piece in a superficial way because they are cartoon based. Conversely, his personality is the opposite. But, the artist chooses to use cartoons instead of people in his work to represent the soul of a person. They are very layered. The first approach is immediately eye-catching from the colours and cartoons drawn. Then, from the second look you are able to dive into his dimension and realise there is a lot to discover. The third look leaves you starting to understand the emotions behind the painting and portrays a glimpse of what he was feeling whilst painting the picture».
NFT (non-fungible token) art
During this exhibition, the gallery showcased their first NFT art drop. An NFT (non-fungible token) is a unit of data stored on the Ethereum blockchain. NFT art connects the original artwork linked to the NFT, as a form of certification that the artwork is one of a kind, meaning the digital art can be replicated but the token cannot. «John Paul Fauves was the first NFT we showcased. We sold it directly from our platform for a record price of over forty thousand USD. One of the biggest Crypto art collectors in the world».
Being a pioneer for the digital avenue of art, Plan X Gallery are also hosting a group crypto art show in the middle of June. «The event will be a physical show, but we plan to showcase the NFT file on screens in the gallery. There won’t be paintings on the walls similar to a typical viewing. We will instead have monitors that project the digital art onto the walls. Some people approach crypto art with little understanding that you can view the art in a physical sense. We want to make this a realisation. It’s going to be something new in Europe. We are, in fact, one of the first galleries to do art in this form and we are looking forward to it».
Plan X Gallery’s inception
Their concept is to offer something curious to the people of Italy, especially in Milan. A new vision of art is connected to the fashion, music and architecture realms. «We stay connected to street culture. We are always looking to inspire and be inspired ourselves. In Italy art is viewed as a traditional concept, which we want to break away from. We, in fact, seek to show people that art is something they can follow and be passionate about».
Collaborating with the fashion industry through their curation of independent magazines and books, they look to represent everything in the creative world. «We have a branch of the gallery called Cool Kids love art. It is a branded collaboration with artists and photographers. The capsule consists of t-shirts and hoodies that are unique to offer and showcase that art is a lifestyle».
Prior to opening the gallery, the pair owned a business mixing technology with art. The business allowed them to collaborate with artists to produce customized iPhones. «The artists hand painted and embellished each phone with their logos and patterns». Realising how much they aspired to bring a new sense of art to the traditional ambiance in Italy, they sold the business to open Plan X Gallery. «In the beginning, we named the gallery Plan B as we started it through selling another business. Since there was already a gallery with that name, we opted for Plan X because of its concept. Its meaning of continuous research seemed on point for our mission of the gallery we wanted to build and achieve».
#Artists4Italytook online auction
As the Coronavirus Pandemic hit the world during the beginning of last year, Plan X Gallery launched an online auction to raise funds for two hospitals located in Italy. Polito and Stabile co-operated with Marco Rubino, a collector of contemporary art and contributor to Forbes Italia. They named the online auction #Artists4Italytook and the event took place on twenty-first of March 2020 for a period of twenty-four hours.
Distinguished artists from around the globe contributed works in aid of the cause. Including Alec Monopoly, a street artist from New York City, known for his tuxedoed and top hatted graffiti appropriation of the Monopoly man, originally inspired by Bernie Madoff. Italian based artist Giampiero Romanò was another to contribute to the cause. Recognised for his ability to look to art of the past with a gaze into the future, creating spectacular and antique mirrors. «We are so glad we were able to come together during this difficult period to unite our efforts and achieve a common goal».
Plan X Gallery
Via Marsala, 7, 20121 Milano MI/Piazza Umberto I n.7 Capri, Italy. Plan X Gallery is an unconventional contemporary art gallery based between Capri island and the city of Milan.
