Imagine a failure leading to astounding success and being seen as one of contemporary art’s leading painters. The Canadian artist Armando Cabba is one such exemplary story. Growing up he wanted to be a musician, but failing the audition to join his high school’s band meant the end of his rock star dream. Little did Armando know that life had bigger plans for him.
Born in 1990 in Montreal, Quebec, Armando Cabba opted for a Fine Arts program at Dawson College after discovering his passion for painting during the remaining years of high school. Cabba was placed in art class after being denied entrance to Selwyn House’s Senior Jazz Band. It was an opportunity that allowed him to develop a thorough understanding and a concrete foundation of traditional painting. This would later serve as the base for the conceptual knowledge of art to pave a path for his success.
The young artist was a student at the Concordia University where he studied passionately and got a full grip on the dynamics of painting. Graduating with honors, Cabba moved to Florence to continue his studies in traditional portrait painting. Creative differences erupted between the academy and Cabba resulting in yet another failure in the man’s life. Overcome with feelings of shame, sorrow, and frustration, Cabba found a compromise in the form of a studio outside of school. Upon receiving the keys, the artist would change the course of his life by bringing forth his iconic self-portrait series.
There’s no denying Armando’s talent when it comes to his portraits. His work echoes many masters of the past, yet remains contemporary and unique. Cabba is under 30 and paints as if he’s lived several lives. There’s no strand of fear or limitation as he dives deep within his emotions and experiments with styles. Conformity is the antonym to his entire body of work and combined with all of the above, Cabba is gaining worldwide attention.
However, Armando Cabba is still an underdog in the art world. There are mixed opinions in regards to the artist’s relationship with galleries and major institutions. Cabba founded his own gallery in Paris at 26 years old and that made a major statement to curators. Artists normally apply to or are picked out by galleries. Armando decided to do it all himself.
He has creative freedom both in and outside the studio. This comes at a price. It’s a high risk move to be outside the safety net of a gallery. Everything is on Cabba and the art world is watching how far he can go.
Not only is Armando Cabba an outstanding artist, but he is also passionate about ongoing social issues. Most recently, he spoke about the importance of mental health at a TedX event held in Paris. Looking beyond his talent as an artist, Cabba uses his platform for good and stands with the people. He rejects the clichés of social media such as curated Instagram accounts or influencer culture. Humanity is exhibited through his work and himself.
Armando Cabba is one individual that is definitely worth watching and you can see more of his work and keep up to date at www.armando-cabba.com
