Gianni Colangelo, known as MAD (“Metal Art Designer” and a play on the word “mad”), was born and works in the Valle Peligna area between Pratola Peligna and Introdacqua, Abruzzo. His sculptural art engages in dialogue with the local territory and agricultural traditions: he uses reclaimed metal from rural tools, giving new life to rusted materials. His works—mechanical animals and found-object sculptures—often incorporate robotic parts that respond to audience interaction, reflecting on time, memory, and transformation.
He has a solid educational background: a conservatory diploma, a degree in Literature and Philosophy, a specialization in Decoration from the Academy of Fine Arts, and a Master’s in Exhibition Design. He has taken part in national (Rome, Milan, L’Aquila) and international (Bilbao) group shows, winning awards such as the Premio Adrenalina (2012) and third place at the Adolfo Farioli Prize (2018). His piece Libellula won first prize in the 2016 environmental protection competition. His sculpture Anatomia Meccanica Ariete was exhibited at the MACRO Museum in Rome in 2014, winning the Premio Adrenalina 3.0.
Colangelo’s work embodies a tension between craftsmanship and technology, rural memory and contemporary expression, inviting viewers to interact.
