I- Biography: (1959 - 2007)

Tony Mardelli – Hyper-Realistic Painter
Born in Aleppo, Syria 1948, emigrated to Venezuela in 1959.
Member of the Venezuelan Association of Artists (AVAP), card No.302

STUDIES:

1962- Caracas: Complete study of drawing and coloring. Academia Politécnica de Dibujo. (Instructor Albaya).
1965- Caracas: Pastel portrait study. (Atelier Maestro Fidel Santa Maria)
1969-70- North Hollywood. California - short-term design study.
Art Center College of Design.
1993- Caracas: Paper conservation study - National Gallery of Art.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Graphic Arts and Portraits:

25 years as Art Director of Publications Al-FIDA.
Saint George’s Cathedral. Caracas.
Ad. Designs for magazines, book covers, triptychs, posters, catalogs and (LOGOS: 36 In Venezuela, 1 in the USA, 4 in Taiwan and I in Panama).

PORTRAITS COMMISSIONED FOR: President Hafez AI-Assad,

Damascus, Syria - Defense Minister Moustafa Tlas, Damascus-Syria - President of Banco del Caribe Dr. Edgar Dao, Caracas - Bishop Boutros Callaos. Aleppo Syria - Bishop Boutros Mryati, Aleppo-Syria- Bishop Hilarion Cappucci, Caracas -
Ing. Fillippo Vagnoni, Caracas.

Over 200 paintings sold: Venezuelan and Middle East landscapes, portraits and still life in oil, acrylic, and pastel.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS :
2004 - Beirut - Galerie Zomaan. AI Hamra.
2003 - Beirut - Ecole Patriarchal. Academie des Hautes Etudes Diplomatiques.
2002- Beirut - Galerie Zomaan. AI Hamra.
2002- Beirut - Hotel Monroe. Kennedy Avenue.
2002- Beirut - Instituto Cervantes. (Spanish Cultural Center).
2002- Beirut - Rizk Plaza Private Club. Brummana.
1999- Caracas - Centro Ciudad Comercial Tamanaco. (Own Gallery) 3-D Paintings.
1992- Caracas - Headquarters of the Venezuelan Association of Artists A V AP.
1986- Caracas - Headquarters of The Syrian- Venezuelan Women Association.
1985 - Caracas - Arab Arts & literature Fair. Saint George’s Cathedral.
1984 - Caracas - Pro-Venezuela.
1978- Caracas - IV Fearab America International Congress.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2000 - Caracas- II Paintings Exhibition of Parroquia Altagracia, Cuadra Bolivar.
2000 - Miami - Venezuelan Consulate.
2000 - Caracas –Venezuelan-American Association of University Women. VAAUW.
2000 - Caracas - Jovenes de hoy grandes maestros. Grupo L1.
1999-Caracas-Contemporary Venezuelan Masters. Hotel Intercontinental Tamanaco.
1998- Caracas - lawyers College of Venezuela.
1998- Caracas - Artists festival. Ven-Art 1998. Corpbanca.
1997- Caracas - Second (All A V AP Artists Meeting I. Pro Venezuela).
1996- Caracas - first (All AVAP Artists Meeting I. Pro Venezuela).
1996- Around the country ( Different Expressions. Homage to Rodolfo Minumboc).
1996- Caracas – 25th Anniversary of Maiquetia International Airport.
1996- Caracas - Municipal Comptrollership.
1994- Caracas - V Saloon of paintings & sculptures C.E. V.
1994 - Puerto 10 Cruz- Anniversary of C.E. V. (Invited Artist to the Art Exhibition).
1994 - Caracas-Cosa de la Cultura, El Hatillo. ( Assoc. of Acuarelists of Venezuela).
1994- Caracas - Catholic University Andres Bello. UCAB.
1993 - Caracas- IV Saloon of Paintings & Sculptures C.E .V. (Invited Artist)

PRIZES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
1994- Caracas - Presidency of The Venezuelan Association of Artists AVAP.
1994- Caracas - Honor Mention and Popular Prize. IV Saloon of Paintings & Sculptures College of Engineers of Venezuela. C.E. V.
1993- Caracas - FONPRES. Women society of C.E.V. and AVAP.
1993- Caracas - Association of Arab Venezuelan Women.
1993- Caracas - Outstanding Artistic Consultant - FONPRES - C.E.V
1983 - Caracas - Arab -Venezuelan Youth.
1981 - Caracas - Arab - Venezuelan Theatre Group.
1980 - Caracas - Golden Brush Prize. Syrian- Venezuelan Women Association.

II- Artist Statement:

The Hyper-Realistic Paintings are commonly called “The Observable Paintings” and my eternal obsession is to achieve clear, neat and easily readable paintings, capturing sense of the modern world while at the same time adhering to the traditions of realism, instead of acting defensively against the forces of 20th - century modernism that crippled previous generations of painters.
After living for more than forty years in Venezuela, I consider myself lucky to come and live in Lebanon, where I’m presenting my realism that is the result of a long journey of rehearsals and searches for Excellence, in order to maintain the good name of the Venezuelan Artists abroad.