Dive Into Olimpia Zagnoli’s Site-Specific Works At The SCAD Museum Of Art

Olimpia Zagnoli studied illustration and animation at the Istituto Europeo di Design, graduating in 2007. Nowadays, she’s at Georgia’s Savannah College of Art and Design, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year. But actually, it’s four of her site-specific portraits that are there, approximately 1 mile away from the main campus at the SCAD Museum of Art, where her signature graphic saturation is energizing the large-scale exterior vitrines in “Multifaceted.” “The title is a literal translation of the concept of identity and an expression of my art practice,” Zagnoli explains, “which began with me drawing small characters in big spaces.

It was only after growing as an artist and a woman that the figures slowly began to take more space inside the graphic grid, to the point that they almost didn’t fit anymore. The same happened with color: Little by little, I incorporated more of it, pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone,” she continues, sounding fittingly mentorial. The works are indeed a highlight of SCAD MOA’s 2024 exhibitions, which have an international focus—”We’re a beacon for lovers of visual ideation across the globe. No passport required!” SCAD president and founder and Interior Design Hall of Fame member Paula Wallace proclaims. Come January 15, the work of Mexican-born sculptor Raul De Lara fills the vitrines.