Pietro Psaier

Pietro Psaier


Pietro Psaier was born in Italy in 1936. He is best known for his Pop art, and in the 1950s worked with his father on concept car designs for Enzo Ferrari.

In the early 1960s he moved to Madrid, where he created his own style of work called “toro pop”.

Pietro produced an exhibition called “The Tijuana Bible” exhibition – the erotica works in the exhibition were seized on the orders of the Catholic church by Franco’s Guardia civil, and he was imprisoned and subsequently deported back to Italy.

In 1963 Pietro travelled to Mexico City, and from there on to California. Pietro met and collaborated with a number of known American artists of the time. Their work developed into concert posters with a twilight zone, anti-Vietnam war or rock and roll flavour.

Later Pietro moved to New York where he met Andy Warhol, Pietro worked for some time at Andy’s studio “The factory” in New York, and often collaborated with him on pieces.

During the 1970s his art continued to develop and be sought after, including commissions from the likes of
Keith Moon, Oliver Reed and Michael Caine.

Pietro’s work and style continued to develop, often with quite disturbing results. His last known work was 16 oil on canvas paintings “The Passion of Christ”, which were exhibited in a Chapel built by Mel Gibson on his Malibu ranch.

Pietro died in 2004 in Sri Lanka – his remote beach house was swept away by the tsunami triggered by the Indian Ocean earthquake of December. His body was never found.