Biography

Felice Pignataro was born in Rome on 6 February 1940. 
Raised in Mola di Bari (Ba), he moved to Naples in 1958 to study at the University, at the Faculty of Architecture first, then at Theology. 
In Naples he stayed at the Collegio Newman, of the F.U.C.I., of which he was director for several years, until 1972. 
Since 1967 he has continued, together with his partner Mirella, a counter-school for the children of the barracks, first at Campo A.R.A.R. di Poggioreale, then at I.S.E.S. of Secondigliano. 
Married to Mirella in 1972, he settled permanently in Scampìa (northern suburbs of Naples) from where he continued to put his enormous artistic skills at the service of the "last". 

In 1981, with Mirella and others, he founded the cultural association GRIDAS (awakening from sleep group) in order to offer tools to awaken dormant consciences. 
As part of the activities carried out with GRIDAS, it has characterized itself as "the most prolific muralist in the world" (definition given by EH Gombrich, of the Warburg Institut in London), creating over 200 murals around the Neapolitan hinterland, but also in the rest Italy. 
In addition, he created the neighborhood carnival in Scampìa which has become a tradition in over 40 years of activity. 
He has been an important point of reference for groups and fighting associations who have always found him available to support their battles with his multifaceted creative art. 
Since 1994 he has also applied the mosaic technique, made with tiles split in the manner of Antoni Gaudì, making works in Italy and in Marxloh-Duisburg, Germany. 
Felice died in Naples on March 16, 2004 for a lung cancer, leaving his "witness" to all those who knew him and were "infected" by his creativity at the service of social redemption.


Translation by Adriano.