Franco Costa (1934-2015)

Franco Costa was an Italian painter, born in Rome in 1934. He is known for his colorful works in the Arte Vita style, depicting primarily scenes from major sailing competitions.

Costa studied music at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, French and literature in Geneva, and architecture in Zurich and L’Ecole des Arts et Metiers in Paris. In France, he became acquainted with artists such as Nicolas de Staël, Picasso, and Matisse. In the following years, Costa traveled extensively through South America, where he lived for an extended period, as well as Africa, China, India, and Nepal, drawing inspiration from the diverse art of these countries. Upon his return to Europe in 1965, he ventured into the fashion industry, designing new fabrics used by major French and Italian fashion brands like Dior, Lancetti, and Valentino.

In his artistic career, Franco Costa transcended boundaries, working not only in painting and graphics but also in sculpture, glass, music, language, literature, cinema, costume design, and textiles. In 1980, Franco Costa was appointed as the official artist to portray America’s Cup, which paved the way for his involvement in several other sports events. Since the mid-1970s, Costa exhibited his works in South America, the USA, and Europe, including several times in Sweden.