Biography

I met Roberto Viani in 1976 while he was preparing an art exhibition in San Gimignano. A friend journalist introduced him to me as I was working for some Italian magazines and newspapers. At first I could not grasp the deepness of his personality: he seemed to be too young (he was just 22 at that time), humble, maybe just too ordinary to be what they actually said about him: a young promising painter. Then, with the passing of time, I realized this was his most powerful feature: he was a man with great qualities and with a strong personality covered by a kind sensibility. At first, in an outburst of presumptuousness, you may underestimate him, but then you will be surprised. Year after year, my surprise shows up every time I have been in touch with him and with his works. In the early Eighties I met him in Berlin on the occasion of an exhibition at the Art Academy. One year later, he hung his works at the Marseille Fair: they told me some architects have heard about him and started to ask for some of his works and decorate villas of rich customers. In the same period, I was very surprised when I found some of his paintings in a villa of a friend of mine in Los Angeles. I learned he was actually pretty well-known in California. Then, suddenly, when the art magazines and critics started to celebrate this young artist, he abandoned exhibitions, art markets and critics and he started a new artistic path trying to experiment creativity in all its forms: not only in figurative art, but in the field of wine, gastronomy and artistic craftworks as well, using the latest means of communication. From the late Eighties, he started to attend the kitchens of famous chefs, he met those producers who made of quality the reason of their lives, he carried out a research about the ancient Tuscan cooking and re-discovered some dishes as they were finds of culinary Archeology, he attended sommelier courses to match these dishes with the right wine, he organized special events aiming to a harmony between the creative impulse and the flavour of tradition, combining art and cuisine, spirit and senses.

We were recently in touch and he talked me about his constant search for classical and modern atmospheres, tasteful and sensible choices, love and passion. He told me he has opened a small Inn in San Gimignano together with his wife Paola. He called it " Locanda Viani ", and there he created an area with a permanent exhibition of his works, with a wonderful window which opens onto the towers of San Gimignano, with an open door to welcome those who love Tuscany and are anxious to discover the places and the traditions that only a native friend can introduce.
(Benjamin W. Satta)