200. FRANCO COSTA. "Can we thank - America's Cup 1987", color serigraphy, 79 x 59.5 cm.

FRANCO COSTA 1934-2015 "Can we thank - America's Cup 1987" Signed and dated - 86.
Color serigraphy, image size 79 x 59.5 cm.

FRANCO COSTA "America's Cup artist" Franco Costa was born on August 14, 1934 in Rome. When, as a fourteen-year-old, Costa visited a church in Dundee, Scotland, and saw incredibly intricate stained glass windows, he was inspired to apply himself to painting. This came to influence his choice of studies in Rome, Geneva, Zurich and then at L'Ecole des Art et Métiers in Paris, Vence and Antibes. In connection with his studies in Vence and Antibes, he met the artists Nicolas de Staë, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, from whom he came to take great impressions. After the death of Nicolas de Staël, Franco Costa traveled to South America where he visited Argentina and Brazil, mainly to build the new capital Brasilia together with his uncle Lucio Costa.

When he returned to Europe in 1965, Costa began working as a stylist where French and Italian fashion companies such as Dior and Valentino began to use his designs. In 1967 he traveled to Ethiopia where he published his book "Theodor II" (a story about the life of Emperor Theodor). During the journey through China, India and Nepal, he was inspired by oriental art. Although Costa had many projects, he has above all gone down in history as the official artist to depict the America's Cup and the international sailing world.

Although Costa had many projects, he has above all gone down in history as the official artist to portray the world's oldest and most talked about international sailing competition, the "America's Cup". In 1980 he was given the prestigious commission to design and paint for the America's Cup, his motifs and sense of expressing racing situations have become highly appreciated around the world. This also paved the way for his participation in many different sailing competitions but also in other international sporting events.

On the 50th anniversary of the Holocaust and the Gilbert Levine memorial concert in Rome, Costa created the painting Never more Holocaust in 1994, which he donated to Pope John Paul II. On the 100th anniversary of the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, he created several paintings, which were shown around at various exhibitions in large parts of Western Europe, in 1995. In support of young artists, Franco Costa has also invested both time and money. In 1997 he founded his USEDOM to help young artists. Costa's graphic work is characterized by a fine sensitivity to lines and a striving for simplicity in form and color.