Giovanni Tommasi Ferroni was born in Rome on November 12, 1967, into a family of artists from Tuscany. Besides his father Riccardo, the family’s artistic connection includes grandfather Leone, uncle Marcello (both talented painters and sculptors) and sister Elena, a refined paintress with whom Tommasi Ferroni held joint exhibitions early on in his career. He showed a marked inclination for drawing since early childhood, frequenting his father’s atelier form the age of eleven and taking lessons in drawing from his uncle Marcello during the summers in the latter’s sculpture studio at Pietrasanta . He made his first painting at the age of sixteen, but his career as a painter started after he finished high school in 1986 when he joined his father’s atelier and studied history of art at the Rome University.

 

His first one-man exhibition took place in 1991 at “il Gabbiano” in Rome. In that same year he attended the Chicago international fair and took part in Le conchiglie (“The Shells”), an exhibition at the Lilia Leoni gallery in Rome. In 1992, he was present at the Bologna fair and took part in the exhibition Cara Duchessa (“Dear Duchess”) held at the Borgobello gallery in Parma. In 1994, he showed his works at the Philip Mouwes Art Gallery in Amsterdam and took part in the exhibition Un sogno che cambia il mondo (“A Dream that Changes the World”), organised by the social affairs department of the Prime Minister’s Office. In 1995, he was again in Rome with a one-man exhibition at “l’Indicatore”, also taking part in the exhibition W il cinema! (“Long Live cinema!”), organised by “il Gabbiano”.

Starting 1996 his exhibitions were principally held abroad, especially at the Steltman galleries in Amsterdam and New York, where he took part in the exhibition “European Figurative Art”. The Steltman galleries hosted solo-exhibitions in Amsterdam in 1997 and in New York in 1998. Shows were also held in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 again in Amsterdam. In 1999, a monograph was dedicated to Ferroni by the American critic Donald Kuspit. In 1997, he was present at “il Gabbiano” in Rome and at the Vip Arroyo in Buenos Aires.

 In 2000, he made the oval painting at the nave in the Pietrasanta cathedral. In 2001, he took part in the exhibition Emozioni belliniane nella pittura contemporanea (“Bellini emotions in contemporary painting”) at the Sandro Parmeggiani museum of Cento, near Ferrara. That same museum successively hosted Miti e Vanità, dipinti di Giovanni Tommasi Ferroni (“Myths and Vanity, the paintings of Giovanni Tommasi Ferroni”), an exhibition that coincided with the publication of another book on the painter by Prof Maria Censi. The Parmeggiani Museum hosted in 2003 La maniera moderna del Rosso Fiorentino e la pittura di oggi (“Rosso Fiorentino’s modern manner and the painting of today”). In that same year Tommasi Ferroni took part in the exhibition L’età delle illusioni mancate (“The Age of Lost Illusions”) at the Palazzo Mediceo of Seravezza (Lucca).

 In 2003 and 2004, he illustrated Dante’s Divine Comedy, canto by canto. In 2004, he held a one-man exhibition at “il Tempietto” gallery in Brindisi. In 2005, he took part in “Realisme 05”, an exhibition held in Amsterdam, in “Uroburo”, a tribute to Cocteau at Parma’s state archives, and in an exhibition on the Zodiac at the Davico gallery in Turin.

 

In 2006, the Jan van der Togt museum of Amstelveen (Holland) hosted a much appreciated anthology of Tommasi Ferroni’s works. In that occasion, a monograph on the artist was presented. The text was written by Philippe Daverio, the art critic and journalist who had featured Tommasi Ferroni in his TV show “Passepartout” the previous year. In 2006, he participated in the exhibitions “Realisme 06”, in “Quartet” at the Davico gallery of Turin and also in the 57th Michetti Prize at Francavilla al Mare.

In 2007 he participated in the " Anthology of contemporary figuration " in space " Figurae " in Milan , an exhibition organized by Tekne international and curated by Alberto Agazzani and Gilberto Algranti .

Also in 2007 he exhibited at the Museum " Sandro Parmeggiani " in an exhibition dedicated to Tommasi Ferroni (Riccardo , Elena e Giovanni) participates in the exhibition " Hypnos and Thanatos ", curated by Alberto Agazzani at the Center of cultural promotion " Le Muse " of Andria . And exhibits at the Museum of Bou Tou in China.

In 2008 he participated in the exhibition " Dreams ", curated by Alberto Agazzani , at the "Cinzia Chiari ArtGallery"of Rome and has been exhibited in a group show dedicated to European painters on the occasion of the Olympic Games ( Olympic Fine Arts ) at the Museum of the Forbidden City in Beijing.

In 2009, running six large paintings dedicated to the myths of Perseus and Mercury,for the "Ex convitto Palmieri " in Lecce , on this occasion and in the same venue , is set up an exhibition of his drawings about the metamorphoses of Ovid, and published a catalog , edited by Antonio Cassiano.

Also in 2009, he participated in "the great students of the Roman school of Riccardo Tommasi Ferroni " at the gallery "San Marino" , Arzilli palace ,  Republic of San Marino, and in the exhibition " Francis and Clare of Assisi " at the ducal palace of Massa.

In 2010 he exhibited at the gallery " Franco Senesi " of Positano, with his wife Maya Kokocinski Molero ( also a paintress and daughter of the painter Alessandro Kokocinski ) . .

In 2011 he was invited to the Venice Biennale in two exhibitions, one in Venice , " The shadow of the Divine in Contemporary Art, artists Noto and elsewhere " at the Palazzo Grimani , the other in Rome at Palazzo Venezia " Italian Pavilion 150 years of italian unity  . "

Also in 2011, begins with a solo exhibition at Bontadosi Palace in Montefalco , an exhibition organized in collaboration with the gallery " Selective Art " of Paris .

In 2012 participated in a small exhibition titled " chess game with mystery," sponsored by the province of Rome and curated by Tiziana Gazzini and Tiziana Quattrucci , at " The Gallery " in the garden of Fornarina , where they are also exposed works of his father Riccardo, ,the sister Elena, and his wife Maya.

Furthermore exhibited some paintings in 2012 at the " Lotus Art Gallery " of Bangkok.

Aways in the same year, he held in Paris a solo-show, at the Selective Art Gallery and another solo-exhibition at the Morren Galleries of Amsterdam.

In 2013 he participated in the "I have come to you again - Blessed John Paul II " at the Michael J Sheehan Center in Lubbok  (TX)and the St. Louis Museum of Art in St. Louis, (MO) United States.

In 2014-2015 is an exhibition on the Tommasi family at the museum complex of St. Augustine in Pietrasanta.

Also in 2015, at the request of Vittorio Sgarbi, he exposes in Varedo in an exhibition that is part of the Milan Expo.

In 2016 it is exposed in the church  SS.Apostoli in Rome his crucifixion performed for the event "7 artists in 7 asked for the Jubilee of mercy".

Always in 2016 it was organized the exhibition "Giovanni Tommasi Ferroni -Heroes reborn" at the castle Acquaviva d'Aragona in Conversano, on that occasion was published a monographic catalog edited by Cesare Biasini.Part of the same exhibition was later held at "Palazzo Bacile" in Spongano.

In 2017 it 's a solo exhibition in the “Morren Gallery of Utrecht “ an partecipated at the exhibition “Dreamscape “ in Traun (Austria)-

In 2018 he have a solo exhibition in the “Silber Gallery “of Rome.

He has also taught at the " Rome Center of Liberal Arts " University " Loyola " of Chicago and at the “Lorenzo dè Medici “institute of Florence.

He taught drawing at the Academy of fine arts of Rome, Academy of fine arts of Florence and he currently teaches at the Academy of fine arts of Macerata. 

Giovanni Tommasi Ferroni, lives and works between Rome and Pieve di Camaiore ( LU) .