Gianfranco Fiore was born in Switzerland in 1972. He studied at the Monreale Art Institute and the Accademia of Palermo, where he took a degree in Decorative Painting. Among the narrow ancient streets of Palermo’s historic centre he discovered the world of the Sicilian cart and fell in love: he began frequenting the prestigious workshops of the few master craftsmen still in operation and learned traditional decorating techniques from them. He then opened his own studio in Partinico and, with passion and patience, tracked down damaged carts and restored them with the aim of conserving the carts themselves and passing on the tradition. He initiated a series of collaborations with local artisans, creating marvellous carts for folkloric parades and private collections; he also experiments with applying classic cart decorations on other vehicles and design objects.

Enamel and oil, 60 x 151 x 68.2 cm The theme of conquest is the central theme of the decorations of this refrigerator. The front features a battle scene, with the valorous Rinaldo holding the victory banner after having single-handedly conquering the enemy camp. The side panels are characterised instead by amorous themes: on the left, Ruggiero wins the affections of Angelica and spirits her away on the Hippogriff, the mythical winged horse; on the right, a Sicilian masculu (man) conquers the heart of the lady with whom he is dancing. The top depicts a fortress, metaphor of the tenacity of conquering that which one desires.