Lugano
Alfredo Chighine was born on March 9, 1914, in Milan to parents of Sardinian and Lombard origins. Despite economic difficulties, he began to cultivate his artistic inclination by attending evening courses at Umanitaria, a vocational school, where he also studied engraving.
In 1941, at the age of 27, Chighine exhibited his first painting at the Third Provincial Permanente Exhibition. His passion for art, both painting and sculpture, intensified, leading him to fully dedicate himself to art in 1945. To realize this dream, he left his job and home, enrolling in the Institute of Decorative Art in Monza and later in the sculpture course of Giacomo Manzù at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.
In the early years, his work primarily focused on wooden sculpture, but later, he shifted his primary focus to painting. In 1950, he held his first solo exhibition at the San Fedele Gallery in Milan. His art evolved over time, transforming into informal compositions aimed at capturing light and the essence of nature.
The Galleria del Milione marked a turning point in his artistic career. Chighine successfully exhibited at this gallery, expanding his network and gaining attention from art critics. He also exhibited his works abroad, including in New York and London.
In 1964, he participated in the exhibition “Painting in Milan from 1945 to 1964” at Palazzo Reale, showcasing both wooden sculptures and paintings. After the death of the director of the Galleria del Milione, Gino Ghiringhelli, his collaboration with the gallery waned.
In the following years, Chighine continued to exhibit and received recognition for his work. He spent his final years in Viareggio, where he passed away on July 16, 1974.
His artistic legacy was celebrated with numerous posthumous exhibitions, including a major retrospective at the Liceo Saracco in Acqui Terme in 1975 and other exhibitions organized by Repetto & Massucco, Elena Pontiggia, and other curators at various galleries and art institutions.