OPA IPA LEO is an artistic duo founded in 2021 by Mario, born in Athens, and Roberta, born in
Reggio Calabria, who met while studying painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan.
Currently based in Milan, they work between Milan and Athens, two geographical and cultural
poles that nourish and define their practice.
From the outset, their work has been shaped by a shared fascination with Greek culture and the
imagery of the Mediterranean, with its symbols, natural elements, and above all its light, which has
become central to their research.
Their works originate from a daily drawing practice, understood as the starting point of their
creative process. From this foundation, they develop a visual language that reinterprets archaic
suggestions through a contemporary lens, moving across different media including painting,
sculpture, modeling, and mixed techniques. Central to their poetics is the three-dimensional
dimension and the idea of the “fragment in transit,” often constructed using materials such as
cardboard and plaster. Color and light play a fundamental symbolic role, particularly through the
recurring use of Aegean blue and gold.
The name OPA IPA LEO stems from a childhood memory linked to Greek summers and evokes a
playful, rhythmic, and spontaneous dimension that permeates their entire artistic practice. Their
work unfolds as a space of vital and joyful energy, where archetypes, emotions, and universal
values intertwine. Music, dance, and the spirit of celebration are constant presences, accompanying
their creative process and reflecting its rhythm and expressive freedom.
The sea represents a primary source of inspiration: from the coasts of Southern Italy to the islands
of the Aegean, their travels become opportunities for visual and emotional research. Their works
translate the light, energy, and atmospheres of the Mediterranean into forms and images that evoke a
collective memory suspended between past and present.
Alongside their artistic research, OPA IPA LEO collaborate with various design and fashion brands
and organize artistic workshops, creating moments of sharing and experimentation that extend their
practice beyond the exhibition space.