Maurizio Capannesi (known professionally as MaoSagao) is an Italian artist and designer based in Barcelona. After earning a master's degree in Statistics and working in the Netherlands as an epidemiologist for the Dutch government, he chose to pursue a career in visual art and design. Initially self-taught, he later completed a postgraduate program in Furniture Design at ELISAVA, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering.
His work investigates the relationship between architecture, perception, and collective identity through stylized urban structures, modular repetition, and rigorous compositions. Rather than depicting cities as physical places, he approaches them as visual systems that reveal the fragile balance between order and complexity, individuality and belonging. His paintings transform architectural forms into metaphors for contemporary social dynamics, inviting viewers to reflect on how the environments we inhabit influence the way we perceive ourselves and others.
Awards
- Red Dot Design Award - Winner (2012)
- A' Design Award Gold - Winner (2013)
- A' Design Award Silver - Winner (2013)
- IF Design Talents - Finalist (2013)
- ADI-FAD Medallas - Finalist (2013)
- ArtFad Awards - Finalist (2014)
- ADI-FAD Delta Awards - Finalist (2018)
Exhibitions
- Artiade (Group Exhibition), Valencia, November 2026
- Contemporary Art in the City - Arte Laguna Prize (Group Exhibition), Shanghai, November-December 2025
- Facades – Order in Chaos (Solo Exhibition), FLA FlavioLucchiniArt Museum, Superstudio, Superdesign Show / Milan Design Week, Milan, April–June 2025
- Urban Landscapes (Solo Exhibition), FLIB – Italian Literature Festival of Barcelona, Barcelona, 2024
