Biography

Togo (Enzo Migneco) is born in Milan in 1937, but lives his childhood years in Messina, the city of his family’s origins. The end of the fifties sees him participating in exhibitions and art shows in the city on the straight that separates Sicily and mainland Italy, where he also has his first solo exhibition. Its in these years that he encounters other young artists and intellectuals, (their meeting place is the Nettuno bar) . With Celi in 1961, he exhibits in Messina in the halls of the Istituto Verona-Trento presented with a brief essay by Vincenzo Palumbo. At the end of 1962 in part to escape the provincial climate, in part attracted by the big city, he moves to Milan a city that n those years, even more than today, represented the centre of a cultural world of great importance.

In 1963, opens his first studio in Milan in via Palermo at the heart of the old Brera quarter. After the exhibition at the Galleria Laurina in Rome in 1966, presented by Carlo Munari, he prepares and completes his first personal show in Lombardy that is hosted, in 1967, by the Galleria 32; in the catalogue a text by Raffaele De Grada. In those years Togo keeps the company of young Lombardy painters of his age among them Lino Marzulli, Umberto Faini, Vitale Petrus; with whom he exhibits often in collective shows like the one presented at the Palazzo Gotico di Piacenza in 1971.

In 1969 he becomes part of the Gruppo di pittori della Galleria Diarcon with Marzulli and Faini, directed by Pasquale Giorgio. He begins his study of engraving, a technique that he will deepen with improving quality in the following years.

In 1972 Togo is pointed out by Raffaele De Grada in the Bolaffi painting catalogue and, by the same critic, is presented at his personal exhibition organized by the Galleria Diarcon. After leaving his studio in Via Palermo, in 1973 he moves to his present one in Via Gaetana Agnesi 10. The larger studio and the collaboration with the young printer from Messina Leopoldo Paratore helps Togo to further deepen his knowledge of the processes and tecniques of engraving.

From 1973 to 1980 his exhibiting activities will achieve significant moments as for example the personal exhibitions at the Gallerie Palmieri of Milan, with, in the catalogue, text by Enzo Fabiani and Busto Arsizio, presentation by Mario La Cava, and those organized by the Galleria Diarcon that in 1977 publishes the first monograph with works starting from 1962; text by Raffaele De Grada. He participates in 1976 in the Prima Rassegna Nazionale “Mediterranea 1”, in Messina, invited by Vincenzo Celi. Again in this city he shows at Arte Centro presented in the catalogue byNino Riva.

In 1980 he opens his first graphics exhibition at the Palazzo Sormani in Milan. It’s the first significant recognition of ten years of exploration, experimentation and analysis. The Galleria Annunciata, directed by Sergio Grossetti, in 1981 hosts a personal exhibition; an account by Paolo Volponi in the catalogue.

Again in 1981, together with the painters Mario Bardi, Julio Paz, Benito Trolese, and the critics Giorgio Seveso and Paola Mortara Bardi, they establish the “Aleph” space, a centre for art and culture, which assembles artists and art lovers.

In this self-managed space, Togo exhibits in 1982 a series of drawings and graphics, commented in the catalogue by Giorgio Seveso. He establishes, with Leopoldo Paratore, Edizioni dello Scarabeo, a publisher of graphics and art books, whichissue a monograph of his work as an engraver, curated by Alberto Cavicchi. He exhibits with Alvaro at Grifone Arte in Messina, presented by Lucio Barbera and at the Museo Remo Brindisi of Lido di Spina.

In 1983 he shows again at the Annunciata gallery with twenty large drypoint engravings; in the catalogue a note by Alberto Cavicchi. In the summer of the same year he participates with Luigi Veronesi, Giovanni Cappelli and Julio Paz in the exhibition “Grafica Oggi – Quattro proposte di ricerca” presented at the Festival Provinciale dell’Unità di Milano with notes in the catalogue by Alberto Cavicchi. In September the same critic presents the show of the “gruppo Aleph” at the Galleria Massari I of the Palazzo dei Diamanti of Ferrara and at the Teatru Kalambur atWroclaw in Poland.

In the 1983 Bolaffi catalogue of graphics, Togo is highligh ted by the critics Giorgio Seveso and Sebastiano Grasso.

1985 - Two of his works are printed in “Storia dell’Incisione Moderna” by Paolo Bellini, published by Minerva Italica; the same critic presents his show of drawings and incisions at the Aleph space in Milan.

1986 - He exhibits at the Galleria Mosaico of Messina, the Bonaparte gallery of Milan, presented in the catalogue by Luciano Caramel and at the Villa Comunale of Trezzo sull’Adda with acritical text by Romano Leoni; he carries out a mural, “Il ritorno dell’emigrante”, at Limina (Messina).

1988 - He is invited to the “Theotokos” exhibition at Tindari, curated by Giovanni Bonanno. In this year he has a graphics show at the Comune di Senigallia. He wins the first prize for drawing at Nova Milanese.

1989 - The volume by Vincenzo Palumbo, “Poesia degli uomini senza miti” is published by Edizioni D’Anna , that displays, among others, a drawing by Togo made for the occasion and depicts the 1961 article “Celi e Togo, felice avvio di due giovani artisti”.  In the same year the Amministrazione Provinciale di Messina organizes at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele an anthology exhibition curated by LucioBarbera.60 oil paintings are shown made from 1962 and 30 engravings; in the catalogue published by Edizioni Mazzotta are texts by Luciano Caramel, Lucio Barbera and Paolo Bellini. Sergio Palumbo is the author of the video “Togo arte per arte”. He is invited by Nino Falcone of Edizioni Pungitopo to illustrate “L’almanaccu sicilianu”.

1991 - Eight of his engravings, with a text by Lucio Barbera (Togo, il segno e il sogno), are printed in “Arte fantastica e incisione” published by Edizioni Giorgio Mondadori, authored by Paolo Bellini; he participates in “Autoritratto d’artista”, a show curated by Giorgio Seveso from an idea by Giovanni Billari. He is invited by Renzo Bertoni to the show “Sicilia mito e realtà” at the Museo Pepoli of Trapani.

1992 - He exhibits once again at the Galleria Bonaparte presented in the catalogue by Tommaso Trini. The Comune di Messina buys one of his five meter wide canvasses, “Fata Morgana”.

1993 - His oil paintings and incisions are received at the showrooms of the Università Bocconi of Milan (in the catalogue published by Edizioni Torcular, a text by Tommaso Trini) and the Galleria Quasar at Monticelli d’Ongina; he participates in the Premio Suzzara.

1994 - He is invited by Lucio Barbera, curator of the show “Artisti al Museo”, for the Rotary Club, at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele of Messina.

He is present in the Antologia dell’Incisione Contemporanea “Dodici artisti dodici mesi” published by Edizioni Il Ponte of Florence.

1995 - He displays a series of engravings at the Studio d’Arte Grafica di Milano with an account in the catalogue by Vincenzo Consolo, at the Galleria Nuvola Nera at Santa Croce sull’Arno and at the Galleria Radice of Lissone with text by Francesco Poli, at the third Biennale di Grafica di Castelleone and at the Centro dell’Incisione di Milano “Venti anni dopo”. His work, together with that of Tomiolo, Ferroni, Cazzaniga, Della Torre and Cottini, is part of the studies for a thesis by Elisa De Gradi in Brera. Thesis director Prof. Luce Delhove.

1996 - L’Ente Mostra di Pittura “Città di Marsala” puts on a soloshow presented by Giuseppe Quatriglio.

He is invited to the Biennale dell’incisione Alberto Martini of Oderzo and to the Premio Biella. He exhibits in Messina at the Galleria il Sagittario with a text in the catalogue by Lucio Barbera and in Milan at Galleria Il Torchio; invited by Renato Valerio he paints the mural “Il ritorno” at Casoli.

1997 - The Galleria Meceden of Milazzo presents one of his shows with, in the catalogue, a text by Mariateresa Prestigiacomo; he exhibits in Patti in the showrooms of the Ente provincial del Turismo and in Mantova at Arianna Sartori Arte, he participates in the second Rassegna dell’Incisione “Bianco e nero” of Modica.

1998 - In the months of March and April he holds an engraving course for the Ente Mostra di Pittura Città di Marsala in the magnificent settings of the Convento del Carmine. He exhibits 50 engravings in Milan at the Centro dell’Incisione Alzaia Naviglio Grande. He is present at Palazzo Sarcinelli di Coneglianofor the donations of the new museum invited byMarco Goldin. He participates in April, with 4 works at the “L’Isola dipinta”, show curated byAldo Gerbino at the Vittoriale, in Rome, and in September at  “la Sicilia è un arcipelago”, curated by Lucio Barbera, show hosted at the Acquario di Roma then in New York,Palermo and Messina and at the first Show of contemporary Sicilian painters in Palermo; he exhibits at the Galleria Brezia of Cosenza.

1999 - In April he is awarded the Premio Nazionale di Pittura Santhià. In October in Palermo he shows 10 engravings together with Attardi and Gambino at the Galleria Studio 71 (the show is curated by Aldo Gerbino), in Milan 25 engravings at the Libreria dell’Angolo (the show is curated by Gianni Pre) and in Messina at the Associazione Motonautica Peloritana “Il mare e i suoi colori”, show curated by Lucio Barbera; he participates at “Cyperus Papyrus, Aspetti dell’Incisione italiana”, curated by Renzo Margonari. In November of the same year he is invited by the Hon. Luigi Cocilovo and Massimo Palumbo to Brussels in the halls of the European Parliament with 20 paintings; he participates in the Rassegne d’Incisione “l’Arte e il Torchio” at Cremona, at the Museo Civico Ala Ponsone, in 1999, 2003 and 2007. His work as a painter is analysed by Erminia Felletti in her thesis “Togo, luce, musica e colore” in Brera. Thesis director Prof.  Andrea del Guercio.

2000 - In April, in Rome, he is awarded the Premio Antonello da Messina per le Arti Figurative. He is elected member of the Consiglio Direttivo of the Permanente of Milan, position he kept till 2006, and in 2002, by the same body he is entrusted with the organization of the VIII Triennale Nazionale dell’Incisione together with Enrico Della Torre and Walter Valentini. He is invited to the 3rd Premio Casoli, an edition dedicated to graphics. He makes an original engraving for the translation by Vincenzo Palumbo of “Soliloquio d’un Fauno” by Mallarmé, published in a volume, with Mario Luzi’s preface, by Edizioni ETS of Pisa and presented in Brussels, Milan and Messina

2001 - He is invited to “Il canto del mare”, a review curated by Giovanni Bonanno at Mazzara del Vallo; he exhibits a series of engravings at the Galleria Rosaspina of Ascoli Piceno.

2002 - He exhibits at the Centro dell’incisione di Milano “Tono, Tano, Togo” together with Tono Zancanaro and Tano Santoro, presented in the catalogue by Sergio Spadaro; he participates in “Arte a Milano oggi nella collezione del Museo della Permanente”, in Urbino at Casa Raffaello and in Vigevano at Castello Sforzesco; he is present at the show of the Tondi Zanni at the Permanente.

2003 - He is invited by Emilio Sidoti, to the Mostra “Pirandelliana”, 12 painters and sculptors interpret Pirandello the novelist, presented at the Palazzo della Provincia and at Villa Cambiaso at Savona, at San Remo, at Imperia.

His work appears in the portfolio “Cento artisti per un museo” at the Galleria La Regina di Quadri di Modica. The portfolio was exhibited in 2005 at the Centro dell’Incisione di Milano, at Chieri, Bad Seben (Germany) and Berlin.

From 1999 to 2004 he was tenured professor of engraving at the Accademia delle Belle Arti “Aldo Galli” in Como. From the same year and until 2005 he had a contract with the publishing group Torcular and Telemarket that showed, in exclusive, his paintings on television.

2004 - He is present at the show curated by Vittorio Sgarbi and Giovanni Faccenda “Da Picasso a Botero” at the Museo Civico d’Arte Contemporanea di Arezzo. He exhibits collectively at the Brambati Arte di Vaprio d’Adda, in the catalogue a text by Ivan Croce. He publishes, with Est Ticino di Turbigo (Mi), a folder of six engravings with text by Terenzio Baronchelli and Pinuccio Castoldi. “Cariddi”, a large canvass with a 4 metre base, is included in the Collezione della Galleria Provinciale di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Messina the catalogue of which is curated by Caterina Di Giacomo and Lucio Barbera; he is present at the exhibition of the Collezione Cappelletti at the Permanente of Milan curated by Flaminio Gualdoni.

2006 - He exhibits with Enrico Della Torre and Ugo Maffi at Brambati Arte: the exhibition is curated by Ivan Croce; he is invited to the IV Biennale dell’Incisione Contemporanea “Città di Campobasso”, at Piraino in the show “La donna e il mare” curated by Giovanni Bonanno, at the Permanente of Milan in the review “Ventipiùcento”; The catalogue “Togo opere recenti” is published by Edizioni Avatara with a critique by Angela Manganaro and a poem by Guido Oldani. Mario Migneco invites Michele Cannaò and Togo to exhibit at the Circolo U. Fiore di Briga Marina (ME).

2007 - On invitation by Michele Cannaò he exhibits with Alvaro at the Shu Gallery of Milan in “Dribbling d’Autore”. With Giancarlo Colli, Gioxe De Micheli, Ugo Sanguineti and Alberto Venditti he publishes, with Est Ticino, a portfolio of engravings curated by Terenzio Baronchelli, with a critique by Giorgio Seveso; together with Michele Cannaò and Tano Santoro, published by Edizioni Avatara, he is present in the e portfolio of engravings “Per amore” accompanied by the text of Angela Manganaro and three original poems by Juan Gelman, Franco Loi and Guido Oldani. He participates in Mantova in the review “La vite, l’uva e il vino nell’arte contemporanea” at the Galleria Arianna Sartori. He presents 30 engravings at the Orientalesicula 7 punto Arte di Messina. At Ficarra (Me), he is present with four pieces at the review “Magnificat” organized by Giovanni Bonanno. He exhibits at Villa Genovesi, S. Alessio (Me), presented in the catalogue by Giovanna Giordano. In the months of November and December he presents, with Alvaro, “Conversazioni” recent works, at the Permanente of Milan. The critiques in the catalogue are by Lucio Barbera and Angela Manganaro. He is invited  to the IX Biennale di Grafica “Città di Castelleone”.

2008 - His work as engraver is published by Centro Studi Sartori per la grafica in the volume “Incisori moderni e contemporanei” by Adalberto and Arianna Sartori.

He exhibits at the Pinacoteca “Tono Zancanaro” of Capo d’Orlando. He is invited to the X Edizione di carte d’Arte all’Angelo, Lodi. He is present in the “Dizionario della Stampa d’Arte” by Paolo Bellini, published by Edizioni Edi.Artes Milano.

2009 - He participates in the Via Crucis at “Il chiodo fisso” by Guido Oldani, curated by Michele Cannaò (itinerant exhibition): Permanente di Milano and Castello Mediceo di Melegnano. During the “VI Convegno di Primavera” dell’Ordine dei Medici, at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele of Messina, he receives a plaque in recognition of his work as an artist. As part of a project by the Provincia Regionale di Messina he is invited to exhibit, in a personal show, paintings and engravings at Taormina in the showrooms of the “Fondazione Mazzullo”, in the Palazzo dei Duchi di S. Stefano. In the catalogue a presentation by Lucio Barbera. He is invited to the Biennale di Lodi. He exhibits with Michele Cannaò, Tano Santoro and Alberto Venditti, a series of engravings at the Biblioteca Comunale Cassina Anna in Milan and at the Fondazione Granata-Braghieri in Imbersago (Lecco)Both exhibitions are curated by Angela Manganaro in a project by Giulio Crisanti. He is invited, with five works, to Gravedona’s painting and sculpture exhibition “Astratta/Informale”. He participates in Vittorio Ferri’s project “Domino” with Sonja Aeschlimann, Alvaro, Michele Cannaò, Ignazio Moncada, Sara Montani, Augusto Sciacca, Susan Post and Alberto Venditti. He exhibits, in a collective show, seven paintings in the halls of the Museo Leone da Perego in Legnano, invited by the Est Ticino cooperative for the show “Impresa, sogni ed arte oltre trent’anni”. He is present with his engraving work at the halls of the Raccolta Bertarelli, at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, for the 20thanniversary of the magazine Grafica d’Arte. He participates with one of his pieces at the Museo del Fango, in Taormina, at the Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano, in the show that with paintings, poetry, music and videos is in solidarity with the towns around Messina that were destroyed by the recent floods. He is present, with a series of his works, at the Mostra dell’Incisione Italiana Contemporanea at the Museo Civico Ala Ponzone of Cremona, works that will later be part of the donation to the Slesian Museum of Katowice (PL).

2010 - In the month of June he exhibits in Milan at the Galleria San Carlo presented in the catalogue by Francesco Poli; in October he is invited to the review organized by Giovanni Bonanno, at the Albergo delle Povere at Palermo, “Il sacro in arte”. In November he exhibits at the Galleria Cappelletti with Alvaro, Michele Cannaò, Giovanni Mattio and Sara Montani. He creates for BASF work that is reproduced on an augural card. He receives the targa Regina Adelasia per le Arti Figurative at Patti on December 18th.

2011 - The Università di Messina order’s, an anthology show curated by Teresa Pugliatti and Luigi Ferlazzo Natoli, mounted by Marco Dentici. He is invited to the review “Grafica Oggi”, curated by Floriano De Santi and Chiara Gatti, at the Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria di Torino. He paints, for the Comune di Messina, the poster for “Vara”. He holds a course on engraving at the Circolo Umberto Fiore di Briga Marina with the patronage of the Comune di Messina. He is invited by Vittorio Sgarbi and Giorgio Grasso to the 54° Biennale di Venezia at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Sala Nervi, in Turin.

2012 - In April he exhibits some works at the Galleria San Carlo at the presentation of “Domino 01”. In June he is in Palermo with a solo show at Studio 71 presented by Vinny Scorsone. In the same month he returns to Marsala for a course in engraving organized by Maurizio Mannone, President of the Kiwanis Club of Marsala, with the patronage of the Comune and the Ente Mostra di Pittura Contemporanea. Edizioni del Gabbiano publishes, with Fondazione Bonino Pulejo, a volume of tales by Franco Arcovito on the Aeolian islands, “Le 7 sorelle”, with 14 reproductions of Togo’s paintings created for the occasion. The Comune di Sant’Agata di Militello (ME) in August organizes a solo show in the halls of Castel Gallego, with a presentation in catalogue by Angela Manganaro. He is invited by Giuseppe Filistad and Giuseppe Morgana to the review “Dialoghi Contemporanei” at Gualteri Sicaminò (ME).

2013 - 2015 - In January  he exhibits at the “Orientale Sicula” of Messina.

In February of 2014 a large work of his “Veloce come un treno”, donated to the Ferrovie dello Stato, is hung permanently at the Messina Station. In August he exhibits a series of works painted together (a quattro mani) with Michele Cannaò at the GADAM of San Marco d’Alunzio (ME). Saverio Pugliatti presents his work at “Furnari Arte” at the Palazzo Marziani. He is invited by Vittorio Sgarbi and Giovanni Lettini to the review “Artisti Siciliani” at Favignana, Palermo and Catania.

In Dicember of the same year the Amministrazione Provinciale della Città di Messina organizes an exhibition of his in the halls of the prestigious “Monte di Pietà” building. In the catalogue an account by Vincenzo Bonaventura.

2016 - The Rotary Club Soncino organizes, in the ex Filanda Meroni (CR), a solo show; in the catalogue a text by Vincenzo Zuccaro. Container Lab Association invites him to the exhibition at the EXPO Milano and to Palazzo Martinengo of Brescia for “Leonardo da Vinci e i Contemporanei”. He is invited by Valerio Lombardo and Luca Bonfanti, presented in the catalogue by Stefano Brenna. He participates in the Premio Internazionale “Scogliera Viva” at Caorle. He exhibits 20 works at the Castello di Montesegale, invited by Michele Cannaò. For Antonietta Filangeri he paints the mural with the title “Le barche bianche di Castel di Tusa”. In the same period he makes a gift of one of his works “Tre paloggi sullo Jonio” to the Museo Etnografico di Gesso (Me). He is invited by Filippo Scimeca to the review of Milanese painters at the Museo Gibellina. Patrizia Danzè presents at the Galleria Cavour the art book “7 giorni a Siracusa” that reproduces 7 works by Togo inspired by 7 tales by Franco Arcovito.

2017 - He exhibits at the Centre Culturelle Andrè-Malraux of Agen, in a collective, invited by Nadia Tognazzo. In May he is once again at the San Carlo of Milan with a series of paintings on paper, presented in the catalogue by Elena Pontiggia, and in June he is at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele of Messina; in the catalogue an account by Patrizia Danzè. She presents "Affinità Elettive" at the Monte di Pietà with Alvaro, Nino Cannistraci, Mantilla, Nino Rigano, Bruno Samperi, Alfredo Santoro, Piero Serboli and Togo.

2018 - He is invited with a personal exhibition at the Ghisallo Museum of Cycling in Magreglio (CO).

2019 - In July he exhibits, together with Alvaro, at the Vittorio Emanuele Theater in Messina. In October he is in Mantua at the Casa del Mantegna for the exhibition "Similiter in Pictura, Around Leonardo da Vinci" together with Enzo Rizzo and Luca Bonfanti, invited by the ContainerLab Association and presented in the catalog by Elena Pontiggia.

2020 - In January he exhibits at Villa Burba di Rho. The curator of the exhibition and the text of the catalog are by Cristina Palmieri.

2021 - In June he is present with an anthology of works on paper in London, at the Consulate General of Italy and in September at the Italian Cultural Institute in Edinburgh invited by the architect Luigi Billè. In the same period he exhibited in Messina at the Vittorio Emanuele Theater, invited by Giuseppe La Motta, for "L'Opera al Centro" a series of paintings presented in the catalog by Milena Romeo.

It is present in all the repertoires of Italian engravers of the municipality of Bagnacavallo.  Appears in the anthology of works on paper "of sign in sign" of the Editions Sartori of Mantua in 2003 and 2014. For 15 years the catalogs of the Prandi Original Incisioni of Reggio Emilia have been proposing his work. It is part of the "Livia e Virgilio Montani" Cultural Association of Milan. His works can be found at the Puskin Museum in Moscow, the Brindisi Museum in Lido di Spina, the Lucio Barbera Contemporary Art Gallery in Messina, the Sarcinelli Palace in Conegliano Veneto, the Permanent Museum in Milan, the Mud Museum in Messina , the Bertarelli Collection at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, the Silesian Museum of Katowice (PL), the Ethnographic Museum of Gesso (ME), the Museum of Gibellina (TP), the Cassata Museum in Barcelona PG (ME), the Museum of Artists of '900 in Troina, (EN), the Museum of Cycling, Madonna del Ghisallo, Magreglio (CO).