Raffaele Riva is a contemporary artist and furniture designer who often creates objects designed with a keen eye for a whimsical and conceptual vision.

Raffaele Riva’s creations take inspiration from his cosmopolitan background and the colors of nature, infusing every day with the beauty that is sometimes simple but always meaningful. For example, using natural shapes like circles to create unique pieces that are practical yet almost organic.

He has worked in the permanent collections of many renowned institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw; The Royal Academy of Arts in London; Philadelphia Museum Of Art; Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Bologna among others.

Riva has been commissioned to design the furniture for several prestigious events and spaces, including the Royal Academy, China’s Beijing Opera House, Melia Hotel Budapest, and the Walter Tower of Arts Center in Miami. He also designed a range of furniture for Nina Ricci at Louis Vuitton.

His work was featured in art magazines such as Domus Artis Magazine, Maison & Objet, and Bisotier Magazine. In 2013 his work was included in the exhibition “Nascita di una Prospettiva,” with rooms designed by internationally known designers including Alessandro Mendini, Marcel Wanders, and Paola Navone for Ramada Plaza Hotel in Milan.

Raffaele Riva work is represented by Espace Iris in the United States and Davenport’s gallery in London.

Raffaele Riva is also an established furniture designer and has participated in several international design competitions.

He studied furniture design at The Art Institute of Porto Maurizio, Italy. In 2005 he obtained his diploma as a Furniture Designer at the International School for Design & Production and subsequently studied Interior Design at Celsa Academy (Ciampino) Rome, Italy.

After his studies, Riva worked as a designer, achieving several prestigious awards, including the International Contest of Young Designers in Milan in 2004 and 2005.

and the Eurocucina International Design Award 2006. His work has been featured in several magazines and books, including “I Grandi Nomi dell’Architettura,” a catalog for an exhibition of the same name at Venice Biennale 2006. See related link for additional information.

Raffaele Riva was an Italian rower. In the 1920 Summer Olympics, he won two medals in single sculls and a bronze medal in the coxed fours.

Riva began rowing with his school, Liceo Ginnasio di Pescia in 1919, failing to make the scratch pole of a single scull until 1921, when he took 17th place, which would be his best result for two years. After leaving school at 16, Riva returned home to train as a rower with Costantino (Ci Ci) Campani’s club based at Porto Romano on Italy’s west coast.

In 1923 he took the Italian National Championships at the senior level, winning both the single sculls and double sculls titles with partner “Boda.”

Riva’s entry to the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris was jeopardized when he was injured in a fight. Riva later claimed that he had been stabbed, but this is disputed.

After recovery, Riva made it to Paris and competed in the single sculls but did not make it beyond the repechage round. The same team of Riva and Boda competed at the 1925 European Championships with an excellent second place behind Switzerland in their heat, but they were beaten on time by France and did not qualify for the final.

Riva’s last international appearance was at the 1926 European Championships, where he finished in fifth place with Riva and Boda as a coxless pair.

After his rowing career ended, Raffaele Riva remained in sport as a referee and an athlete. He also worked in the water transport industry, first on a tugboat, then ferries at Livorno, and finally on car ferries to Corsica. He died in 1974 of a heart attack.

For the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Riva served as a manager of the Italian team.

A 1951 film, “Sei vol Vittorio” starring Vittorio De Sica, was loosely based on Riva’s rowing successes.

Raffaele Riva and his wife had three children. Their son, Domenico Riva, became a semi-professional footballer at the Serie D level, playing for teams such as Audace Sanvitese, Pianese, and the Fortis above Juventus Fano.

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Visit his page on https://raffaeleriva.com/, for more information.