Corrado Balest (Sospirolo 1923 - Venice 2016) before the end of World War II moved to Venice where he attended the Academy of Fine Arts, under the guidance of Cadorin until 1950, year in which he began autonomous as professional activity. He exhibited for the first time at the Bevilacqua La Masa, he participated in numerous group exhibitions and solo exhibitions realized in Venice, Veneto in general, in Rome, Vienna and Milan.
The figure has as background the historical and cultural context of the Second World War, where the uncertainty of the political and economic contrasts with the enthusiasm for the liberation from fascism, a catalyst for renewal in content and language of art. While in bars and cafes of the lagoon city develops a lively debate between abstract and figurative, enriched by the presence of artists such as Filippo De Pisis and Virgilio Guidi, Balest decides not to take sides and take part only marginally. According to his view, art is full of contradictions to be found anywhere, which is why "his painting" that draws equally from abstract and figures at the same time, making the two currents oppose each other.
A multifaceted artist, execpt painting Balest is also dedicated to the design of various techniques (pen, charcoal), etching (including etchings), sculpture, pottery, bronzes, from 1985 up to go to the wall painting. .
In his artistic space is also writing, with the publication in 1958 of thoughts of a painter and in 1992 a manual on the art ironic.
About his work among others we can find texts of Gino Bogara, Manlio Brusatin, Dino Buzzati, Felice Carena, Corrado Castellani, Carlo della Corte, Ugo Fasolo, Enzo di Martino, Salvatore Maugeri, Giuseppe Mazzariol, Giuseppe Mazzotti, Guido Perocco, Neri Pozza , Ivo Prandin, Lionello Puppi, Nantas Salvalaggio, Ardengo Soffici, Giuseppe Surian.
In 2010, the exibition "Corrado Balest / Ercole Monti, the profession of painting" at the Museo del Paesaggio of Torre di Mosto from 27/11/2010 to 13/02/2011.
Corrado Balest also participates at the 54th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia 2011 - Arsenale, within the Italian Pavilion, curated by Vittorio Sgarbi, chosen by the intellectual Bozena Anna Kowalczyk.
On 2012 the exibition at Casa Gaia museum in Portobuffolè (Tv) "Corrado Balest" from 10/11 to 27/01/2013.
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