Mario Schifano: The Pioneer of Roman Pop Art Mario Schifano (1934–1998) was an Italian painter and collagist who emerged as a pivotal figure in the burgeoning Roman postmodern art scene of the 1960s. Born in Khoms, Libya—then under Italian colonial rule—Schifano’s early life instilled in him a rebellious spirit that would permeate his artistic practice and propel him to international acclaim. Moving with his family to Rome shortly aft…