Matteo Pugliese was born in Milan in 1969. In 1978 his family moved to Sardinia and lived there for the next 12 years. During this time he developed a strong love for drawing and sculpture and practiced without formal education. After finishing his secondary school studies in classics in Cagliari, he returned to Milan to attend university. In 1995 he was awarded his degree in modern literature at the University of Milan with a graduation thesis on art criticism.

Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain reacts after competing in the women's 200m during the Wanda Diamond League Golden Gala meeting. Dina Asher-Smith placed first. (Photo by Ciro De Luca/Reuters)

Members of the Colombian Military forces pray for members of the military that have lost their lives and peace in the country at the Military Engineers School in Bogota, Colombia on October 14, 2021. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Ocean Rebellion put on a display of puking oil heads ahead of climate change conference COP26 in Glasgow, Britain, 29 October 2021. (Photo by Robert Perry/EPA/EFE)

Christmas baubles shaped as Santa Clauses wearing protective masks are pictured amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Eichenau, Germany, November 26, 2021. (Photo by Michaela Rehle/Reuters)

Australian skateboarder Arisa Trew arrives for the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony, in Madrid, Spain, 22 April 2024. (Photo by Kiko Huesca/EPA)

A woman representing the Nuestros Pilares feminist group, plays a violin during a demonstration against gender-based violence marking International Women's Day, in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (Photo by Esteban Felix/AP Photo)

An athletes competes in a log carrying relay race event at Peruibe beach during the Indigenous Games, near the Tapirema community of Peruibe, Brazil, Sunday, April 23, 2023. Hundreds of Indigenous athletes gather this weekend in the south of Sao Paulo state to hold their version of the Olympic Games. They will compete for medals in archery, tug of war, athletics, Indigenous wrestling and other sports. (Photo by Andre Penner/AP Photo)