Bio
Barbara Bonfilio is an Italian painter. She lives and works in a small village in the Pollino National Park. She earned her Degree at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin in 2001. She was selected for Studio Image Project Book, a book dedicated to the presentation of artists' studios from all over the world, created by Friend of The Artist by Ty Bishop.
In 2021, she was selected for the Self Portraits Prize shortlist (this year's jury included renowned gallery owner Victoria Miro, BBC Arts editor Will Gompertz, Museum of Science director Sir Ian Blatchford, High Court Justice Mrs. Justice Cheema Grubb, 2019 Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Award Winner David Dawson, and Ruth Borchard's Son, Richard Borchard). She participated in the Award with the work "Self-portrait with a bandaged eye", which investigates and reveals the artist's body, telling the artist's relationship with her own blindness monocular that she has had since birth, lived in everyday life.
In recent years, her works have been exhibited in Italy and abroad, both in private galleries and in public and institutional spaces. Among the solo and group exhibitions, the following locations are worth mentioning: Mother Museum of Naples (2014), Foundation 107 of Turin (2021), Castello di Rivara Contemporary Art Museum (1999), Self Portraits Prize, Vortic Art (2021), Young International Art fair in Maastricht (2017), Moulhouse 007: Talents of the Moulhouse European Academies (2007), Young International Art fair in Paris (2017), Galleria De Chirico contemporary art in Turin (2013), Galleria Biasutti in Turin (2011), Giudecca Art District (2022), Elleby Contemporary Art Gallery of Cosenza (2016), Amleto Bertoni Foundation of Saluzzo (2012), 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale - Calabria Region (2011), Mole Vanvitelliana of Ancona (2011) , Diffused Museum of Turin (2010), Contemporary Art Gallery of Gaeta (2006), Felice Casorati House-studio Museum of Pavarolo (1999).
She was the winner of the Exhibition Award by Deltarte and of the Communication Award by Yas Art Agency at the We Art Open 2022 Award, winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Matteo Olivero Award (2011), and mention of merit by the Jury at the Felice Casorati Biennale (1999 ) and the Limen Prize (2011).
She has been selected in several national and international awards, including: Self Portraits Prize (shortlist 2021), We Art Open Award (finalist and winner 2022), 49 'Suzzara Prize (finalist 2020), Combat Award (finalist 2010), Biennale Felice Casorati (finalist 1999), Morlotti Prize (finalist 2003/2004), Artkeys Prize (finalist 2020), the Limen Prize (finalist 2011), The RezArte Prize (finalist 2014), Selected with publication in the catalog in 2004, 2007, 2008 at the Celeste Prize.
In 2016 she was selected and participated in the BoCS Art artistic residency, curated by A. Dambruosio. Some of her works are present in museums, and public and private collections.
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Artist Statement
Her poetics investigate the relationship between man and the surrounding environment, those spaces that surround, envelop and reflect our body, in the physical and spiritual dimension with which our existence is constantly forced to confront.
Her painting is characterized by a speed and determination of execution, the method is flexible and varied, and accepts the unexpected and the error as its founding values. She uses quick and decisive gestural marks on acrylic-based images, creating unique figures and portraits in an expressive, dreamlike world. She is very fascinated by the flesh and, the skin with its alterations as a mirror of the soul. In her work the fragmentation of body and skin occurs through the backgrounds and brushstrokes, which break up and dissect the body and the skin.
Instagram: @barbara.bonfilio
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