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CV
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Beabonafini@gmail.com
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Bea Bonafini is a
Rome and London based artist whose interdisciplinary
practice
draws from oneiric visions, overlapping personal and ancient mythologies.
Her tactile, intimate worlds centre around sensuality, vulnerability and
fantasy, forming swirling scenarios that are fragmented and multi-layered. Figures
are evanescent and transcendental, referencing spiritual imagery where fluid
bodies collide, disperse, swim, fly and fall. Bonafini’s work expands the possibilities of painting, tapestry and
sculpture and their interrelationships. Holistic
perspectives are developed in close dialogue with architecture, where space is
approached as an extension to the work to envelop the viewer. Acting as protected spheres, Bonafini’s
installations are openings to encounters between the earthly and the
otherworldly.
EDUCATION
2016 Royal College of Art - MA Painting
2014 Slade School of Fine Art, UCL - BA Fine Art
2010 Chelsea College of Art & Design, UAL - Foundation in Art & Design Diploma
2010 Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Art, Austria - Scholarship for Sculpture course
by Italian artist Liliana Moro.
2008 Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Art - Painting course by Chinese artist Li Songsong.
SOLO / TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2022
A Monstrous Fruit, Setareh, Berlin.
Ghosts for a Post-modern Tale, LAAA, Mexico City.
2021
Luna Piena (Stomaco Vuoto), Renata Fabbri, Milan.
Sfiorare Fantasmi, Eduardo Secci, Florence.
2020
Twin Waves. Operativa, Rome.
2019
Chimère, Chloe Salgado, Paris.
Talk to the Hand. Solo show, Bosse & Baum, London.
Bologna Art Fair. Solo booth, Renata Fabbri, Bologna.
2018
Ogni Pensiero Vola. Solo show. Renata Fabbri Gallery, Milan.
Giotto’s Room. Two person show with Aisha Christison. Post_Institute Von Goetz, London. Curated by Lucy Von Goetz.
Garageland. Two person show with Anne Ryan. The Rectory Projects, London.
Shed Shreds. Solo show. Lychee One Gallery, London.
2017
Dovetail’s Nest. Solo show. Zabludowicz Collection, Invites, London.
A World of One’s Own. Solo show. Fieldworks Gallery, London.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Materia Nova & Spazio Y, curated by Massimo Mininni and Benedetta Monti, Galleria Arte Moderna, Rome.
Weeds Won’t Wither, Jari Lager gallery, Cologne.
New Mythologies, Ohsh Projects in collaboration with King & McGaw, London.
Upon a Time, Eduardo Secci, Florence.
2021
The Artsy
Vanguard Fourth Edition, curated by Erin Jenoa Gilbert, Miami, US
Psychic
Anemone, Cob Gallery, London, UK
Salto
in Altro, curated by Edoardo Monti, Palazzo Monti, Brescia, IT
Artissima,
Double V gallery, Torino, IT
June
Mostra, British School at Rome, IT
Worst
Case Scenario, curated by Chloe Bonnie More, Paris, FR
Quarantanove
non è cinquanta, Vogue Italia, curated by Valentina Ciarallo, IT
Latence,
Boulevard Malesherbes, curated by Chloe Bonnie More, Paris, FR
2020
Waves Between Us. Fondazione Sandretto, Palazzo Re Rebaudengo, Guarene.
Curated by Alison Karasyk,Camille Regli, Katie Simpson - Young Curators Residency Programme 2020
In Stitches. Larsen Warner, Stockholm.
Transatlantico. Mana Contemporary, New Jerseay.
The Thicker the Woods, the Vaster the Vista. Nevven Gallery, Gothenburg.
March Mostra. British School at Rome.
2019
Adieu to Old England the Kids Are Alright. Choi and Lager, Cologne.
Dusseldorf Art Fair. Choi and Lager gallery, Dusseldorf.
December Mostra, British School at Rome.
Premio Cairo, Palazzo Reale, Milan.
A Seed’s a Star, Loyal Gallery, Stockholm. Curated by Constance Tenvik.
The Italian Open, Galerie Rolando Anselmi, Berlin.
Generation Y, Platform Foundation X, London. Curated by Kate Bryan and Sara Terzi.
Tender Touches, AMP Gallery, London. Curated by Open Space Contemporary.
Subversive Stitch, TJ Boulting, London. Curated by Hannah Watson.
London Art Fair, Union Gallery, London.
FiBRA, Post_Institute Von Goetz, London.
2018
Premio Lissone, Lissone, Italy.
Bone Memory, Lychee One, London.
FEŸ Rencontres, Art Festival. Burgundy, France.
Memories Arrested in Space, Italian Cultural Institute, London. Curated by ARTUNER
(Two-person) Giotto’s Room, with Aisha Christison. Post_Institute, London. Curated by Lucy Von Goetz
(Two-person) Garageland, with Anne Ryan. The Rectory Projects, London.
Searching for Myself Through Remote Skins. Renata Fabbri, Milan. Curated by Bianca Baroni
Et Refaire Le Monde. Galerie Bessieres, Chatou, Paris. Curated by Bianca Cerrina Feroni
If You Can Stand the Heat. Roaming Projects, London. Curated by Lindsey Mendick and Paloma Proudfoot
2017
40-40-40. Soho House London. Curated by Fenella Brownlee
Ripe. Kingsgate Project Space, London. Curated by Eleanor Davies
Dik Piks. Ladybeck, Leeds UK. Curated by Suzy Babington
La Diablesse. Tramps Gallery, London. Curated by Jerusha West, Sarah Batey and Simone Kennedy-Doig.
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On The Bedpost Over Night)? J Hammond Projects, London. Curated by Will Rees and Hamish Pearch
Penelope. Curated by Alix Janta and Lauren Jones. 46 Gallery, London.
2016
Summer Blue. Lychee One Gallery, London. Curated by Jonathan Miles.
Royal College of Art Graduate Show. London.
At Home Salon: Double Acts. Marcelle Joseph Projects, Ascot. Curated by Lana Bountakidou.
Paper, Publication, Performance. Lychee One Gallery, London. Curated by Jonathan Miles.
2015
The Behaviour of Being. Group exhibition from the Beekeeper’s Residency at Cob Gallery, curated by Mia Pfeifer.
Two Hundred Acres. Group exhibition of RCA students. Pump House Gallery,
London. Curated by Anna Clifford.
Rift Banquet. Performance at AYA Peckham, London. Curated by Leo Cohen.
ScreenSaver. Group Video Exhibtion and co-curation. Dyson Gallery, RCA.
RCA Secret. Group Exhibition. Dyson Gallery. Royal College of Art.
15th Cypriot Contemporary Dance Festival. Commissioned the performance of In the Likeness Of… Rialto Theatre, Limassol, Cyprus.
Exposiçao Lar. Group Exhibition curated by Paola De Ramos. Curitiba, Brazil.
Resolutions!2015. The Place Theatre, London. Performance of In the Likeness Of…
2014
Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. E122 Banquet Performance. Cock ‘N’ Bull Gallery, London.
Arts Atrium, Twitter HQ. Group Exhibition organised by the London Sculpture Workshop.
The Scars are Not Just Skin Deep, Group Exhibition curated by Mia Pfeifer. Cob Gallery, London.
Slade School of Fine Art Degree Show. London.
2013
On/Off. Performance Event. Vibe Gallery, London
Slade Print Fair. Group exhibition and performance. Slade Research Centre, London.
Anthropophagi. Two-person exhibition with Paola De Ramos. 26 Greek Street, London.
Tate Modern. Invitation by the Board Director of the UAL Development Council.
St Martins School of Art & Design Degree Show. Collaboration with Cecilia Granara.
Elegy. Guest Project Space. Group exhibition and performance. Curated by Leo Cohen.
Camden Arts Center London. Performance Event organised by the Slade School of Fine Art.
Bodies of Silence. Platform, London. Performance. Curated by Giulia Casalini and Diana Georgiou.
The Strange Impression of Seeing Things. Group exhibition and performance. Mile End Art Pavilion, London.
2012 Camden Arts Centre, London. Performance Art Event organised by the Slade.
Platform 1. Performance Art Event organised by the Slade. Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2021 Pébeo Prize for Painting, Art-o-Rama, Marseille
2020 Finalist Talent Prize, Rome
2020 Rosa Lee Travel Grant, British School at Rome
2019-2020 Abbey Scholarship, British School at Rome
2019 Finalist Premio Cairo, Palazzo Reale, Milan
2019 La Berlugane-Maleki Residency and Commission. Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France
2019 (Official invitation-only selection) Premio Lissone / Lissone Prize
2018 Platform Southwark Studio Residency, London
2018 FIBRA Artist Residency, Colombia
Curated and co-produced with Mia Pfeifer. Participating artists include: Bea Bonafini / Dan Coopey / Maisie Cousins / Alix Janta / Adeline de Monseignat / Laurence Owen / Charlotte Colbert
2017 Fieldworks Studio Residency. London
2016 Villa Lena Residency. Tuscany, Italy
Commendation, West Dean Tapestry Commission
2014-16 Leverhulme Scholarship, Royal College of Art
2015 The Beekeepers Art Residency. Portugal. In collaboration with curator Mia Pfeifer and Cob Gallery London.
2015 Stapely Trust Grant
2015 O2 Think Big Grant
2014 Slade Prize
2010 Salzburg Academy of Fine Art Scholarship
TALKS / TEACHING
2019 The Whitworth Art Gallery, Tuesday Lecture Series. Manchester, UK.
2019 Manchester University, BA Fine Art, Tutorials. Manchester, UK.
2019 Canterbury University, BA Fine Art, Lecture and Tutorials. Canterbury, UK.
2018 Artist workshops at October Gallery. London, UK.
2017 In conversation with curators Stella Bottai and Mia Pfeifer. Zabludowicz Collection, London, UK.
2015 ReachOut Art workshops, Royal College of Art. London, UK.
2015 The Garden Tapestry. Public workshops at the Pump House Gallery. London, UK.
2014 The Slade Summer School. Widening Participation Course, UCL. London, UK.