Luisa Valenzano

Born in 1977

Italy

www.luisavalenzano.jimdofree.com

date insertion W.A.D. 10/2021

Biography

My name is Luisa Valenzano, a figurative artist from Casamassima (Ba). My research focuses on the emotional states of subjects in conflict between balance and opposition.

Through painting on canvas or other media I capture the subjects in an almost realistic way, painting and telling what surrounds me, people who are actually close to me captured in their essence. I tell their stories that can be universally close to everyone’s stories, fears and joys, ups and downs, emotional balances. After the Art School Liceo Artistico Statale I completed my studies in Painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Bari. Later my life was intertwined with much more, artistic and curatorial collaborations, projects, graphic works.

For my artistic career I considered it important to compare myself with other artists on similar themes, which is why participation in selected prizes and art exhibitions was fundamental. In my early twenties, in 2000, I won the ” Concorso Gurgos – Premio Città di Andria “.

This award was followed by other ones, but also selections in historical competitions such as the Premio Basilio Cascella (2017, 2019, 2020). My works have been exhibited in galleries, public spaces, historic buildings including the Crypt of the Monumental Complex of Santa Croce in Florence, Palazzo D’Avalos in Vasto, Sala Mostre Provincia of Cuneo, Castel dell’Ovo in Naples, Spazio Tadini in Milan, Opera Campana dei Caduti in Rovereto Foundation and this summer 2021 in Castel del Monte, winning the Premio Stupor Mundi with my work “Scudo delle stelle” at the international prize “Federico II e I poeti tra le stelle”.

Among the most challenging projects in 2015 I was invited together with nine other figurative artists selected from all over Italy to ” Credere la Luce – Una pala per la Chiesa di Sant’Anna”, a laboratory and exhibition of Sacred Art on a new iconography of Sant’ Anna at the Museo d’Arte dello Splendore in Giulianova (TE): the work is now part of the museum’s collection of contemporary sacred art.

Curriculum

EDUCATION – Educational qualifications

• 1995 > High school art diploma earned at Liceo Artistico Statale De Nittis, Bari
• 2000 > University degree earned at Accademia di Belle Arti, Bari, section: Painting – score: 110/110 cum laude

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

• 2014 > May 23rd – June 4th, “Tutti giù per terra”, solo travel exhibit at Officine Culturali, Bitonto, curated by ThULAb, Margherita
  Capodiferro, Daniela Confetti.
  > June 11th – 25th, “Tutti giù per terra”, solo travel exhibit at Lab Urbano Inpuntadipiedi, Francavilla Fontana (Br), curated by
  ThULAb, Margherita Capodiferro, Daniela Confetti.
• 2012 > January 21st – February 19th, “Inner Side”, Galleria GlobalArt, Noicattaro (Ba), curated by Rosa Didonna and Prof. Mirella
  Casamassima.
• 2010 > October 28th – November 10th, “Umane differenze”, double solo exhibition by Luisa Valenzano and Lino Dagnello at Salonedella circoscrizione Italia-Montegranaro, Taranto, curated by Severina Fontana.
• 2007 > June 9th – 23rd, “Biodensità”, Atelier Altissima35, Barletta, curated by Anna Soricaro.
• 2001 > July 7th – 22nd, “Una sola moltitudine – L’ineffabile straordinarietà del quotidiano”, Scuola Elementare Oberdan, Andria, curatedby art critic Enzo Varricchio.

MAIN AWARDS

• 2021 > July 24th – “VIII Premio Internazionale Federico II e i poeti tra le stelle”, first prize winner Premio Stupor Mundi for painting, Castel del Monte, Andria
  > February 18th – March 4th, selected at “Ti racconto, vuoi? Radici”, Spazio Cultura, San Giuliano Milanese (MI)
• 2020 >October 5th – November 4th, selected at “LXIV Premio Basilio Cascella – Green Economy”, Ortona, curated by Associazione Culturale Atlantide.> February 9th -16th, Premio Realnart, Galleria Nartist, Gioia del Colle (Ba) first prize winner.
• 2019 > November 24th – 31st December, selected at “Il sorriso di Nadia e di tutte le donne”, International Contemporary Visual Art Competition, Sala Civica, Dignano (UD), curated by Raffaella Ferrari and Associazione Alpen Adria
  > September 1st – 29th, special mention at the 19th edition “Premio Arte in Arti e Mestieri”, Fondazione Scuola di Arti e Mestieri “F. Bertazzoni”, Suzzara (MN).
  > June 9th – 16th, selected at “18° Premio Nazionale d’Arte Città di Novara”, Castello Visconteo Sforzesco, Novara, curated by Vincenzo Scardigno
  > April 25th – May 25th, selected at “LXIII Premio Basilio Cascella – Avidità”, Micoperi, Ortona, curated by Associazione
  Culturale Atlantide.
  > March 8th – 10th, “Formello in Arte”, Palazzo Chigi, Sala Orsini, Formello (RM), curated by Associazione Artingegno
• 2018 > December 8th – 22nd, selected at “3+10 Prize”, Atelier 3+10, Venice, curated by Saverio Simi De Burgis.
  > October 31st – November 4th, selected at “Home Revolution Prize”, Fiera La Mia Casa, Gravina in Puglia (Ba), curated by Angela Varvara
  > October 26th – 28th, selected at “L’Acqua diventa Arte”, Sede Gruppo Alvese Onlus, Nogarole Vicentino (Vi)
  > August 22nd – 27th, 50th edition “Il Pendìo”, Largo Abazia, Corato, curated by Pro Loco Quadratum, award plaque Alfredo Verdelocco
• 2017 > September 9th -16th, selected at “Premio Michele Cea – Con la luce negli occhi”, Spazio Seicentro, Milan.
  > September 22nd – 28th, selected at “Premio Gian Franco Lupo”, Ex Ospedale San Rocco, Matera.
  > April 25th – May 28th, selected at “LXI Premio Basilio Cascella 2017”, Biblioteca Diocesana San Domenico, Ortona (Ch).
• 2015 > October 24th – 25th, “Parole Visionarie – Concorso di Arti Visive”, Palazzo Marchesale dei Bianchi Dottula, Adelfia (Ba), second prize winner.
• 2014 > May 9th – 16th, “Premio Fracta Domus, #Atmosfere – Percezioni del visibile e dell’invisibile”, Museo Nuovo (Ex Caserma dei Carabinieri), Frattamaggiore (Na), curated by engineers and architects association Fracta Domus.
• 2011 > October 7th -16th, “Tian Qi Art Contest”, Centro Tian Qi, Milan, first prize winner.
  > March 5th – 27th, “Fobia”, GlobalArt Gallery, Noicattaro (Ba), curated by Rosa Didonna, second prize winner.
• 2010 > October 23rd, “Alda Merini e Guido Bertuzzi”, national poetry and painting competition, Circolo Culturale I Navigli, Milan, second prize winner for painting.
  > September 5th -12th, selected at “Marsciano Arte Giovani”, Museo dinamico del laterizio e delle terrecotte, Marsciano (PG).
• 2009 > February 14th – 16th, “Colori in emersione”, Ex Macello, Sala Caravaggio, Aversa (CE), curated by Carlo Roberto Sciascia, first prize winner.
• 2006 > October 16th – 31st, National Competition “Lo Sport nell’Arte”, Ventimiglia (IM), curated by Francesco Lacalamita, second prize winner.
  > November 11th – 30th, National Competition “S. Croce 40 anni dopo”, Crypt of the Monumental Complex of S. Croce, Florence,
  third prize winner.
  > September 1st – 4th, Fourth Edition of the national competition “Concorso Nazionale di Pittura Giuseppe Occhiogrosso Dottore
  Agronomo”, Bitetto (Ba), second prize winner.
  > August 24th – September 30th, Seventh Edition of the “Inedito Anziano” contest, Modigliana (FC), first prize winner.
• 2000 > September 10th, XV ed. “Gurgos” Premio Città di Andria Competition, first prize winner
  > September 16th – 24th, “Il Pendio” Competition 32° ed., Corato, curated by Pro Loco Quadratum, fourth prize winner

MAIN EXHIBITIONS / PROJECTS

• 2021 > September 25th – January 10th, 2022, “1° Biennale d’arte contemporanea della Murgia – Ambiente, Memoria, Futuro”, Palazzo
  Lanfranchi (Matera), Fondazione Ettore Pomarici Santomasi (Gravina), artistic director prof. Michele Di Leo.
  > September 10th – 27th, “I colori del Millennio”, itinerant contemporary art exhibition, Casale di Balsignano and Giardino dei Cappuccini, Modugno, curated by Associazione LeTreImpronte.
  > August 27th – September 27th, “L’Arte nel Vento”, urban art exhibition, via Regina Margherita, Andria, curated by Cinzia Dicorato.
  > July 2nd – August 1st, “Lacuna Festival – Distance”, international festival of contemporary art, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain.
  > June 5th – October 5th, “Human Rights? @Work”, International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Fondazione opera Campana dei Caduti, Colle di Miravalle, Rovereto (Tn), curated by Roberto Ronca
• 2020 > August 29th – October 4th, “HR?#The Future’s Shape|Women Can Save The World”, International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Fondazione opera Campana dei Caduti, Colle di Miravalle, Rovereto (Tn), curated by Roberto Ronca
• 2019 > November 10th – December 8th, “Incontri al Femminile”, Contemporary art gallery ACS, curated by Daniele Bianchi and Alessandra Spizzo
  > October 11th -19th, “Il tondo nell’arte contemporanea”, Circolo Arci La Staffa, Bologna, curated by Aldo Manzanares
  > July 19th -20th, ArtEtica, FuoriLuogo Asti, curated by Associazione ForArts
  > March 2nd -10th, “Au Pair”, Circolo Arci La Staffa, Bologna, curated by Aldo Manzanares
• 2018 > November 10th, “Sub-terranea Festival delle arti”, Museo del Sottosuolo, Napoli, curated by Vanna Veglia
  > August 11th –October 14th, International Art Festival “AR[t]CEVIA”, Palazzo dei Priori, Arcevia (An), curated by Laura Coppa
  > July 28th – August 5th, “Display 2.0”, ‘O Vascio Room Gallery, Somma Vesuviana (Na), curated by Annalisa Ferraro
  > June 17th – August 12 th, “II RASSEGNA DI PITTURA SEGHIZZI”, Seghizzi Contemporary Art Gallery, Gorizia, curated by Italo Montiglio
  > June 23rd – September 23rd, “HUMAN RIGHTS?#EDU”, Fondazione opera Campana dei Caduti, Colle di Miravalle, Rovereto (Tn), curated by Roberto Ronca
  > March 23rd, “Lungo il confine”, Teatro Lux, Pisa, curated by FUCO Fucina Contemporanea
  > March 21st – 24th, “La mente artistica – Giovani donne artiste a confronto, VI ed.”, Pio Sodalizio dei Piceni, Roma, curated by Ass. Culturale ArtisticaMente.
• 2017 > November 18th – 21st, selected at “Ronzii – arte urbana in subbuglio”, Stazione Leopolda, Pisa, curated by FUCO Fucina Contemporanea
• 2016 > December 3rd – January 8th 2017, “Proposte per una Collezione”, Exclusive Gallery, Teano (CE), curated by Paolo Feroce.
• 2015 > July 25th – August 14th, participation on invitation to “Credere la Luce – Una pala per la Chiesa di Sant’Anna”, Sacred Art project exhibition on a new iconography of Saint Anne, with the realization of an Altarpiece for the Church of Saint Anne in Giulianova (TE) and following exhibition in Giulianova’s museum Museo d’Arte dello Splendore, curated by Marialuisa De Santis and patronized by the Italian Episcopal Conference.
  > June 14th – 19th, “Visioni Parallele – Spazio Condiviso”, The Factory Urban Lab, Palagianello (Ta), curated by the Association RebelArci.
  > April 25th – May 3rd, “Welcome Home!”, Palazzo Ulmo, Taranto, curated by Margherita Capodiferro, critical wording by Roberto Lacarbonara.
• 2014 > June 22nd – August 31st, “Human Rights? #Memento | Dalla guerra alla pace”, Fondazione opera Campana dei Caduti, Colle di Miravalle, Rovereto (Tn), curated by Roberto Ronca.
  > June 1st – July 6th, “B come bambini – Incontrarti – le proposte del Premio Vasto XIII ed.”, Scuderie di Palazzo Aragona, Vasto (Ch), curated by Daniela Madonna.
• 2012 > October 5th – 22nd, “Vuotociclo, Le Ceneri della Fenice”, Castel Dell’Ovo, Naples, curated by Agata Chiusano e Luisa Bocciero.
  > September 27th – October 1st, “Eternepartenze – Rassegna Internazionale della Creatività nel Presente”, various locations,
  Bologna, curated by Alfonso Fraia and Tiziana Marongiu.
• 2011 > August 6th – 21st, “StaARTup 2011 – Coltiviamo Creatività”, Castle of Acaya, Vernole (Le), curated by Roberto Ronca.
  > May 28th – June 7th, “Sprinting in Bari”, Art Gallery Under The Road, Bari, curated by Massimo Nardi.
• 2009 > September 25th – October 4th, “Acoa – About Africa – Cronache di un continente”, Sala Mostre Provincia di Cuneo, curated by Domenico Oliviero.
  > May 24th – June 17th, “Code”, Galleria Zerouno, Barletta, curated by Francesca Mazzarelli and Anna Soricaro.
  > February 21st – March 1st, “Enkomion”, Fortino di Sant’Antonio Abate, Bari, curated by Lello Spinelli.
• 2008 > December 14th – 21st, “RaccontArti”, Galleria Interculturale Permanente, Roma, curated by Sonia Spadafora and Artefatto Onlus.
  > November 4th – 13th, “De Visu”, Centro Culturale Zerouno, Barletta (Ba), curated by Francesca Mazzarelli and Anna Soricaro.
  > August 18th – 30th, “Talenti contemporanei”, Galleria d’Arte Frurion, Rossano (CS), curated by Francesco G. Rugna.
  > March 8th – 31st, “8 marzo: Non fiori ma opere”, Giu*Box Gallery, Naples, curated by Vincenzo Chirichella and Michele Del Vecchio.
• 2007 > July 8th – 28th, “Mulier”, IncontrArti 2007 – Le proposte del premio Vasto, Palazzo D’Avalos, Vasto (Ch) curated by Daniela Madonna.
  > May 19th – June 9th, “GiovanIntercultura, identità e condizione giovanile”, Palazzo Brescianelli, Castiglione delle Siviere (Mn), curated by Carmelo Sammartino.
  > May 10th, “Artgallery, Dalla rete alla tela”, Spazio Tadini, Milan, curated by Lara Facco.
  > April 2nd – 7th, “Ecce Homo”, Sacred Art Collective Exhibition, Castello Normanno Svevo, Sannicandro di Bari (Ba)
  > March 23rd – April 3rd, “Variazioni – idee di figura 2007”, Spazio Arte Manfredi, Ostia Lido, Roma, curated by Sandro Ippolito.
  March 4th – 15th, “Daily”, Centro Culturale Zerouno, Barletta, curated by Anna Soricaro.

CURATORIAL EXPERIENCES

• 2017 > May 5th – September 11th, “Premio don Sante per l’arte contemporanea”, Palazzo Monacelle, Casamassima (Ba), exhibition curated by Luna Pastore, Giuliana Schiavone and Luisa Valenzano.
• 2020 > 8 settembre – 27 dicembre, member of the organization of the “2° Premio don Sante per l’Arte Contemporanea”, Fondazione Monsignor Sante Montanaro, Palazzo Monacelle, Casamassima (Ba), exhibition curated by Nicola Zito.