Simona Frillici

Born in 1966

Italy

https://www.simonafrillici.com/

date of inserition in W.A.D. 06/2023

Biography

Simona Frillici attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia (1984-1988) where she graduated with a degree in painting under the tutelage of the artist known as Nuvolo. Her final thesis (supervisor: Bruno Corà), which is clear by the title the direction she took in her research, “From the informal, in particular Fautrier and Dubuffet, from Gallizio to Beuys on the line of matter (feminine principle)”.

In 1988 she was selected to represent the painting chair at Artexpo Bari ’88.

Aldo Iori wrote about her in 2008: “she has always positioned her speculation in a particular area, a place where the constitutional elements of the Real image are places of faint visual suppositions. These visions are in a constant balance between being, appearing, and memory. In time this artist has selected an operative method in which the work of art re-collocates the observer in front of the responsibility of vision. The image of the Real (i.e. what we are given to see) through the poetry of gesture, finds relief in its unavoidable destiny of easy obsolescence. In its new status as art, it calls for attention and poses the question of its being, beyond that of simply appearing” (Aldo Iori in “Simona Frillici – Installations 2007/1997” Damiani edition, 2008)

She wrote in 1997:

“IMAGES

(August 26, 1997)

Our life is full of images

we reproduce images

we are surrounded by images, we are immersed in images

a reality of images where time and space doesn’t exist

through images we can go everywhere.

we are accustomed to images

without depth

everything is close and far, real and unreal

we have the illusion that we can go everywhere

and we can see everything

What is real? What is true?

without weight and without deepness”

Themes that anticipated today’s times and the real and virtual duality. Virtual life, made up of images that scroll across flat screens, has supplanted real life, especially among the younger generations. More evident consequences are the atrophy of the natural corporeity and of the inside of emotions and feelings.

Duality: image/body, visible/invisible, what appears/what is, at the point of intersection, is the border she is exploring through art.

Her medium is painting. However, since the early 2000s she has included photography in her work, often it’s a face found on the web, processed and photocopied again and again then printed, predominately on paper. The image of the face is an important fragment of a person, it is what remains of a moment and sometimes of a whole life. Through the fragment it is possible to imagine the totality of the person and their life.

Over the last ten years she has started going outside of her studio to make art, in an urban and social setting, involving other artists and an audience, made up not only of insiders but outsiders.

She has inserted a photocopy of a face of a willing participant, creating large choral installations. A photocopy mixed with acrylic colors and other mediums, results in a pasty and energetic material that she calls “The substance of the images”.

In her latest work, consisting mainly of photographs, she has extended the subject from the face to the entire human figure, shots of human reflections on mirrored surfaces, taken during her travels, especially in India. The series is entitled “Vibrations” alludes to the discoveries of quantum physics according to which “matter does not exist and everything is a vibration!”.

Curriculum

2022   

Marginalia 07 – Cuori Accesi.The artist presented the “Cuori Accesi” project dialogue

open to the public and introduced by Maurizio Coccia.Center for Contemporary Art Lucarini

of Trevi (Pg). Curated by Maurizio Coccia and Mara Predicatori.

 2021/2022 

Cuori Accesi. During the second lockdown of the pandemic, when in person art was forbidden and every place for art and culture in Italy was closed, the artist conceived and made art events happen in private homes, with a limited audience, by appointment only, of one visitor every thirty minutes. The ten events took place between November 2020 and June 2021; Frillici edited a video with the video footage shot during the events.

The artist says Cuori Accesi is a story that talks about art and humanity, with: Maria Letizia Guastaveglie, Rita Albertini, Lanfranco Fornari, Barbara Pinchi, Silvia Bevilacqua, Tino Tagliasacchi, Luca Costantini, Roberto Biselli, Barbara Piva,Giulietta Mastroianni, Matteo Vignali, Noemi Dalla Vecchia, Vittoria Mazzoni, Maria Borio, Francesco Capponi.

2020   

8 settembre, video projection “La Risalita” (2016), Tangram Interior Design, Perugia. Organization: CCCP Cultural Center Cavour Permanenze.

“The substance of the images”, project on Perugia divided into three acts; in which the

intention of the artist is a sign of a “restart” for art after the lockdown: 4th July,

opening to the public of the artist’s studio with a pictorial installation on the wall entitled

“Matter-February-May-2020”, a work born during the months of lockdown. The visit was

accompanied by the “Sonography” created by Antonello Turchetti, collected and

amalgamated sounds recorded during the pandemic. 15th July, public meeting with Bruno Corà

“VEDO DOVE DEVO. Una via rabdomantrica del pensiero cognitivo”, in collaboration

with Edicola 518. July 7-18, “matter-7-18-July-2020” work in progress inside the

abandoned shop on via Marconi 8-10. Passers-by were invited to actively participate.

Butterfly, site-specific installation, POST- Science Museum, Perugia.

Speaker Andrea Baffoni. DigiPass Events Perugia.

2019   

Painting and the mind, 14th June, installation created involving the participants of the conference: ”Argonauts of the future-Adolescents and digital media. What possible interventions?”, Brotherhood of Bergamaschi, Rome. Organization: Arpa (Association for research in analytical psychology), ilfioredeldeserto.it, Luigi Quondamatteo Foundation. Catalog Rome 2019.

2018

Atelier, artist residency, October 16 – 21, Atelier #4, MACRO Museum, Rome.

What is Art? October 31st – November 2nd, room-sized pictorial installation, work in progress open to the participation of museum visitors, Project room, MACRO Museum, Rome.

2017   

Ex- Voto Suscepto, performance and installation, 10th edition Viaggiatori sulla Flaminia, Church of the Madonna delle Grazie, Uncinano (Pg); curated by Franco Troiani. Organization: Ass. Viaggiatori sulla Flaminia, Ass.Viaindustria, Studio A’87. With the patronage and collaboration of the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Spoleto.

2015    

Rose garden, site-specific installation, Hortus Artis / Tangram Design, Perugia;

Speaker Mara Predicatori. Organization by Tangram Design Store.

2014    

Survival strategy, site-specific installlation,Tufano Studio25, Milano; curated by Elena Di Raddo.                                 

Diary of an Artist, six videos made between October 2012 and November 2013 were

presented at the Cinema Kino in Rome. Speakers: Bruno Corà (critic and art historian),

Aldo Iori (critic and art historian), Massimo Mattioli (art journalist and curator), Paola

Minaccioni (actress and perfomer), Afra Zucchi e Franco Ottavianelli (Wunderkammerrn

Gallery, Rome), Gianni Piacentini (visual artist). Critical text of Bruno Di Marino. In

collaboration with Wunderkammern Gallery, Rome.

Angels, site-specific installation, Church of S. Matteo degli Armeni, Perugia; conference of

prof. Aldo Iori. Organization Ass. Meravigliarti in Umbria.

Matter, site-specific installation, Our Lady of the Well Church, Spoleto (Pg). Curated by STUDIO A’87.

Reflexes, site specific installation for “Chiaveumbra”, Church of S. Agostino, Colfulignato (Pg) curated by Mara Predicatori.

2013  

July 30^th, 1945, SpaceCamp Gallery, Indianapolis, USA. Selected in an international open call.

2011   

The Artist’s Studio 1, 29 May, Via della Pergola 1b, Perugia. The artist organised a one day event, in which she invited the participants to exchange objects they have made and some of her works. Subsequently, she conceived and realized two other events with the aim of bringing attention to and making them a reason for reflection, in the “artist’s studio”, the center where the work originated.

The Artist’s Studio 2 / Mary Judge, installation created by the artist Mary Judge

inside Frillici’s studio. July 9, Via della Pergola 1b, Perugia.

The Artist’s Studio 3: Permeability and Comradery, site-specific installation by Frillici

inside Mary Judge’s studio. 9 September, Judge Studio, Bushwick, New York USA.

What is Art? video projection at TufanoStudio25, Milan. Critical text of Lorenzo Bruni.

2009    

Angels. Jerusalem – Nocera Umbra, site-specific installation, San Francesco Civic Museum, Nocera Umbra (Pg); within the Méa il nostro mondo è adesso project, promoted by the Umbria Region. Curated by Mara Predicatori; catalog Mèa ilnostromondoèadesso eGeneration Edizioni.

2006   

August 5, 2006 – Our Lady of the Veil, performance and site-specific installation,

Wunderkammern Cultural Association, Spello (Pg); catalog Wunderkammern 2007,

Wunderkammern Cultural Association, Spello 2007, critical text of Mara Predicatori.                                                                                                                     

Close my Eyes, site-specific installation, Wooster Arts Space, New York, USA.

Organization by Valore Aggiunto srl.

2004   

The Games of Beslan, site-specific installation, Buonumori Boutique, Perugia. Organization by Boutique Buonumori. Critical text of Franco Veremondi “Objects on the Verge of Everyday Life”.

2003  

Aarhus – Daybreak – 4th September 2003, site-specific installation, Senko Studio,

Viborg DK; catalog with text by Mara Predicatori.

Relics, site-specific installation, Cultural Association Aletheia, Perugia.

1998     

Via Bonazzi 5, room-size installation inside an abandoned shop, Perugia.

In collaboration with Rucoline.

Main Group Exhibitions

2023

Volume-UP: Artists Responding to Music and Sound, The Painting Center, New

York, curated by Monica King.

2022   

Interior mapping, installation within the Kiub project (www.progettokiub.it) winner of the

state tender, for the Il Rigo district of Corciano (PG) designed by Renzo Piano in the 70s.

The artist creates a site-specific installation in one abandoned space together with the

inhabitants of the neighborhood. In collaboration with Dance Gallery, Umbria Region.

Umbrian artists, Gallery of Arts, Città di Castello (PG). Critical text of Lorenzo Fiorucci.

2021   

The Past for The Future, video projections “Cuori Accesi”, Galeria XX1, Warsaw (Poland).

2019/ 2018/ 2017

Cazzotto, together with the Roman artist Giassi Piagentini, they conceived and produced

three editions of “Cazzotto” (from the original name of the Bacio Perugina chocolate), art

event in the historic center of Perugia, characterized by its brevity (from

three days up to one week), and by its unusual exhibition spaces. Favoring

performance and prints on banners and flags, hung in the city streets, with the intention of

involving passersby.

About a hundred artists from all over Italy and abroad took part during the three-year period; the main government institutions of the city were involved: the Municipality of Perugia, the Region of Umbria, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Bishopric, the University for Foreigners. Catalog of the three

editions, Edition Futura Libri, 2020, with text of Enrico Sciamanna and Leonardo Varasano, Councilor for Culture of Perugia.

2018

The skin I Live / PerugiaPhotoSocialFestival, Palazzo della Penna Museum, Perugia. Curated by Antonello Turchetti and PPSF.

2017

Face to Face/ The Maieutic Machine, pictorial installation inside a cell of an abandoned prison, open to the active participation of visitors. Former prison, Montefiascone (Vt); curated by Giorgio de Finis; catalog The maieutic machine / Face to Face, curated by Giorgio de Finis, Bordeaux 2017.

2016   

Viterbo Biennial, Rock of the Popes, Viterbo; catalog Misirizzi.

Art of research for Research, Pananti Auction House, Florence. Artist participation event by invitation, curated by Bruno Corà.

Babel, Schema Projects Gallery, New York, USA. Organization of Schema Projects

Gallery and Trebisonda Association.

2014

Apertamente 2014- 01 digital binary, video projection Diary of an artist and The shark, Palladini Biondi Palace, Pescina (Aq). Organization of Ass. The Pescina laboratory.

Reconnaissance 2014, CIAC Italian Center for Contemporary Art, Foligno (Pg); Reconnaissance catalog 2014 a map of art in Umbria, Quattroemme publisher Perugia 2014. Edited by Italo Tomassoni.

2013

Art is Wealth that Belongs to Everyone, site-specific installation created with the citizens of Nocera Umbra, during an evening of debate with the aim of saving the Prodigious Fountain made by the artist Jaume Plensa, which the municipal administration wanted to destroy due to the reconstruction of the square, located in the center of the main square in the historic center, the event was organized in collaboration with the CivicArte Association.

Portas Abertas, digital print, selected in open call, Eugenio De Almeida Foundation, Evora (Pt).               

Librist at the Classense, exhibition of the book “SIMONA FRILLICI- Installation 2017

1997” (Damiani publisher, 2008), Classense Library, Ravenna; Librist catalogue

Classense 2013, curated by Dino Silvestroni, Mara Sorrentino, Claudia Giuliani.

Drafted, Schema Projects Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Curated by Schema Projects Gallery.

TUFFFO, Torre di Mola, Formia (Fr), exhibition curated by ARIA (artists magazine).

2011

LIV Venice Biennale / Italian Pavilion – Umbria Region, Collicola Palace, Spoleto; catalogue Umbrian Biennial, Palazzo Collicola Visual Arts 2011; curated by Piacere Magazine, critical text of Gianluca Marziani and Massimo Mattioli.

2010   

LiberoLibrod’ArtistaLibero5, exhibition of artists’ books, Studio A’87 – Former church of

1. Carlo Borromeo, edited by STUDIO A’87, Spoleto (Pg).

2009

In Chartis Mevaniae XII, exhibition of works made on bambagina paper, Palace of the Consuls, Bevagna; curated by Mara Predicatori; catalog In Chartis Mevaniae 2009 Born Again, contemporary memories, Province of Perugia, 2009.

Osservatorio, Wunderkammern Gallery, Rome. Curated by Manuela De Leonardis.

XVI National Exhibition of Artists for Epicentro, Epicentro Museum, Barcelona Gala (Me); catalog XVI National Art Exhibition Artists for Epicenter 2009, curated by Nino Abbate and Italo Tomassoni.

2008   

XV Quadrennial of Rome, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome; catalog XV Quadrennial of art of Rome 2008, Marsilio, Venice 2008.

Molise Cinema 2008, video projection August 5, 2006 – Our Lady of the Veil Civic Museum of Contemporary Art Casacalenda (Cb).

Arts in the city – Contemporary Perugia, Art event in the city; the artist creates site-specific installations inside three cells of the former men’s prison. Curated by Moreno Barboni and Piercarlo Pettirossi, promoted by the municipal departments for politics culture and youth and urban planning.

2007     

Land of masters: Umbrian artists of the twentieth century, 1981-2000 and the latest generations, Villa Fidelia, Spello (PG); curated by Carlo Antonio Ponti; catalog Land of masters: Umbrian artists of the twentieth century 6: 1981-2000 and latest generations, EFFE publisher Perugia 2007.

2005   

Plotart. Europa, traveling exhibition, Colonna Castle, Genazzano (Rome); Senko Studio Viborg (DK), curated by Gianluca Marziani and Massimo Lupoli; catalog Plotart Europa – collective of 170 contemporary artists, Arturarte Gallery, Rome, 2005.

2004

Sassivivaci, site-specific installation, Museum of Contemporary Art Open Air, Barge (Cn); she won 2nd prize; catalog Sassi Vivaci – sculptures and installations Edition 2004.

Signs in the city, together with the artist Jack Sal, site specific installation in San Domenico square, Foligno (Pg), speakers the critics Bruno Corà and Italo Tomassoni. Contribution of Banca San Paolo. Patronage of the Municipality of Foligno, the Province of Perugia and CERP Artivisive Foligno. Organization of Valore Aggiunto srl.

2003

Sibillini slopes – In the sacred, installations in the city, Cascia (Pg); curated by Daniele Di Lodovico; catalog Sibylline slopes in the sacred, Municipality of Cascia 2005.

Umbria-01 line. Youth Observatory,Trevi Flash Art Museum, Trevi (Pg); curated by Mara Predicatori and Maurizio Coccia; catalog Umbria-01 line. Youth Observatory, Giancarlo Politi Publisher.

2002    

Angelinconvento, St. Francis Convent, Arrone (Tn). Organization of Il Museo de Los Angeles by Lucia Bosè, Turegano (Spain).

2001    

Extravergine, Trevi Flash Art Museum, Trevi (Pg); curated by Italo Tomassoni and Pio Monti. 

Number Zero, Visual Arts Association Trebisonda, Perugia; curated by Aldo Iori.                       

2000    

Amichevolissimevolmente, Trevi Flash Art Museum, Trevi (Pg); curated by Italo Tomassoni and Pio Monti.

Gulf Prize – European Biennial of Artivisive, La Spezia; catalog Profiles of young contemporary painting in Europe, Silvana Editoriale, Cinisello Balsam 2000.

Bibliography

Simona Frillici, SEARCH For Art, Mandarina Duck, on the pages of the internal attachment, Publisher Arbe Editoriale Pubblicitaria Modena, number 1, June 1999.

Promoting Committee of the Golfo Prize edited by, Profiles of young painting contemporary in Europe, Silvana Editoriale, Cinisello Balsamo 2000.

Senko Studio edited by, Simona Frillici Aarhus/daybreak/4th September 2003, Viborg (DK)

2003, critical text of Mara Predicatori and Interview for Kopenhagen.dk of Sune Bencke.

Mara Predicatori edited by, Linea Umbra_01 Osservatorio Giovani, Giancarlo Politi

Publisher, 2003, text of Mara Predicatori.

Anna Cochetti edited by, Art meetings at Majorana 10 Art/Science of Peace, High School

Edition State Scientific “E. Majorana” Rome, 2004.

Stefano Bottini, The pain of Beslan in the art of Simona Frillici, Il Giornale dell’Umbria,

Dicembre 6, 2004.

Stefano Bottini, Art from the USA to Umbria – the harmony of two artists from different

Places, Giornale dell’Umbria, cultura. Aprile 18, 2004.

Luca Fiorucci, I fili di Foligno, Il Giornale dell’Umbria. Maggio 01, 2004.

Marco Gattinoni and Luisa Perla, edited by, Sassi Vivaci Sculture e Installazioni Edizione

2003-2004, 2005.

Gianluca Marziani and Massimo Lupoli, edited by, Plotart \ Europa – collective of 170

contemporary artists, Arturarte Gallery, Rome, 2005. 

Daniele Di Lodovico, edited by, Versanti sibillini: nel sacro, Comune di Cascia 2005.

Senko Studio, edited by, Plot.@rt.europa, 2005.

Enrico Sciamanna, Diritto all’immagine, Micropolis – annex of the Manifesto, February

2007.

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Mara Predicatori. 

Carlo Antonio Ponti, edited by, Land of masters: Umbrian artists of the twentieth century 6:

1981-2000 e latest generations, EFFE publisher Perugia 2007. Text of Giorgio Bonomi,

Carlo Antonio Ponti and Fedora Boco.

Simona Frillici, installazioni 2007-1997, Damiani publisher, Bologna 2008; text of Aldo Iori.

XV Quadriennale d’arte di Roma 2008, Marsilio publisher, Venice 2008.

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2008/2009, pp 61 text by Giorgio Bonomi.

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Mara Predicatori, edited by, In Chartis Mevaniae 2009 Born Again, memorie del

contemporaneo, Provincia di Perugia, 2009.

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And Massimo Mattioli.

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text of Ada De Pirro, pp68, Istituzione Biblioteca Classense, Ravenna, 2013.

Stella Carnevali, Gli angeli di Simona, Il Messaggero Giorno & Notte. June 6, 2014.

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Gli argonauti del futuro. Gli adolescenti e i media digitali-Quali interventi possibili? Painting

and the mind, text of Simona Frillici, Franco Angeli publisher, 2019.

https://www.francoangeli.it/Ricerca/scheda_Libro.aspx?codiceISBN=9788891797827

 Simona Frillici and Giassi Piagentini, edited by, Cazzotto, text of Enrico Sciamanna and Leonardo Varasano, Futura publisher, Perugia 2021.