Bea Bonafini
Bonn, Germany
2 Works exhibited on Kooness
Current location
London and Barcelona
Represented by
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Works by Bea Bonafini
Crossing the boundaries between genres and ranging from prehistory to contemporary oneiric visions, Bea Bonafini intertwines the past with the present with the aim of creating new mythologies. By imagining lifeforms that have or could have existed and their inevitable extinction, she engages in an act of resurrection that reactivates all that has been lost. By reimagining the ghostly bodies of mythological figures that once fuelled human imagination, an attempt is made to embody collective mourning, bringing to life that which haunts collective consciousness in order to make peace with it.
Across her practice, Bonafini’s curiosity lies in cross-fertilising painting, tapestry, sculpture and artisanal techniques. She adopts the methods and materials traditionally used in other industries, extrapolating and interconnecting them: industrial domestic carpets are handled as stone to create complex inlaid tapestries; porcelain is stained and manipulated, using the Japanese nerikomi technique to resemble minerals, and carved like prehistoric tools. Sardinian cork is painted and shapes are engraved. Together Bonafini’s work forms swirling scenarios that are fragmented and multi-layered, optimistic and tender, while embracing the strength of fragility and vulnerability. Acting as protected spheres, the worlds that are created aim to be receptacles of a lost spirituality, as transcendental openings.
Bea Bonafini (b. 1990, Bonn, Germany) lives and works between London and Barcelona. She received her MA from the Royal College of Art, London, in 2016. Solo exhibitions of her work have been held at Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Rome (2022); Setareh, Berlin (2022); Bosse & Baum, London (2022); Nosbaum Reding, Luxembourg (2022); LAAA, Mexico City (2022); Renata Fabbri, Milan (2021); Eduardo Secci, Florence (2021); Operativa, Rome (2019); Chloe Salgado, Paris (2018); Lychee One, London (2018); and Zabludowicz Collection, London (2017). Bonafini’s work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including Palazzo Abatellis Museum, Palermo (2022); Fondazione per l’Arte, Rome (2022); Kristen Hjellegjerde, London (2022); The Artsy Vanguard Fourth Edition, Miami (2021); Fondazione Sandretto, Guarene (2020); The British School at Rome (2019, 2020); Palazzo Reale Milan, (2019); and The Italian Cultural Institute, London (2018). Commissions include site-specific works for Palazzo Abatellis, Italy; Jonköping Council, Sweden; Meta HQ, UK. La Berlugane-Maleki residence, France; and Maison Estelle, UK.
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
- with Liliana Moro.
2008 Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Art
- with Li Songsong.
SOLO / TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2022
UNEARTHLY, Nosbaum Reding, Luxembourg, LU
ANIMALS OF YOUR LIPS, Bosse & Baum, London, UK
IL CHIOSTRO ANIMATO, Museo di Roma in Trastevere, IT
A MONSTROUS FRUIT, Setareh, Berlin, DE
WHERE THE PRIMITIVE ONE BECOMES TWO, Eduardo Secci, Art Brussels, BE
GHOSTS FOR A POST-MODERN TALE, LAAA, Mexico City, MX
2021
LUNA PIENA (STOMACO VUOTO), Renata Fabbri, Milan, IT
SFIORARE FANTASMI, Eduardo Secci, Florence, IT
2020
TWIN WAVES. Operativa, Rome, IT
2019
CHIMÈRE, Chloe Salgado, Paris, FR
TALK TO THE HAND. Bosse & Baum, London, UK
BOLOGNA ART FAIR. Renata Fabbri, Bologna, IT
2018
OGNI PENSIERO VOLA. Renata Fabbri Gallery, Milan, IT
GIOTTO’S ROOM. Two person show with Aisha Christison. Post_Institute Von Goetz, London, UK
GARAGELAND. Two person show with Anne Ryan. The Rectory Projects, London, UK
SHED SHREDS. Lychee One Gallery, London, UK
2017
DOVETAIL’S NEST. Zabludowicz Collection, Invites, London, UK
A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN. Fieldworks Gallery, London, UK
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
VIAGGIO IN SICILIA #9. Palazzo Abatellis Museum, Palermo, IT
L’ORIGINE DEL MONDO. Fondazione per l’Arte, Rome, IT
LABYRINTH. with Joël Andrianomearisoa and Jeanne Gaigher, Kristen Hjellegjerde gallery, London, UK
THE ARMOURY SHOW. Setareh gallery, New York, USA
THE NEW GUARD. Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Paris, FR
A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Alkinois, Athens, GR
Premio Conai. Spazio Taverna, Rome, IT
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, IT
In Stitches. Larsen Warner, Stockholm, SE
Transatlantico. Mana Contemporary, New Jerseay, USA
The Thicker the Woods, the Vaster the Vista. Nevven Gallery, Gothenburg, SE
March Mostra. British School at Rome, IT
2019
Adieu to Old England the Kids Are Alright. Choi and Lager, Cologne, DE
Dusseldorf Art Fair. Choi and Lager gallery, Dusseldorf, DE
December Mostra, British School at Rome, IT
Premio Cairo, Palazzo Reale, Milan, IT
A Seed’s a Star, Loyal Gallery, Stockholm. Curated by Constance Tenvik, SE
The Italian Open, Galerie Rolando Anselmi, Berlin, DE
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
2022 Alkinois art residency, Athens
2022 TAC art residency, Tuscany
2022 Premio Conai finalist, Rome
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