Cristina De Paola (b. 1995, Italy) is an artist based in Milan. Her latest artistic research investigates the sense of belonging to a specific place, both physically and mentally. Through a heterogeneous visual path that combines the artist’s personal heritage along with scientific sources, De Paola’s work is a tale about how, since prehistoric times, human beings had an extreme need to interact with the Mother Earth; the Italian South proves to be fertile land of research on forms of interactions with our deepest sense of identity.

Commercial portfolio only upon request

Education
2018/2022 - MA in Photography, Brera Academy, Milan, IT
August/February 2016 - BA in New Media, Willem de Kooning Academie, Rotterdam, NL
2014/2017 - BA in Art and Media, Brera Academy, Milan, IT

Traineeship
2020 - Viasaterna, Milan, IT
2019 - Triennale di Milano, Milan, IT

Solo Exhibitions
2023 – ITACA, double solo exhibition with Lorenzo D'Alba, curated by Angelica Lucia Raho – Uggiano la Chiesa, IT
2020 – Finis Terrae, curated by Emma Zanella – Museo MA*GA, Gallarate, IT

Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 – OMNEFEST 2023 / IN NATURA by Osservatorio Mobile Nord Est, Museo Casa Giorgione, Castelfranco Veneto, IT
2023 – "Questa è la mia terra", XV Festival di Fotografia a Capri, Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri, IT
2023 – Combat Prize, Museo Civico Fattori, Livorno, IT
2023 – Parla del Tuo Villaggio #3, KORA Contemporary Arts Center, Castrignano de' Greci, IT
2023 – ImageNation Paris / Just Women Collective, Galerie Joseph Le Palais, Paris, FR
2022 – ReA! Art Fair, Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan, IT
2022 – “Where my feet stand”, Liquida Photo Festival, ARTiglieria Contemporary Art Center, Turin, IT
2022 – Insight Foto Festival / Confine, Sala Veratti, Varese, IT
2021 – "DOMANI – Aspettative, previsioni e desideri per l'epoca post pandemica", progetto BreraBicocca, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Milan, IT
2021 – TRACCIATI - AIR NON RESERVED ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, Officine Creative Non Riservato & Cascina Biblioteca, Milan, IT
2021 – I am not sure (Will I ever be?), Spacca Studio, Milan, IT
2021 – FRESH EYES 2021, Rotterdam Photobook Market, NL
2021 – Maratona di Visione – 3º Rassegna Online di Videoarte, curated by Alberto Ceresoli. Represented by Spazio Volta/selected by Edoardo De Cobelli, IT
2021 – PROGETTO SPAZIO VOLTA OPEN CINEMA, Spazio Volta, Bergamo, IT
2020 – BRAERAKLASSE#5 – IPER Interno Esterno, Careof / Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan, IT
2019 – Riccardo Prina Prize, Un racconto fotografico, Ghiggini Gallery, Varese, IT
2019 – Riccardo Prina Prize, Un racconto fotografico, La Triennale di Milano, Milan, IT
2019 – "Che riguarda la fotografia", Centrale Festival, Rocca Malatestiana, Fano, IT
2019 – "Tutti i verbi all'infinito", curated by Apuliart and Cava, Museo Diocesano, Lecce, IT
2017 – (RE)GENERATION, curated by Apuliart, Prima Gallery, Lecce, IT
2016 – Ubik Gallery, curated by Mint Collective, Rotterdam, NL

Artist Residencies and Masterclasses
2022 – REREADING THE ARCHIVE – curated by Saul Marcadent, in collaboration with Compulsive Archive, ICA Milano
2022 – DEFAULT22 Masterclass – Ramdom and Presidenza del Consiglio Regionale della Puglia, KORA Centro del Contemporaneo, Castrignano de’ Greci
2021 – "In Nature" - workshop with Mark Steinmetz and Irina Rozovsky by Transizioni / OMNNE, Lecce
2021 – TRACCIATI - AIR Non Reserved Artist in Residence by Non Riservato and Cascina Biblioteca, Milan
2021 – "Nuove modalità operative per la fotografia", workshop with Paolo Woods – Riverboom
2021 – "Il fotolibro nel panorama dell'editoria indipendente", workshop with Tommaso Parrillo – Witty Books
2021 – "Editoria come Curatela - Publishing as Curating", workshop with Elisa Medde – FOAM Magazine
2020 – Canon Student Development Programme - Visa Pour l'Image
2019 – BoCs Art - Art residence Curated by Giacinto di Pietrantonio, Cosenza

Awards & nominations
2023 – "Questa è la mia terra" by Fondazione Capri (winner, Single Shot)
2023 – Combat Prize (finalist)
2021 – "Reunion Calling" by PhEST, selected by Phmuseum
2021 – 150 Greatest Emerging Photography Talent in Europe by FRESH EYES - Powered by GUP Magazine
2019 – Riccardo Prina Prize (winner)

Catalogs and Paper
2023 – Combat Prize, Sillabe (ISBN 9788833403793)
2022 – ReA! Art Fair III Edition (ISBN 9788894571424)
2022 – Liquida Photo Festival, powered by Paratissima
2021 – FRESH EYES - Powered by GUP Magazine (ISBN 9789083106212)
2021 – Ombra Magazine Issue n.2
2020 – Yogurt Magazine - BAD TASTE flavour. Issue published by Yogurt Editions (ISSN 27240657)
2020 – Encourage – Canon Student Development Programme 2020. Curated by Luca Rocco and Camilla Ferrari, published by Postcart (ISBN 9788831363174)

Online publications

Juliet Magazine
Jugaad Magazine
Walk In Studio – Il laboratorio dimensionale di Stefano Cavaliero
Ombra Magazine
D.A.R.E. Magazine
Assembramento by Invertebre
Artwave
Vulcano Statale
Apuliart
Rullino Rebels
4actionsport
Boardaction