Milan-based artist Debora Barnaba embarked on her artistic journey with a
foundation in drawing and painting, later immersing herself in the
realm of photography, which eventually evolved into her primary mode of
artistic expression.
Since 2006, she has collaborated with
distinguished figures in the field, including Giovanni Gastel and
Oliviero Toscani, marking significant milestones in her artistic career.
Barnaba's presence has been notable in both group and solo exhibitions,
earning her recognition through numerous prestigious awards.
Her
body of work unveils the potency of self-portraits, where bodies are
masterfully controlled and subtly subverted in service of the
photographic lens. Barnaba's artistic acumen is evident in the
meticulous and formally constructed shots, reflecting her background in
drawing and painting. Notably, her commitment extends to the
aestheticization of ideas, a process akin to "tracing" concepts within
the confines of a single click, showcasing a profound artistic
dexterity.
Solo exhibitions:
2024 BODYlicious, Ghiggini Gallery, Varese, Italy
2022 Body architecture, Ghiggini Gallery, Varese, Italy
2019 .nedt, IBSA special project, Milan, Italy
2013 Debora Barnaba: Untitled Show, Theca Gallery, Lugano, Swiss
Selected group exhibitions:
2024 Corporeality, Art-Icon, Paris, France
2023 Miradas Compartidas, Palacio de Lombillo, L’Avana, Cuba
2023 Hot topic, curated by Eileen Ghiggini, Ghiggini Gallery, Varese, Italy
2023 Presenze contemporanee, curated by Paolo Feroce, PAM Museum, Caserta, Italy
2022 #MFM1# Excitatio, curated by Francesca Interlenghi, Spazio Maria Calderara, Milano, Italy
2021 Femme et fatale, with Image Nation Milan, Fondazione Matalon, Milan, Italy
2020 PhotoLondon fair, with Podbielski Gallery, London, Great Britain
2020 Ghiggini Arte 03/2020, curated by Eileen Ghiggini, Ghiggini Gallery, Varese, Italy
2020 Pleasure Garden, curated by Pierre Podbielski, Podbielski Gallery, Milan, Italy
2020 50 Liceo Artistico, Villa Mirabello Museum, Varese, Italy
2019 ContemporaneaMENTI, exhibition of the finalists of the prize, Fondazione Arsenale, Iseo, Italy
2019 Incarnato, curated by Chiara Gatti, Ghiggini Gallery, Varese, Italy
2018 Artisti a Venezia, curated by Daniela Accorsi, Accorsi Gallery, Venice, Italy
2017 Carte esposte, curated by Annalisa Fanti, Theca Gallery, Milan, Italy
2017 Biennale di Genova, Palazzo Stella, Genova, Italy
2017 Nude, Cortina Gallery, Milan, Italy
2017 Kunst lives matter, Marzia Frozen Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2014 White light/White heat, Theca Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland
2013 Corpo a corpo, Hangart, Pavia, Italy
2012 Il paesaggio contemporaneo, Deodato Arte, Milan, Italy
2012 Nonsolocorpisoli, I Macelli, Florence, Italy
2011 Circuiti dinamici, Circolo culturale Bertolt Brecht, Milan, Italy
2010 Locus animae, Palazzo del Turismo, Jesolo, Italy
2010 Artparty, Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Castello di Masnago, Varese, Italy
2008 Cristalli di Rocca, curated by Carolina Lio, Rocca Grimalda, Italy
2007 Body-il corpo umano nell’arte contemporanea, Spazio Expo Culturali GB Design, Florence, Italy
Prizes:
2021 Bronze at Paris Photo prize, Paris
2019 Winner of the photographry prize at ContemporaneaMENTI, Fondazione Arsenale Iseo
2018 Finalist at C.O.C.A. Prize for photography
2017 Winner of the critique prize, Genova Biennale
2017 Mention by the jury, The Independent Photographer award
2014 Third classified with Annalisa Mazzoli, Serbelloni Prize
2012 Finalist at Premio Giovani Artisti Borgomanero, III edition
2012 Third classified, Premio Ghiggini Arte Giovani XI edition
2011 Special mention by the jury, Giovani Artisti Borgomanero, II edition
Selected bibliography:
AAVV., ContemporaneaMENTI, cat. Exhibition, Arsenale Iseo, 2019
AAVV., Biennale di Genova, cat. Exhibition, AGF Edizioni, 2017
AAVV., Regione Lombardia: four seasons of beauty, Regione Lombardia, 2017
BONOMI Giorgio, Il corpo solitario vol.2, Rubettino Editore, 2017
AAVV., Expo Tales, Regione Lombardia, 2015
BARNABA Debora, Mondrian: Arte come percezione della forma invisibile, Edizioni Accademiche Italiane, 2015
AAVV., Pasottiade, Silvio Pasotti dal 1933, Skira Ed, 2015
BARNABA Debora, White catalogue, White Milano, jan. 2015
AAVV., La Varese che vorrei, 80 contributors, Associazione Parentesi and Lions Club Varese Host Ed, 2014
AAVV., 12 Riflessi, cat. exhibition, Francesco Brioschi Ed, 2014
AAVV., Premio giovani artisti, cat. exhibition, Italgrafica Ed, 2012
AAVV., Ghiggini arte, cat. exhibition, 2012
BARNABA Debora, Visioni del vuoto: Varese, Arterigere Ed, 2011
AAVV., Premio giovani artisti, cat. exhibition, Italgrafica Ed, 2011
IOVINE Sandro, Il Fotografo, Kissing me, magazine, Sprea Ed, 2010
AAVV., Locus animae, rassegna d'arte contemporanea quinto episodio, cat. exhibition, Nextitalia, 2010
AAVV., Artparty, sferica, cat. exhibition, Quir Ed, 2010
AAVV., Circuiti dinamici, cat. exhibition, Seriart Ed, 2010
AAVV., Ghiggini arte, cat. exhibition, 2010
TOSCANI Oliviero e ALTRI, Santo Spirito, La Sterpaia Ed, 2009
AAVV., Cristalli di Rocca, cat. exhibition, 2008
