Nicola Guastamacchia works between the realms of art, law and politics to explore urgent social and cultural contradictions inherent to established forms of belonging and national identity in the European and global landscapes. Combining a practice based approach with writing and critical theory his work resorts to curatorial and collaborative projects as well as site- specific interventions, sculptures, collages and prints to investigate issues of political inclusion, language hybridisation and institutional demise. In this context, manifestos and actions form the history of the Avantgarde are primary aesthetic references to test the limits of contemporary blending of art and politics. Each project is a step in the ongoing commitment to record significant moments of our present. Ultimately, the idea that there is a revolutionary potential to contemporary art, which may not take the shape of revolutions as we learned to imagine them, is what inspires the Nicola’s personal and artistic path.
Co-director, In-ruins residency, Calabria, Italy
Co-founder, VOGA art project, Bari, Italy
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Selected Exhibitions and Prizes
Mar 2022 In Varietate Concordia | Linea Project, Lecce [SOLO SHOW]
Dec 2021 Nicola Guastamacchia | Italian Cultural Institute, Tunis [SOLO SHOW]
Jul 2021 32 Metri Quadri di Mare (Mediterraneo) | Fondazione Museo Pino Pascali, Polignano a Mare [SOLO SHOW]
Oct 2021 Manifesto 3D | Balloon Project / Centro Studi Gobetti, Turin
Nov 2020 Cantica21 Award - Under35 selection | Italian Ministry of Culture / Italian Ministry of External Affairs, Rome
Sept 2019 From Our Distant Proximity | Ambasciata Italiana / GulerSanat Gallery, Ankara
Nov 2018 2018 (Manifesto) | Italian Cultural Institute, Londra [SOLO SHOW]
Jun 2018 Volume I | Astra Residency, Spoleto
Feb 2018 Studioless | Incheon Art Platform, Seoul
Sept 2017 Water is Wet | The Stanley Picker Gallery, London
Aug 2016 Marginalia | Labor Gallery, Budapest
Aug 2015 Tiranti Award for Sculpture | NEO Art Prize, Manchester
Jul 2015 Finalist, Sculpture Section | COMBAT Prize Livorno
Apr 2013 Finalist, Under 25 Section | Laguna Art Prize Venezia
Workshops, Projects and Conferences
Jul 2021 'Art in the Public Space' | KORA - Contemporary Arts Centre, Lecce
Feb 2020 'Traguardare' workshop with BIANCO-VALENTE | Italian Cultural Institute / Harabel Gallery, Tirana
Jun 2019 'Collectives as catalists' workshop | Raven Row Gallery, London
Jun 2018 London Conference in Critical Thought | Westminster University, London
Nov 2017 Urban Encounters: ‘Cartographies: places through visual and photographic representations’ | APT Gallery, London
Jun 2017 The Contemporary Contemporary Conference | ARoS Museum, Aarhus
May 2017 Contemporary Research Intensive Workshop IUAV, Aarhus University e Liverpool John Moores University | Research Pavillion Venice
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Education​
2021 Course of Art and Politics, Basis voor Actuele Kunst (BAK), Utrecht
2015 — 2017 MFA in Fine Art, Kingston School of Art, London
2014 — 2015 Mlitt in Modern and Contemporary Art, University of Glasgow (Christie's Education Trust Award)
2009 — 2014 BLL+MLL in Business Law, Università di Bari, Italy (Mention in the Album of the best graduates)
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Publications
Jan 2022 "Non mi toccare: Anna Ill e il corpo come misura", Forme Uniche, online
Jun 2021 "Storia di un incidente e delle sue vite precedenti: una conversazione con Nicola Lorini", Forme Uniche, online
Jan 2021 "On the legacy of street resistance: A conversation with Marinella Senatore" in Flash Art: PUBLIC ART 2666, online
Nov 2018 "Biennials, Triennials and Documenta" in Stenberg Press: The Contemporary Condition Series | Contemporary Research Workshop, Berlino
Nov 2017 "Keeping the rock rolling” in JAWS Journal Vol. 3, Intellect Books, Londra
Jun 2017 "The extemporary contemporary" in The Contemporary Contemporary Conference, Aarhus University, https://contemporaneity.au.dk/conference
Jan 2016 "London (behind the walls) in PeaProposals Spotlight series # 1, https://peaproposals.co.uk/Nicola-Guastamacchia
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