Elena Mazzi (Reggio Emilia, 1984), after studying at the University of Siena and the IUAV in Venice, spent a period of training at the Royal Institute of Art (Konsthögskolan) in Stockholm.
Starting from the examination of specific territories, in her works, she rereads the cultural and natural heritage of places, intertwining stories, facts and fantasies transmitted by local communities, to suggest possible resolutions of the human-nature-culture conflict. Her working methodology, close to anthropology, favors a holistic approach aimed at mending fractures taking place in society, which starts from observation and proceeds by combining different knowledge.
Her works have been shown in solo and group exhibitions, including Villa Arson (Nice), PAV – Living Art Park (Turin), der TANK (Basel), Museo del Novecento (Florence), Castello di Rivoli (Turin), Ca’ Pesaro (Venice), Fondazione Elpis (Milan), Biennale di Luleå (Sweden), BIENALSUR (Argentina), MADRE – Donnaregina Museum of Contemporary Art (Naples), ar/ge kunst (Bolzano), Södertälje Konsthall (Stockholm), Whitechapel Gallery (London), BOZAR – Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels), MAGA – Gallarate Art Museum (Milan), GAMeC (Bergamo), MAMbo – Museum of Modern Art (Bologna), AlbumArte (Rome), Sonje Art Center (Seoul), Palazzo Fortuny (Venice), Fondazione Golinelli (Bologna), GAM – Gallery of Modern Art (Turin), 16th Quadrennial (Rome), 14th Istanbul Biennial (Turkey), 17th BJCEM – Biennial of Young Artists of the Mediterranean, COP17 (Durban), Italian Cultural Institutes (New York, Brussels, Stockholm, Johannesburg and Cape Town), Bevilacqua La Foundation Masa (Venice).
She has participated in several residency programs, including ZK/U in Berlin, Skaftfell Center for the Arts in Iceland, HIAP in Helsinki, Guilmi Art project in Abruzzo, Via Farini in Milan, Fundación Botín in Spain, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in Venice, Future Farmers AIR in San Francisco, Spinola Banna for art, Botkyrka AIR in Stockholm.
She is the winner, among others, of Cantica21 promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, of the 12° and 7° edition of the Italian Council promoted by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, of the Veneto Region Acquisition Award, of the XVII Ermanno Casoli Award, STEP Beyond Award, OnBoard Award, VISIO Young Talent Acquisition prize, Eneganart prize, Illy bag for Unidee, Pistoletto Foundation, nctm and art, Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Foundation Award, Lerici Foundation Award, Movin’up.
Elena Mazzi is presently undergoing a practice-based PHD at Villa Arson in Nice.
