Luisa Rabbia (1970, Pinerolo – Torino).
She studied at Liceo Artistico Primo and at Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti in Torino. In 2000, she moved to New York City, where she currently lives and works.
The artist explores the psycho-social nuances of humanity, from the individual sphere to the collective experience. Her approach, intuitive and emotional, has deep roots in drawing, but over the years has extended from the surface of paper to media such as ceramics, papier-mâché, video animation, and most recently, oil painting on canvas.
Luisa Rabbia’s work is represented by Galleria Giorgio Persano, Torino, and Peter Blum Gallery, New York City. Among the numerous personal and collective exhibitions, we recall those at the following institutions: Studio Museo Felice Casorati, Pavoarolo, Torino (2024), Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA (2022); Museo Michetti, Francavilla al Mare (2022); Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia (2021, 2016); La Reggia di Venaria Reale, Venaria (2021); Magazzino Italian Art Foundation, Cold Spring, NY (2020); Manifesta 12, Palazzo Drago, Palermo (2018); Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome (2018; 2008); Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston (2019, 2014, 2008); Lismore Castle Arts, Lismore, Ireland (2016); Fondazione Merz, Turin (2015, 2009); Biennale del Disegno, Museo della Città, Rimini (2016); Shirley Fiterman Art Center, New York City (2015); Maison Particulière, Brussels (2014); Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge (2013); Museo del Novecento, Milan (2012); Fundación PROA, Buenos Aires (2010); Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice (2009); MAXXI, Rome (2007); Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai (2006); Certosa di S.Lorenzo, Padula (2006); Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, San Gimignano (2005); Palazzo Cavour, Turin (2005); Arte All’Arte IX, San Gimignano (2004); Palazzo Bricherasio, Turin (2003).
Luisa Rabbia was a Visiting Professor in Drawing at Harvard University, Cambridge, during the academic year 2013/14. Among the awards, she received the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2022 and the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Painting in 2018.
Awards and artist residencies
2022
Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, New York, NY
2018
NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts, NY
2007
Artist Residency at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Artist in Residence, Boston, MA
2002
Artist Residency at Artomi, New York, NY
2000-2001
Artist Residency at International Studio Program (ISCP), New York, NY
1999
Artist Residency at THAI-EU Contemporary Art Project: Alter Ego, Silpakorn, University, Bangkok, Thailand
1996
Modernità Progetto 2000 Grant, Young Artist International Competition, Palazzo Bricherasio, Torino, Italy
Selected solo exhibitions
2025
Beginning Again, Mario Diacono Gallery, Boston, MA
2024
The Gods, Galleria Giorgio Persano, Torino
THE BEGINNING. Works by Luisa Rabbia in dialogue with Huma Bhabha, Ross Bleckner, Gianni Caravaggio, Mario Diacono, Jason Dodge, Scott Grodesky, Jannis Kounellis, Piero Manzoni, Claudio Parmiggiani and Beatrice Pediconi, curated by David Dixon and Archivio Casorati, Studio Museo Felice Casorati, Pavarolo, Torino
2023
Inferno, Peter Blum Gallery, New York, NY
2022
The Inferno, Broken in Nine Pieces, The Drawing Hall, Bergamo, Italy (catalogue)
2020
From Mitosis to Rainbow, Peter Blum Gallery, New York, NY
2018
Death&Birth, Peter Blum Gallery, New York, NY
2017
Love, Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia, Italy (catalogue)
2016
Territories, Frieze Art Fair, Peter Blum Gallery, New York, NY
A Matter of Life, RLWindow, Ryan Lee Gallery, New York, NY
2014
Drawing, Peter Blum Gallery, New York, NY
Waterfall, installation for the façade of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA
Everyone, Studio Eos, Rome, Italy
2012
Coming and Going, Peter Blum Chelsea, New York, NY
2010
Luisa Rabbia, Fundación PROA, Buenos Aires, Argentina, curated by Beatrice Merz
You Were Here. You Were There, Galerie Charlotte Moser, Genève, Switzerland
2009
Luisa Rabbia: Travels with Isabella. Travel Scrapbooks 1883/2008, Fondazione Querini, Stampalia, Venezia, Italy, curated by Chiara Bertola and Beatrice Merz
In viaggio sotto lo stesso cielo, Fondazione Merz, Torino, Italy, curated by Beatrice Merz (catalogue)
2008
Travels with Isabella. Travel Scrapbooks 1883/2008, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA, curated by Pieranna Cavalchini (catalogue)
2007
Yesterdaytodaytomorrow, Mario Diacono Gallery, Boston, MA
Together, Galleria Rossana Ciocca, Milano, Italy
Luisa Rabbia, Massimo Audiello Gallery, New York, NY
2006
Luisa Rabbia, Marta Cervera Gallery, Madrid, Spain
2005
ISLANDS, Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art GAMeC Raffaele de Grada, San Gimignano, Italy, curated by Achille Bonito Oliva (catalogue)
Anywhere Out of the World, Galleria Giorgio Persano, Torino, Italy (catalogue)
2004
Special Project Arte all’Arte 9, Associazione Continua, San Gimignano, Italy, curated by Achille Bonito Oliva and James Putnam (catalogue)
The last Resort: Luisa Rabbia – David Krippendorff, Massimo Audiello Gallery, New York, NY
2003
La Sala degli Specchi, Fondazione Palazzo Bricherasio, Torino, Italy
A Matter of Life, Galleria Rossana Ciocca, Milano, Italy
2002
Luisa Rabbia, Massimo Audiello Gallery, New York, NY
1999
Luisa Rabbia, Galleria Rossana Ciocca, Milano, Italy (catalogue)
1998
Luisa Rabbia, Perugi Arte Contemporanea, Padova, Italy
1997
Nuovi rumori di fondo, Galleria Rossana Ciocca, Milano, Italy
1995
Proposte X: Ansie Luisa Rabbia – Daniele Galliano, Galleria San Filippo, Torino, Italy, curated by Riccardo Passoni (catalogue)
Luisa Rabbia, Studio d’Arte Recalcati, Torino, Italy, curated by Marco Noire