SABINA GRASSO - Portfolio -
Sabina Grasso’s work is principally concerned with the representation of people and the
places in which they dwell. She is also interested in the city as a kind of dramatic stage
where emotions are played out. She compose abstract and reinvented images within
which people engage with the lives they live or draws directly from reality: actors,
performers and dancers move in spaces reinterpreting characters in a film or in a book, in
this way, cities are transformed into vast theatres in whose nooks and niches are wedged
microstories, actions and relations. Photography, video, collage and perfomances are her
most used media.
SABINA GRASSO - This-Placement-
THIS-PLACEMENT it's a photographic project born after a period of time in artist's
residency in different city: Incheon in South Korea, a city port overlooking the Yellow Sea
and Sao Paulo in Brazil both in 2012.
THIS-PLACEMENT starts from the idea of interpreting and not rappresenting the people. I
wanted to play a role both phisically and mentally in an environment that was conpletely
foreging to my culture and my dimensions, my desire was to become for a while those
persons in their home, with their belongings and their history.
I wanted that my presence was not in just a portrait of myself in detached background,
but that all the meanings of that place could catalyzed themselveses around me by
implementing an inevitable shift of meaning.
The mapping of the city happened focusing myself on iside/outside, visibie/invisible.
this project start from my desire to get in contact with a daily life, to became in itself
rappresentation the main character, to do it I've worked in two phases: the first one was to
ask people to invite me into their homes and make a photo portrait of the owner inside the
main room of the house, it could be the kitchen or the living room, it was not me, but they
decided where to position themselves to feel more confortable, the second fase was to let
me stay alone, giving me their position, in the middle of the frame, letting me interpretate
their role, in their domestic space, in their culture.
This-Placement São Paulo
Hanemule photo paper, serie of 23 pictures, 2012
link This-Placement São Paulo (Brazil)
This-Placement São Paulo was possible thanks to the Italian Institute of Culture and Prefeitura of
São Paulo. The photos are taken in the houses part of the Cortiços project of the Segreteria de
Habitação in São Paulo.
This-Placement Incheon
Hanemule photo paper, serie of 10 pictures 2012
link: This-Placement Incheon (South Korea)
This-Placement Incheon was possible thanks to the Spacebeam Artist Residency in Incheon
This-Placement Incheon
Hanemule photo paper, serie of 10 pictures 2012
EXTERNAL NIGHT: the route is from home to gallery and back. I get outside at 3 AM
every night looking for something, I don't know what precisely. I walk around small dark
streets just lit by yellowish lights.
Time is like frozen, I can see open doors and windows as a timid invite to look inside. I
listen, I can hear dogs, cats, drops of water and the sound of the sleaping life, and
everything, every moment, every sound leads me to believe that I am in a dream.
Link to the video Incheon
SABINA GRASSO - Midnight Candy Project -
“The Minight Candy it’s a flower that blow his tropical perfume after the sunset for all night. At the
same time these videos have been conceived to be set around sunset time to give a personal,
intimate and poetic image that relates the subject with the sourrounding as if they were the same
thing, the inside and the outside, the micro and the macro”
My research interest is for the city as an emotional place. The contact with a new
landscape transmitted me some inputs and sensations which then I translate in images.
This project starts from my experience in Brazil and the portrait of São Paulo that I realized
though and thanks to Loana. The strong visual and emotional impact that this city gave
me, brought me to give back a reinvented and abstract view of it. The same impulse was
also for Angelika, a ball artist who reinterprets the Berlin skyline in one of its most aweinspiring places, Ablo Griot musician lives in Milan (Italy), Jian, a Taichi student in
Chongqing (China) Hyeon a fitness teacher in Incheon (South Korea) Willy and Tawfiq,
two breakdancers in Netherlands (Rotterdam) and Marcelo, an hangliding pilot in Rio de
Janeiro (Brazil)
In each city I’ve been to, I have made a single video. Each video can stand on its own, but
part of a biggest project made with video, billboard, collage photo and sculptures, can be
part of a large comprehensive project trying to cach the intimity of the soul of the city and
cityzens. link Billboard .
Midnight Candy #3
Billboard variable dimensions, 2010
produced by Organhaus Art Space,
at Chongqing Contemporary Art Museum.
Chongqing, China.
March 2010
Milan to Chongqing
Midnight Candy #4
Billboard variable dimensions, 2011
produced by RAIR Rotterdam
“Wereld van Witte de With’ and ‘24 uur cultuur"
Rotterdam, Netherlands
September 2011
Chongqing to Rotterdam
Midnight Candy #2
Billboard variable dimensions, 2011
produced by Associazione E
during Collecting the Future,
Sinop Fortress Prison
Sinop, Turkey.
Berlin to Istambul
http://Marcelo
Hd video, 2012
The video is a portrait of Rio de Janeiro trought a pilot taking off from Pedra Bonita, one of the
highest spots of the city. The representation of this city and the beauty too endless captured by
the lightness of the flying given to me the sensation of freedom from the top of the mountain to
the sea.
São Conrado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Marcelo aka Mokiano (hang gliding pilot)
http:// Willy e Tawfiq
Hd video, 2011
Willy and Tawfqin are two breakdancers, Tawfqin in the nord (Blaak) and Willy in the south (Maashaven), they seems
dancing and looking each other in the orizon.
Rotterdam, Willy, Tawfiqin (break dancers)
Rotterdam to Incheon
http://Che Hyeon
HD video, 2011
Che Hyeon Jun dance everyday with his students for 1 hour in the Juiah park in Incheon, this city
as a true hub of Northeast Asia with the world renowned Port visible from the park.
Incheon, South Korea, Che Hyeon Jun (fitness teacher).
http://Jian
HD video, 2010
Chongqing is the biggest city of China. Every night after dinner, is common find people dancing or
playing taichi all togheter in public square. I asked Jian to show me Taichi in a land between
Huangjueping and Jiefang Béi.
Huangjueping, Chongqing, China Jian (Taichi student)
http://Ablo
HD Video, 2009
Griot musician native from Burkina Faso, he is living for years in Milan, he sang on the
characteristic place called Monte Stella in Milan, a song he wrote and dedicated to his family and
his land.
Monte Stella, Milan, Italy, Ablo (Griot Musician)
http://Angelika
DV video, 2009
Comes from the inspiration given to me by the city of Berlin, where I’ve lived. A female juggler who,
thanks to the slow movements of her job, shows her view of the German artistic capital in her
crystal ball.
Warschauer Straße, Berlin, Germany Angelika Jost (Acrobat Juggler)
http://Loana
DVCPRO, 2009
Was thought and matured in São Paulo. The colossal body of the women’s fitness champion, as
colossal as this city of Brazil, is my representation of a capital too endless to be captured from the
top of an Avenida Paulista’s skyscraper.
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil - Loana Muttoni (champion Fitness)
Shanghai
Variable dimensions
wood, elastic band, clothing
2011
SHANGHAI and REMAKE were born after my trip in China. I've made
this scupltures using some clothes I've made by myself and used
more than 10 years ago when I was a go go dancer. I've dressed
them for the last time doing self portraits, using my past to make a
new shape.
bordeaux, pink, yellow
Remake
C-print
variable dimensions
2011
Inscape #1, #2, #5
Inscape
Mixed media
variable dimensions
2011
SABINA GRASSO - Spin-Off -
The Spin-off are extrapolations of a character directly taken from a film reinterpreted by
actors and dancers. The protagonist’s subjectivity is staged by bringing to life one aspect
of his/her character as depicted in one scene.
My idea is to conceive and carry out a new spin-off ad hoc, trying to catch the nature both
of the location space and of the theme of the show. The work consists of two parts: one
live performance and one picture that will resume the interpreted character. They are
originated separately, in a different location from the show, while the video is only a
documentation.
Welcome back Dragon Inn and Dragon Inn's Audience interpreted by Ilaria Stefano Marco
video 85', and Spin-Off#9 performance
shown at Fondazione Bevilaqua La Masa
Venezia, 2012
Tree actors playing the audience of Goodbye Dragon Inn (Tsai Min Liang,2003) during the
exhibition.
The re-edited film Welcome Back Dragon Inn, is a new version of Goodbye Dragon Inn, with the
scenes inside the cinema and the film in the screen Dragon Gate Inn (King Hu, 1967) replaced for
the rest of the movie.
The location of the show was transformed in a cinema, the normal audience will be incounciously
performers.
Dragon Inn's Audience interpreted by Ilaria Stefano Marco
Spleen #9
Hanemule Photo Rag Paper 310, 2012
Sandrine and Vanessa interpreted by Florence and Constance
Spin-Off#8 performance
shown at MAGASIN, Grenoble France
2010
Numero Deux has been released in 1975. It was the first film-video directed and produced by Jean Luc
Godard at Grenoble, through Sonimage
Numero Deux is the number symbolizing the couple, the film reflects on reality, politics, and class struggle.
In a scene, Sandrine dances with her daughter Vanessa. The background song is "La ballata del Pinelli", an
italian song dedicated to Giuseppe Pinelli, an anarchist who died on the 15th of December 1969, falling over a
high window from the police headquarters in Milano. Pinelli was there to be questioned over the explosion of a
bomb in Piazza Fontana happend a few days before.
My work takes into account the fact that this scene has a strong connection with the recent history of italian
politics.
Sandrine and Vanessa interpreted by Florence and
Constance
Spleen #8 B/W photo
Monsieur Hulot interpreted by
Francesco
Spin-Off#7 performance
shown at Magazzino d’Arte
Moderna,
Roma
2010
Consists of an actor playing the
characther of Monsieur Hulot
throughout the opening of the
exhibition, downtown in Rome,
covering the distance beetwen
the gallery's space and the
second location of the show.
The protagonist is "spinned off"
by 'Playtime' the Jacques Tati
film made in 1967.
Monsieur Hulot interpreted by
Francesco
Spleen #7 B/W photo
Leon and Åsa interpreted by Anders and Sandra
Spin Off 6 performance
shown at Kunstverein 0047, Oslo, Norway
2010
This performance consists of actors playing the parts of Leon and Åsa throughout the duration of the
exhibition in downtown Oslo. Taking the protagonists in Erik Poppe’s 2004 film Hawaii, Oslo, I asked two
actors to assume the roles of Leon and Åsa – Leon perpetually looking around Oslo for Åsa, and Åsa sitting
at the Hawaii bar.
Leon and Asa interpreted by Anders and Sandra
Spleen #6
B/W photo 31,7 x 31,7; 2010
Mo-wan interpreted by Xin
Spin-Off 5
performance, shown at
Organhaus Art Space,
Chongqing, China, 2010
Extrapolation of a character from
a Kar Wai Wong's In the mood of
love film (2000). The character,
Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu
Wai) is reinterpreted by Guop
Xin. he was talking his secrets in
a hole on the wall.
Mo-Wan interpreted by Xin
Spleen #5
B/W photo 31,7 x 31,7; 2010
Grace interpreted by Luohui
Spin-Off#4
Performance, shown at Organhaus
Art Space, Chongqing, China, 2010
Consists of an extrapolation of a
character from a Tsai Ming-Liang’s
film “The Hole” (1998), the singer
Grace Chang is reinterpreted by
Luohui
Grace interpreted by Luohui
Spleen #4
B/W photo 2010
Irma interpreted by Clare
Spin-Off#3
performance shown at Hotel
Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany;
2009
An extrapolation of a character
from a Billy Wilder's Irma la
Doulce film (1963), Irma, the
caracter is reinterpreted by
Clare as though performing for
actor’s film. (Shirley MacKlaine)
stayed against the wall on a
passage way, and wait, without
music without speaking.
Irma interpreted by Clare
Spleen #3
B/W photo, 2010
Franz interpreted by Alessio
Spin-off 2
Performance, shown at Studio
Guenzani, Milan, Italy 2008
Consists of an extrapolation of a
character from a Godard's Bande
a part film (1964), the caracter is
reinterpreted by Alessio as though
performing for a one famous
minute silence of Godard's film.
Franz interpreted by Alessio
Spleen #2
B/W photo, 2010
Nanà interpreted by Silvia
Spin-off 1, performance, shown
at Fondazione Banna, Turin,
Italy; 2008
Consists of an extrapolation of
a character from a film.
Nana in vivre sa vie (Godard
1962), is reinterpreted by Silvia
as though performing for a spinoff of Godard's film. The
protagonist's subjectivity is
staged by bringing to life one
aspect of her character as
depicted in one scene, here
retold but without supporting
Nana interpreted by Silvia
Spleen #1
B/W photo 31,7 x 35,7
2010
Untitled (China)
Mixed media
variable dimensions, 2010
Andréa
Bodybuilder, methacrylate base, variable dimensions .
Performance 2008
Andréa, a work conceived together with Massimo Grimaldi, consists of the exhibiton of Andréa
Carvalho Ferreira, a bodybuilder world champion in her class, who was asked to exhibit herself to
herself, as though carrying out an intimate self-portrait, disregarding public expectations and
almost ignoring their presence.
Stefania
Stripteaser, clothes, methacrylate base,
variable dimensions.
Performance 2007
A work conceived together with Massimo Grimaldi, consists in a dance performance of a
striptease. In this unsuitable context, this is not just planned as a stylized representation of the
public’s expectations, but as a self-portrait. Paradoxically, for intimate motivations rather than
contextual reasons.
Mute distance
Digibeta video
2007
The video represents a set borrowed from television, in order to reverse the codes, it is a refusal of
the language that carries out a silent distance. The video takes advantage of the television context
to be used on the contrary, resulting unreal and abstract. The magician, Antonio Casanova, the
character in the center of the shot is not entertaining, rather, he seems as though he is waiting for
something.
Sassi
Digital C-Print
2006-2009
Self-portrait uneasiness and panic attack.
67 lbs
Video DV, by sabina grasso and mattia matteucci
2007
The video tells about a fight between two children belonging to the category of 67 lbs, one of the
lightest divions of Muay Thai (Thai Boxe). It has been shot during a journey in Thailand. The
authors are not interested in rapresenting the fight as it is, rather than focus the eye on the
fascination of the surface of the bodies.
Nella giungla
video DV
2006
It recounts a strong experience, the images
seem disconnected to the tale but they
react to the vision of the surrounding
scenery. The voice does not reveal a
physical presence, until, casually we catch
a glimpse of the back of the image, it is my
mother that is guiding the memory
Ticino
C-Print on alluminium
49x32 cm, 2006
The following part and complementary to
the video nella giungla, these series of
clicks have been conceived as a necessity
to place one body in one space. The body
denied in the video, becomes here
contemplated with the same quietness
with which a strong emotion must then be
sent away.
Sandra
Video DV
2006
The video is shot on the inside of a home,
my mother tells me about a specific aspect
of her life. The kitchen becomes a place
where time and silence obtain a strong
meaning and my presence creates a subtle
performatory tension.
Samarate
C-Print
50x30 cm, 2006
The only point of view for a picture shot
conceived in order to define the home
space and the body of who lives there.
Sabina Grasso
Born 1975
Solo show
Nibiru Italian (with Nicola Genovese) Mars, Milano 2012
Italiens Italian Institute of Culture, curated by Alessandra Pace, Marina Sorbello, Berlin, Germany 2010
Tao Hua, Organhaus Art Space, Chongqing, China. 2010
Nantucket, Sabina Grasso, (with Matteo Rubbi), Studio Guenzani Melzo, Milano, Italy. 2008
Selected Group Exhibitions
(upcoming) Have you Seen me Before? Whitechapel Gallery, London 2013
Mars Mission, Geh8, Ghent, Germany 2012
Io tu lui lei, Fondazione Bevilacqua la Masa, Venice, Italy 2012
Wereld van Witte de With’ and ‘24 uur cultuur, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 2011
I am not a Poet Total Kunst Gallery, Edinburgh, UK 2011
Metrospective 01 Program, Berlin, a project by Future Gallery and Program Berlin, Germany 2011
Si, Sindrome Italiana MAGASIN Centre National d’Art Contemporain, Grenoble, curated by Yves Aupetitallot, France
2010
Landscape / (confini in disordine), Magazzino d’Arte Moderna, Curated by Lorenzo Bruni Italy 2010
You-We Rotonda della Besana, Milan, curated by Francesco Bonami, Italy, 2010
They go round and round Kunstverein 0047, Oslo, curated by Carson Chan, Norway 2010
Art Waiting Room, Fondazione March, curated by Caterina Benvegnù, Padova Italy, 2010
Playlist, LOOP Festival, Barcellona, curated by Francesca di Nardo, Spain, 2010
To find a video, Castello di Rivara, Rivara, Torino curated by Francesca di Nardo and Carolina Lio, Italy, 2010
Europa Neurotish Petersurg Project Space, Amsterdam Netherlands 2009
F.A.B.S. Galleria d’Arte Contemporanea del Museo Nazionale Brukenthal di Sibiu, curated by Eleonora Farina
Romania. 2009
Fondazione Spinola Banna Per l'Arte Torino, curated by Gail Cochrane Italy. 2008
VERBO 08, Galleria Vermelho São Paulo, curated by Marcos Gallon, Brazil. 2008
A,B,F,G,M,N,O,R,O,Z... Fondazione Bevilacqua la Masa, Venezia, curated by Chiara Agnello, Italy. 2008
Videoart Yearbook , Chiostro di Santa Cristina, Bologna, curated by Renato Barilli, Italy. 2008
Muestra Nacional de Nuevos Realizadores, Centro Cultural Cinematografico, La Havana, Cuba. 2007
LOOP Festival, Italian Cultural Institute, Barcelona, España 2007
Videoart Yearbook , Chiostro di Santa Cristina, Bologna, Fondazione Filiberto Menna, Salerno,
Ex Convento di Santa Cristina, Bologna. curated by Renato Barilli, Italy. 2007
Neverending cinema , Galleria Civica di Arte Contemporanea, Trento. Italy. 2006
Women in revolt, Cappella Farnese di Palazzo d’Accursio, Bologna. curated by Fabiola Naldi, Italy. 2006
Quote rosa, Fabbrica del Vapore, Milano. curated by Carlo Ghielmetti, Italy. 2006
Kaleidoscope, Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato. Italy. 2006
Oneminute Olimpic Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Bejing, China. 2006
Beauty not so difficult, Istituto Italiano di Cultura a Berlino, Germany. 2005
Multiplo_3, N.O. Gallery, in collaboration with Via Farini, Milano, Italy. 2005
Beauty so difficult, Fondazione Palazzo delle Stelline, Milano, Italy. 2005
Special projects (performances, collaborations)
Collecting the Future, Midnight Candy #2 in collaboration with Associazione E Venice, Sinope, Turky 2011
Stefania, performance in collaboration with Massimo Grimaldi, Project Room Galleria Zero, ARCO Art Fair, Madrid,
España. 2007
Revolving Landscape, video in collaboration with Patrick Tuttofuoco, Mattia Matteucci, Damaso Queirazza
Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Torino, Italia; De Appel Center for Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, The
Netherlands; Shanghai Biennial, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China. 2006
Due o tre cose che so di lei, vj set in collaboration with Reiky, Galleria Civica di Arte Contemporanea, Trento. 2006
Awards
Rondo Artist Studio stipendium 2013
Spacebeam stipendium 2011
Movin’UP 2008
Acacia ti fa volare, A.C.A.C.I.A. Milano, Italy. 2008
Workshops
REplace Berlin, Gallery Program Berlin, Germany. 2011
Fondazione Spinola Banna Per l'Arte, master Benjamin Weil, Torino, Italy. 2009
Fondazione Spinola Banna Per l'Arte, master Adrian Paci, Torino, Italy. 2008
Memoria Esterna, master Zimmerfrei, Care Of, Milano, Italy. 2007
Via Farini, master Antoni Muntadas, Milano, Italy. 2006
Mobile Art Troop, Atelier North, Oslo, Norway 2006
Brera Fine Arts Accademy, master Enzo Cucchi, Milano, Italy. 2001
Lectures
Art and Neuroscience, with Luca Ticini (Max-Planck-Institut ) Italian Institute of Culture, Berlin, Germany 2011
Il paese sbagliato, moderatore Giulio Ciavoiello Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Italy 2011
Bibliography
Think Twice: twenty years of contemporary art from Collection Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Whitechapel
Gallery and Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo 2013
They go round and round, catalogue, 0047 press Oslo, Norway 2011
Il corpo solitario, l'autoscatto nella fotografia contemporanea, Rubettino Editore, Catanzaro, 2011.
Film in the box, catalogue, Aberystwyth UK, 2010
You-We+Ablo, catalogue, Fondazione Sandretto, Torino, 2010.
Dagsavisen, inne&ute, 23April2010, Norway
Flash Art 284, Inter News 2010
Flash Art 278, Brand New 2009
Exibart on paper 55 Déjà vu Milano 2008
Videoart Yearbook, Fausto Lupetti Editore, Bologna 2009
Piano Magazine, Issue 2, 2008
Quote rosa, catalogue Silvana Editoriale, Milano, 2006.
Beauty not so difficult, catalogue Silvana Editoriale, Milano, 2005.
Altri Fantasmi, catalogue, a+m bookstore, Milano, 2005
NO Magazine n°3, Boxart, 2005
Questi Fantasmi, catalogue, a+m bookstore, Milano, 2004
Residency
Upcoming Rondo Artist Residency Austria 2013
Spacebeam, Incheon South Korea 2011
Kaus Australis, Rotterdam, Netherlands 2011
Organhaus Art Space, Chongqing, China. 2010
SABINA GRASSO - Contacts -
Sabina Grasso
mail: [email protected]
web: www.sabinagrasso.com
mobile: 0039-3355627811