Peng Shuai Paolo is a multidisciplinary artist born in China (Xiangtan) in 1995 and arrived in Italy in 2004. His diverse cultural backgrounds makes the discussion of contradictions and coexistence issues one of the themes of his work. The confusion, exploration and reinterpretation of identity, and the review of self body and soul constitute his writing method of personal history.
His work is part of an area of research defined as Economadism understood as the study of environmental conditions and therefore cultural, anthropological and psychological nomadic state of the human subject considered “in transit from a unitary dimension, homogenous and controllable to a fluid one, in evolution and hybrid”, as focused by the Italian philosopher naturalized Australian Rosi Braidotti (1954). To address this issue, Paolo Peng Shuai refers to the world of Chinese plants, symbol of the identity of his native country.
The work of the artist was exhibited and involved in the context of cultural intervention such as: Raccolti, curated by Provinciale 11, Teatrino Malaspina, Mulazzo; Practicing the ephemeral, curated by Luca Arnaudo and Arendt Speser, Casa del Director, Colle di Tora (Rieti); Noocene, curated by Silvia Vannacci, Palazzo Binelli, Carrara; Imaginary Natives (performance) curated by Johanne Affricot, McKim, Mead & White Building, American Academy in Rome, Rome; Foreigners Everywhere, Workshop Biennale College Arte 2023/2024, with Adriano Pedrosa, Venice.
EDUCATION
MFA with Honors in Visual Culture and Curatorial Practice (tutor Riccardo Venturi), Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Italy
BFA with Honors in Painting (tutors Maurizio Arcangeli and Cristina Muccioli), Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Italy
2011-2015 Summer School Affiliated to China Central Academy of Fine Arts, China
BFA with Honors in Painting (tutors Maurizio Arcangeli and Cristina Muccioli), Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Italy
2011-2015 Summer School Affiliated to China Central Academy of Fine Arts, China
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Homo Exradicatus/Radicatus, curated by Piervalentino Consigliere, Condominio XYZ, Milan
2023 芒种 Geneulogia, curated by Valentina Pedone e Arendt Speser, galleria Andante, Rome
2020 Uovo sodo, curated by Giacomo Agosti, Studio Zecchillo ex Studio di Piero Manzoni, Milan
2018 Le Arti della Cina (l'inedito mondo artistico cinese in Italia), curated by Giacomo Agosti, Fondazione Italia Cina, Milan
La realtà superficiale, curated by Fondazione Paolina Brugnatelli, Milan
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Raccolti, curated by Provinciale 11, Teatro Malaspina, Mulazzo
2023 Praticare l’effimero, curated by Luca Arnaudo and Arendt Speser, Casa del Direttore, Colle di Tora (Rieti)
Noocene, curated by Silvia Vannacci, Palazzo Binelli, Carrara
2024 Raccolti, curated by Provinciale 11, Teatro Malaspina, Mulazzo
2023 Praticare l’effimero, curated by Luca Arnaudo and Arendt Speser, Casa del Direttore, Colle di Tora (Rieti)
Noocene, curated by Silvia Vannacci, Palazzo Binelli, Carrara
2022 Pecorelle, curated by Spazio Mirtillo, galleria Arrivada, Milano
Every Food is a Landscape, curated by Marco Trulli, Polo del 900, Torino
Liberi Tutti (Festival di Arti Performative), curated by Silvia Concari e Alessio Vigni, Habitat Ottantatre, Verona
Biennale di Todi, Sala delle Pietre, curated by Roberta Giuliani e Diego Costantini, Todi
2021 IDEM/ALTER, curated by Silvia Vannacci, Saletta Campolmi, Prato
Liberi Tutti (Festival di Arti Performative), curated by Silvia Concari e Alessio Vigni, Habitat Ottantatre, Verona
Biennale di Todi, Sala delle Pietre, curated by Roberta Giuliani e Diego Costantini, Todi
2021 IDEM/ALTER, curated by Silvia Vannacci, Saletta Campolmi, Prato
Routes, curated by Rea! Curatorial Team, Scalo Lambrate, Milan
With. In, curated by Metaxy Kollective, Sparc* Spazio Arte Contemporanea, Venice
2020 Art in Act 008, curated by Linda Kniffitz, Villa Paris, Teramo
Urban Fringe, curated by Peng Shuai, Studio d'Arte Banshan, Milan
#Hofattounbelgesto, The Glass Cathedral, Fondamenta Manin 1, Murano
Il filo di Turandot- I Edizione, MA-EC gallery, Milan 2019 Anima e colore- Milano Gallery Weekend, Fondazione Paolina Brugnatelli, Milan
Mosaic Biennial, curated by Linda Kniffitz, Palazzo Rasponi dalle Teste, Ravenna
Fragmented image, curated by Laurentiu Craioveanu, Laurentiu Craioveanu Contemporary Art Studio, Lodi
Posso-pensare-ad-una-sola-parola-ma-non-alla-frase-intera, curated by Riccardo Vailati, Palazzo Visconti, Brignano
Unusual Vision, curated by Yang Chunmeng, Villa Burba, Rho
A look without border, Milan Design Week, House of Art & Artists S.R.L, Milan
Ri-levante, curated by Laurentiu Craioveanu, House of Art & Artists S.R.L, Milan
2018 Compromise, curated by O'Dirk, SpazioFico, Milan
Darwin Day, curated by Maurizio Arcangeli, Clara Bonfiglio and Cristina Muccioli, Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Milan
PERFORMANCES2024 Imaginary Natives, curated by Johanne Affricot, McKim, Mead & White Building, American Academy in Rome, Rome
2023 Giardino Movente, curated by Luca Arnaudo, Casa del Direttore, Colle di Tora (Rieti)
2021 Instinctive Reaction, curated by Silvia Vannacci, Saletta Campolmi, Prato
2020 Instinctive Reaction, The Glass Cathedral, Murano
WORKSHOP
2023 Foreigners Everywhere, Biennale College Arte 2023/2024, with Adriano Pedrosa,Venice
2023 Foreigners Everywhere, Biennale College Arte 2023/2024, with Adriano Pedrosa,Venice
RESIDENCIES
2024 Sentieri Creativi, Cà Matta, Bergamo
Raccolti, Provinciale 11, Casa Donato Vettese, Mulazzo
2023 Casa del Direttore, Villa De Sanctis, Colle di Tora (Rieti)
2024 Sentieri Creativi, Cà Matta, Bergamo
Raccolti, Provinciale 11, Casa Donato Vettese, Mulazzo
2023 Casa del Direttore, Villa De Sanctis, Colle di Tora (Rieti)
2021 VIR Viafarini-in-residence, Milan
SEMINARS
2024 Problematiche di conservazione dell’arte contemporanea, invited by Francesca Franco (do cente di Storia dell’arte contemporanea), Scuola di Restauro, Accademia di Belle Arti L’Aquila, Aquila
2022 Giovani artisti alle prese con il sistema dell'arte globale, Scuola Normale di Pisa, Sala Azzurra,Pisa
CURATION
2024 Tonycon: Art Brut(exhibited artist: canecapovolto),Spazio Ferrobedò, Milan
2022 Human Theater, (exhibited artists: Chen Maomin, Gui Kezhen, He Yunchang, Huang Zejian, Liu Xuedong, Zhao Longfeng, Yin Shaoqi), Laros s.r.l, Nerviano
2024 Tonycon: Art Brut(exhibited artist: canecapovolto),Spazio Ferrobedò, Milan
2022 Human Theater, (exhibited artists: Chen Maomin, Gui Kezhen, He Yunchang, Huang Zejian, Liu Xuedong, Zhao Longfeng, Yin Shaoqi), Laros s.r.l, Nerviano
Digital Warming, (exhibited artists: Cheng Gu, Deng Enhao, Hou Keshan, Wang Yuchen), Culture Dish online platform
2020 URBAN FRINGE, (exhibited artists: Cao Zhehao, Chen Maomin, Chen Hongtao, Huang Zejian, Li Zhuwei, Peng Shuai Paolo, Jin Xiaolin, Wang Hao, Yin Shaoqi,Yu Chenchen), Peng Shuai Paolo studio, Milan
TALKS/INTERVIEWS
2022 Giovani, cibo e cambiamento climatico: verso stili di vita e sistemi alimentari sostenibili, moderated by Emanuela Vita, BASE Milano, Milan
忍不住触电 Can’t help touching, moderated by Jia Ni, Milan
ALFA PRIVATIVO – Provocazioni sull’inclusività e l’intersezionalità nell’arte, Contemporary Matters, il Vivaio del Malcantone, Florence
Conversazione con Shuai Peng, Giacomo Agosti e Chunmeng Yang, moderated by Giuliana Carbi Jesurun, Trieste Contemporanea, Trieste
2021 4 Chiacchiere con Peng Shuai Paolo, intervisted by Sun Wenlong and Sarah Manganotti
Intervista Shincera, intervisted by Shi Yangshi, Milan
TALKS/INTERVIEWS
2022 Giovani, cibo e cambiamento climatico: verso stili di vita e sistemi alimentari sostenibili, moderated by Emanuela Vita, BASE Milano, Milan
忍不住触电 Can’t help touching, moderated by Jia Ni, Milan
ALFA PRIVATIVO – Provocazioni sull’inclusività e l’intersezionalità nell’arte, Contemporary Matters, il Vivaio del Malcantone, Florence
Conversazione con Shuai Peng, Giacomo Agosti e Chunmeng Yang, moderated by Giuliana Carbi Jesurun, Trieste Contemporanea, Trieste
2021 4 Chiacchiere con Peng Shuai Paolo, intervisted by Sun Wenlong and Sarah Manganotti
Intervista Shincera, intervisted by Shi Yangshi, Milan
2020 INTRO- A very short introduction, moderated by Laurentiu Craioveanu, MA-EC gallery, Milan
PRIZES
2022 Biennale di Todi, Special Prize, Todi
2021 EsponiMi Prize, first classified, Rotary Club, Rho
2020 Rea! Art Prize, winner, Fabbrica del vapore, Milan
2019 GAEM Prize, first classified, CNA project, Ravenna
2017 Paolina Brugnatelli Visual Arts Prize, first classified, Fondazione Paolina Brugnatelli, Milan
PRIZES
2022 Biennale di Todi, Special Prize, Todi
2021 EsponiMi Prize, first classified, Rotary Club, Rho
2020 Rea! Art Prize, winner, Fabbrica del vapore, Milan
2019 GAEM Prize, first classified, CNA project, Ravenna
2017 Paolina Brugnatelli Visual Arts Prize, first classified, Fondazione Paolina Brugnatelli, Milan