Trained as an anthropologist and as an artist, Marcella Vanzo works with video, installation and performance in Milan, Italy, where she was born. She investigates all dimensions of the human being, from the social to the mythical one, from the emotional to the political one. In her work reality and fiction form a tight knit unity that questions the representation of everyday world.
A relevant part of her practice is dedicated to bringing about positive change in society by means of education, teacher training and participatory art. Vanzo founded The Momentary Now Performance School in Milan in 2019 and currently teaches at Accademia Carrara in Bergamo and Accademia Ligustica in Genoa. She writes for Exibart and Artedossier and has been a poet in residence at Arimo, Casa degli Artisti, Milano.
Recent performances include: Sognare, Spazio Sconfina, Milan, 2024; Lasciare Traccia, Casa degli Artisti, Milan, 2024; Il negozio di niente, Performing Nuvola, 2022; Versi, Contemporary Locus 14, Bergamo, 2022. Exhibitions include: Biennolo, Milan, 2021, #squola pubblica, PirelliHangar Bicocca – Contemporary Locus from 2020 to the present; Radical, Palazzo Cavalli Franchetti, Venice, 2019; Festival del Paesaggio, Capri, 2018; Jakarta Biennale, 2017; Manifesta11, Zurich, 2016; Perspectif Cinema, Centre Pompidou, 2015; Prague Biennale 2011; Performa 09, New York, 2009; Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Walker Art Center, Museo Reina Sofia, Galleria Continua and numerous video festivals.
She won the Acacia Prize for Young Art and the New York Prize.
Her work can be found in public and private collections.
Her publications include and Rumors for Moor Editions and Quore da sera published by La Vita Felice Edizioni.
Selected Solo Exhibitions + Performances
2025
#squola_pubblica 2025, Teacher Training Program, Contemporary Locus and Bergamo University Education Department.
2024
Sognare, performance, Spazio Sconfina, Milano
Lasciare traccia, performance with Gino Lucente, Casa degli Artisti, Milano
2023
Cercare tracce – A passi tardi e lenti, residential lab + performance, curated by A.Pioselli & F. Fiaschini, Greccio
#squola_pubblica, Teacher Training Program, Contemporary Locus and Bergamo University Education Department.
2022
Il negozio di niente, performance curated by A. Polveroni, Roma Arte in Nuvola.
Contemporary Locus 14_Marcella Vanzo, Versi 02, Monastero del Carmine, Bergamo
2020
#squola_pubblica/fareinsieme#squola_pubblica, Educational Program, HangarBicocca, Milano
Cercando il rosso, curated by A. Pioselli, Palazzo del Comune, Sesto San Giovanni
2019
To wake up the living to wake up the dead, curated by M. Bergamini, Fondazione Berengo, Venezia
Corpo a Corpo, performance, MACRO, Roma
2018
Corpo a Corpo, performance, curated by M. Bergamini, Casa G, Milano
2017
Secreto, curated by M. Paderni, Chiesa di S. Carlo e S. Agata, Associazione FlagNoFlags, Festival Fotografia Europea OFF, Reggio Emilia
2016
Sto per farmi la pelle, text based performance, curated by Società dello Spettacolo & Viaindustrie, Performing Santacaterina, Foligno
2015
Cappuccetto Osso, text based performance, Teatro Studio di Scandicci, Officina Giovani – Prato
QUEI 2, Zona K Milano
2014
QUEI 2, text based performance, Teatro Studio di Scandicci, Teatro Valle Occupato Roma
Inland Archipelago, Lucie Fontaine, Milano
2010
Rumors Live, curated by P. Gaglianò for Zoom Teatro 2010, Teatro Studio di Scandicci
2008
Performat, Lucie Fontaine, Milano
2007
Summertime, Galleria Continua, San Gimignano
Mindfield, Teatro Coccia, curated by M. Tagliaferro, Novara
2006
An impossible tour, Italian Academy at Columbia University, New York
Limbo, Studio Guenzani, Milano
2005
Ama, site-specific installation at Castello di Ama per l’arte contemporanea, Siena
2003
Magma, curated by F. Pasini, Associazione Culturale Prometeo, Lucca
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025
Mercato Nero, Adiacenze, Bologna
2024
Arimo! Casa degli Artisti, Milano
2021
Corpi sul palco, curated by A. Contin, Teatro Linguaggi Creativi, Milano
Biennolo, curated by M. Bergamini, R. Ciocca, G. Romano, C. Vanoni, Milano
Presente (im)perfetto. Premio Città di Treviglio, curated by S. Fontana, Spazio San Paolo Invest
Mare a rovescio, curated by M. Bazzini, Festivart, Lavagna
2020
Corpi sul palco. Performance da casa in tempo di quarantena, curated by A. Contin, Teatro Linguaggi Creativi
La rivoluzione siamo noi, curated by Alberto Fiz, XNL, PIacenza
2018
Assab One Reloaded, Assab One, Milano
Festival del Paesaggio, Capri, curated by A. Rosica & G. Riccio
Caducità, curated by I. Biolchini, Museo Internazionale del Design Ceramico, Cerro di Laveno
2017
Jakarta Biennale, Biasa Art Space
Domesticity VI, Lucie Fontaine, Kayu, Bali
Builders of Tomorrow, curated by M. Paderni & G. Cassese, Museo delle Ceramiche, Faenza
2016
International Triennial of Extended Media, curated by M. Beganović, Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion, Belgrade
Manifesta 11, curated by C. Jankowski and M. Scheiwiller, Zürich
2015
Nel mezzo del mezzo, curated by C.Macel, B. Mari, M. Bazzini, Palazzo Riso, Palermo
2014
Possibilità di un’isola, curated by A. Rosica, Via Farini 68, Milano
2013
Autoritratti. Iscrizioni del femminile nell’arte contemporanea, MAMbo, Bologna
Rumors Live, A Theatre Cycle, curated by Nomas Foundation
Teatro Valle Occupato, Roma
2012
Estate, curated by L.Fontaine, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York
Gli Artisti della collezione Acacia, curated by G.Testa and G.Verzotti, Palazzo Reale, Milano
Voglio soltanto essere amato, curated by G. Scardi, MAGA, Gallarate; EX3, Firenze
2011
PRAGUE BIENNALE 5 – Domesticity, curated by L. Fontaine, Nadace Prague Biennale Foundation
UN’ITA, curated by Flash Art, Industria Superstudio, New York
Matter of Action, curated by S. Serighelli, O’, Milano
Passwords Cycle 11 – Spaces of the Self. Femininity in Italian Video, curated by G. Zapperi
Monthermoso Cultural Center, Vitoria Gasteiz
2010
Cosa fa la mia anima mentre sto lavorando? curated by A. Vettese and F. Pasini, MAGA, Gallarate
No soul for sale, A festival of Indipendents, curated by ViaFarini with M.Gioni, C.Alemanni, M.Cattelan, Tate Modern, London
Videoreport Italia 2008_09, curated by A. Bruciati, GCAC, Monfalcone
Casabianca, curated by A. Radovan, Bologna
L’arpa magica, Lucie Fontaine, Milano
2009
La différence, curated by V.Verlé, CAB – Grenoble
PERFORMA 09, New York City
2008
DoDai, curated by Brida, C. Pietroiusti, A. Gregoric, Galeria Skuc, Ljubijana
videoREPORT Italia 2006_07 curated by A. Bruciati, GCAC, Monfalcone
Bad Boys, curated by P. Gaglianò, Parco e castello dell’Acciaiolo, Firenze
Resilience, Galleria Continua, Le Moulin
Il rimedio perfetto, curated by M. Tagliafierro, Galleria Riccardo Crespi, Milano
Gli artisti della collezione Acacia, curated by A. Daneri and G. Testa, Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino, Genova
2007
Tina B Performance Festival, curated by M.Giovannotti, Prague
Evolution de l’art, curated by C. Pietroiusti & Crazy Curators, SPACE, Breitslau
2006
videoREPORT Italia 2004_05, curated by A. Bruciati, GCAC, Monfalcone
Frame, curated by C. Agnello, R.Tenconi, Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces, Melbourne
Ecce Uomo, curated by S. Risaliti and G. Testa, Spazio Oberdan, Milan
2005
Aperto per lavori in corso, curated by F. Pasini, Pavilion of Contemporary Art, Milano
Senza confine, Galleria Continua, S. Gimignano
Italian videos, curated by M. Farronato, Trafo, Budapest
2004
Assab One, curated by R. Pinto, Ex GEA, Milano
On air: video in onda dall’Italia, curated by A. Crippa and A. Bruciati, GCAC, Monfalcone
Opera Video, Galleria Continua, S. Gimignano
2003
Sieben, curated by L. Aiello, Galerie Rachel Haferkamp, Cologne, Germany
The Squared Circle, curated by O. Ilesanmi, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
Private Architectures, curated by R. Pinto, Galleria Continua, S. Gimignano
2002
Exit, Nuove Geografie della Creativita’ Italiana, curated by F. Bonami, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Torino
Video Festivals & screenings
2018 Rima FIlm Festival, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, Malta
2018 Ailleurs est çe reve proche, curated by S. Recasens, CAC Villa du Lac, Annemasse
2017 Topophilia, curated by A. KM & E. Otitigbe, MEETING Festival, Denmark
2015 Mare Nostrum, Prospectif Cinéma, Centre Pompidou, Paris
2014 Avantgarde ist keine Stroemung IV, curated by Sven Woerner, Cinemateque Leipzig
2013 Kino der Kunst, Munich
2012 Videoart Yearbook, Università di Bologna
2010 Italian Measure, curated by M. Bazzini, Espacio Fundacion Telefonica, Buenos Aires
2010 Globale Film Festival, Warsaw
2009 Italian Measure, curated by M. Bazzini, Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid
2009 Videa, Siena
2009 Geo-Grafie, Fondazione Remotti, Camogli
2009 Exterritories: in search of moments of community, curated by K. Pawelek, Comuna Otwock, Warsaw
2008 CINEMED, Montpellier
2008 Videoart Yearbook @Manifesta7, Galleria Arte Contemporanea, Trento
2008 Arrivals & Departures, curated by M.Giovannotti, White Box, New York; LOOP, Barcelona
2006 Milano Film Festival, Milano
2004 Video.it, curated by M. Gorni, F.Poli, E. Volpato, Spazio Pirelli, Milano
2004 IFDUIF, Max Museo, Chiasso
2004 Video Marathon, Art in General, New York
2003 Arcipelago Film Festival, Roma
2002 Videoex, International Experimental Film & Video Festival, Zürich
Residencies + Prizes
2024 Arimo, La Spoon River di Milano, poetry residency, Casa degli Artisti, Milan, Italy
2005 Premio New York, art residency at Columbia University, New York
2004 ACACIA Emerging Artist Prize, acquisition for the ACACIA (Friends of Contemporary
Art fund), Italy