Nicola
Costantino was born in Rosario (1964) where she studied Fine Arts,
produced and exhibited her first works, and also learned the new
sculpture techniques that influenced the concept of her production; the
molds of human and animal bodies cast from the original that
characterize her work.
In 1994 with the support of Pablo Suárez, she
attended the Barracas Workshop of Antorchas Foundation coordinated by
Suárez and Benedit. Shortly after moving to Buenos Aires, she spent a
year in Houston, Texas, in the Core Program for Artists, where she
began producing silicon human skin to make dresses and lavish coats
with human hair necks. Nicola learned design and haute couture in her
adolescence working with her mother in her clothes factory, which
allowed her to create “Peletería humana” [Human Furriery] a work of the
finest quality.
Since 1997, the support of Benzacar Gallery
facilitated her inclusion in the international art scene through her
participation in art fairs. The following year, she presented her
“Chanchobolas” [Hog-balls], an emblematic work from the animal
sculpture line that she would continue with
One of the artists featured in FUTURESPECTIVE
Group show opens Feb. 14th
Friso de nonatos” [Frieze of Unborn Animals] in 1999 and “Animal Motion Planet” in 2004.
“Peletería Humana”, a window display with twenty
mannequins dressed in Nicola’s designs, represented Argentina at the
Biennial of Sao Paulo in 1998, whose director was Pablo Herkenhoff, and
the theme “anthropophagy and cannibalism”. This presentation led to
several exhibitions and international biennials, and the reproduction
of her work a number of catalogs. The display was also shown in the
First Liverpool Biennial and Jeffrey Deitch invited her to turn his
Soho gallery into a boutique in September 2000. At the same time, the
selection committee of the MOMA became aware of Nicola’s work and added
her “Male Nipples Corset” to their collection. This was followed by a
show at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Buenos Aires [Buenos Aires
National Museum of Fine Arts] and a second one in the projects room of
The Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona.
In 2004, Nicola presented “Animal Motion Planet”, a
series of orthopedic machines for unborn animals, consisting of
chromed iron mechanisms powered by engines, and she launched “Savon de
Corps” [Body Soap] at the MALBA [Buenos Aires Museum of Latin American
Art], which is formed by a multiple of 100 pieces imitating an
exclusive cosmetic product. Nicola produced this soap with 3% of fat
from a liposuction and created the slogan “Take a bath with me” that
attracted media attention. Nicola became the artist, the model and the
prime matter of her work.
From then on, Nicola’s public relevance gave sense
to her later production. The encounter with Gabriel Valansi in 2006
marked her entrance in the world of photography. In her work, she has
combined two types of images: a series that refers to important works
in the history of photography and art, and others that crisscross some
element of her imaginary and her identity as an artist. The constant is
her role as leading character representing different personalities,
glamorous and feminine, hard worker, maternal, intimidating. In this
last production, marked by her maternity, she adds the value of her
experience a
Opening: Thursday, Feb. 14th 2013
Works by:
George Sanchez-Calderon
Christopher Carter
Nicola Costantino
Johnny Robles
Kiki Valdes
Jel Martinez
Constanza Piaggio
David Marsh
JeanPaul Mallozzi
Ruben Ubiera
Florencia Rodríguez Giles
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