Lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Vanessa Beecroft’s work has been shown internationally since 1993, and since then has shaped performance art, the representation of the female body, and sociopolitical discussions of art. Beecroft’s performances (titled VB, followed by the number), which have been an ongoing practice for over twenty-five years, have been presented in many of the world’s preeminent museums and major contemporary events. The performances often highlight the tensions between nakedness and clothing, constraint and freedom, the collective and the individual, and human strength and weakness.
Vanessa Beecroft was one of the first artists to collaborate with fashion brands, starting in the 1990s, and since 2009 has collaborated extensively with musician and producer Ye West. Now belonging to popular culture as well as the contemporary art canon, her work also manifests a deep dialogue with the history of art and traditions of representation in Europe and of many of the world’s cultures. She is also a keen practitioner of photography, drawing, painting, and sculpture, using each medium to present perspectives on the body, as she brings Renaissance influences together with modern forms of representation. Her art is a passionate field of experimentation, rooted in history, evolving according to its own rules, and expanding into the world where it takes on many philosophical and political tones to question the significance of our existence as human beings.
According to gallerist Jeffrey Deitch, “Vanessa Beecroft is one of the rare artists who invented a new way to make a work of art. Ninety-nine percent of artists are treading ground that’s already well established, they are making small innovations, and then there are very rare artists who come up with a whole new concept of how to make a work of art and expand our sense of what a work of art can be. Vanessa Beecroft has done that.”
Selected Exhibitions and Performances:
In the Now: Gender and Nation in Europe, Brooklyn Museum, New York (2024); K-Gold gallery, Levos, Greece (2024); Arcadia, Bally Foundation, Lugano (2024); VB95, Jeffrey Deitch Gallery, Los Angeles (2023); VB94, Palazzo Abatellis, Palermo (2022); Nativity, Oratorio di San Lorenzo, Palermo (2022); Bodyland, Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin, Germany (2022); Glasstress, Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Murano (2022); Marble, Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Alborg, Alborg, Denmark (2022); Canova: Innocence and Sin, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rovereto, Italy (2022); Simon De Pury Virtual Exhibition (2021); Vanessa Beecroft, Pio Pico, Los Angeles (2021); Sized Exhibition, Los Angeles (2021); Vanessa Beecroft, Four Seasons Hotel, Milano (2021) Extraordinaire, Lausanne, Switzerland (2020); L.A. Wilding Cran, Los Angeles (2020); Nino Mier Gallery, Los Angeles (2020); Mary Opera, collaboration with Ye West, Lincoln Center, New York (2019); Mary Opera, collaboration with Ye West, Art Basel, Miami (2019); Vanessa Beecroft, Illustrated Editorial, Vogue Italia (2019); Nebuchadnezzar Opera, collaboration with Ye West, Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles (2019); VB88, Kappa, Lot 11 Skatepark, Miami (2019); VB87, Moncler, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milan (2019); Vanessa Beecroft, Pio Pico, Los Angeles (2019); Fundacion de artistas, Merida, Mexico (2019); People, Jeffrey Deitch, Los Angeles. (2019); Eco e Narciso, MAXXI National Museum of 21-Century Arts, Rome (2014); Vanessa Beecroft, Pio Pico, Los Angeles (2017); VB84, Firenze Suona Contemporanea, Uffizi Gallery Museum, Florence (2017); VB83, Firenze Suona Contemporanea, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence (2017); VB82, Certosa di San Lorenzo, Padula, Italy (2017); Vanessa Beecroft Polaroids 1993 – 2016, Photo Vogue Festival, Palazzo Reale, Milan (2016); VB79, The New York Academy of Arts, New York (2016); VB78, PAC Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, Milan (2016); VB77, Yeezy 3, collaboration with Ye West, Madison Square Garden, New York (2016); 56th Venice Biennale (2015); Expo 2015, Milan (2015); Art Basel, Miami (2014); VB74, MAXXI National Museum of 21-Century Arts, Rome (2014); VB72, Art Basel, Miami (2013); VB70, Galleria Lia Rumma, Milan (2011); VB68, MMK, Frankfurt (2010); VB66, Mercato Ittico, Naples (2010); VB65, PAC, Milan (2009); VB62, Spasimo, Palermo, Italy (2008); VB61, Pescheria di Rialto, Venice (2007); VB60, Gana Art Gallery, Seoul (2007); VB59, The National Gallery, London (2006); VB55, Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin (2005); VB56, LVMH, Louis Vuitton Store, Champs-Elysees, Paris (2005); VB54, Terminal 5, JFK International Airport, New York; VB52, Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Turin, Italy (2003); VB50, 25a Biennial de São Paulo (2002); VB48, Palazzo Ducale, Genoa (2001); VB47, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice (2001); VB46, Gagosian Gallery, Beverly Hills (2001); VB42, Whitney Biennial, New York (2000); VB35, 391; Guggenheim Museum, New York (1998); VB33, ICA London (1997); VB28, 47th Venice Biennale (1997); VB26, Lia Rumma, Naples (1997); VB23, Museum Ludwig, Cologne (1996); VB19, The Renaissance Society, Chicago (1996); VB17, Deste Foundation, Athens (1996); VB16, Deitch Projects, New York (1996); VB11, Galerie Analix, Geneva (1995); VB09, Schipper & Krome, Cologne (1994); VB08, MoMA P.S.1, Long Island City (1994); VB07, Andrea Rosen, New York (1994); VB03, Galleria Massimo De Carlo, Milan (1994); VB01, Galleria Inga-Pin, Milan (1993).
Artist’s Publications:
Vanessa Beecroft: Selected Polaroids 1993-2016 (Exhibition Catalog, Palazzo Reale, 2016); Vanessa Beecroft, VB65 PAC, (Electa, 2009); VB62 Spasimo, Palermo (Electa, 2009); Vanessa Beecroft Disegni e Pitture 1993–2007 (Electa, 2007); Vanessa Beecroft: Photographs, Films, Drawings (Hatje Cantz, 2004); Vanessa Beecroft Performances 1993–2003 (Skira, 2003); VB08–36 Vanessa Beecroft Performances (Hatje Cantz, 2000); Beecroft, Vanessa, and Di Pietrantonio, Giacinto. Vanessa Beecroft – Drawings and paintings 1993 – 2007. Milan: Electa/GAMeC. 2007; Beecroft, Vanessa, and Lapo Cianchi. VB53 Vanessa Beecroft. Milan: Charta, 2005.
Selected Publications:
The Paradox of Stillness: Art, Object, and Performance, show opening at Minneapolis Walker Art Center (2020).
Zahm, Olivier. “Beecroft Vanessa, from performance to sculpture and vice versa.” Purple, Spring/Summer, 2018.
Steffen, Patrick. “Vanessa Beecroft Pico Pio / Los Angeles.” Flash Art, February 28, 2018.
Hickey, Dave. “Vanessa Beecroft: Painted Ladies.” 25 Women: Essays on their Art. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2016.
Olivier Zahm, “Vanessa Beecroft, in the skin of the artist.” Purple Fashion, March 2016.
Ascari, Alessio. “Vanessa Beecroft.” Kaleidoscope, No. 26, Winter 2016.
Povoledo, Elisabette. “Vanessa Beecroft’s ‘VB65’ Attempts to Force Spectators to See Africans Differently.” The New York Times, March 29, 2009.
Kellein, Thomas. Vanessa Beecroft, Photographs, Films, Drawings. Ostfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz, 2004.
Meneguzzo, M. “Vanessa Beecroft: Castello di Rivoli.” Artforum, February 2004.
Thurman, Judith. “The Wolf At The Door.” The New Yorker, March 17, 2003.
Cherubini, Laura. “Vanessa e le ragazze colorate.” Il Giornale, May 6, 2002.
Duncan, Michael. “Vanesssa Beecroft at Gagosian.” Art in America, July 2001.
Hainley, Bruce. “Vanessa Beecroft: Gagosian Gallery.” Artforum, Summer 2001.
Knafo, Robert. “Economy of Desire.” The New York Times Magazine, September 9, 2001.
Lefingwell, E. “Vanessa Beecroft Aboard the USS Intrepid.” Art in America, October 2000.
Athey Ron. “Vanessa Beecroft at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.” L.A. Weekly, July 2000.
Bryson, Norman. “US Navy Seals.” Parkett, No. 56, October 1999.
Janus, Elizabeth. “Vanessa Beecroft.” Artforum 1998.
Kontova, Helena and Giancarlo Politi. “Vanessa Beecroft.” Intervista, No. 14, July/August, 1998.
Smith, Roberta. “Standing and Staring, Yet Aiming for Empowerment.” The New York Times, May 6, 1998.
Hahn, Clarisse. “Vanessa Beecroft.” Art Press, February 1997.
Beecroft, Vanessa, and Manetas, Miltos. “Vulcano.” Purple Prose, No. 10, Winter, 1997.
Bulloch, Angela. “On a Vanessa Beecroft performance.” The Guardian, July 9, 1997.
Christov-Bakargiev, Carolyn. “Vanessa e le sue sorelle.” L’ Espresso, no. 18, May 3.
Di Pietrantonio, Giacinto. “Vanessa Beecroft.” Flash Art, Summer,1995.
Janus, Elizabeth. “Vanessa Beecroft.” Artforum, May 1995.