Alek O. lives in Milan. Recent solo exhibitions include “They didn’t explain much, and no one dared to ask”, IUNO, Rome (2024)…
…Il giorno della fine, non ti servirà l’inglese, Martina Simeti, Milan (2023) and PAROLACCE, at Fondazione Zimei, Pescara (2022).
She recently participated with her work to the shows I nuovi mostri, curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan (2024); Everything broken down, curated by Ryan Gander, Solid Haus Kunsthalle, Suffolk Coast, UK (2023) and Future cities, National Poetry Library, South Bank Centre, London, UK (2022).
ALEK O. born Buenos Aires, 1981
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
They didn’t explain much, and no one dared to ask, IUNO, Rome, IT
2023
Il giorno della fine non ti servirà l’inglese, Martina Simeti Gallery, Milan, IT
2022
PAROLACCE, curated by Massimiliano Scuderi, Fondazione Zimei, Pescara, IT
La prima rosa, Spazio Lima, Milan, IT
Some Idiot Went To London, Lamb Arts, London, UK
2017
L’impero delle luci, Frutta, Rome
2016
Time Goes By So Slowly, Jeanine Hofland, Amsterdam
2014
Frieze Focus, London
If There is a Last Summer Morning, Frutta, Rome
2013
On Parasols, Jumpers and Balls, Meessen De Clercq, Brussels
Uprisings: Alek O., MOSTYN, Wales
2010
The Thing, Gallery Vela, London
2009
Rien que les heures, 317 association pour l’art contemporain, Nice
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
I nuovi mostri, curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan, IT
2023
Panorama, curated by Cristiana Perrella, Italics, L’Aquila, IT
Basel Social Club, Basel, CH
Everything broken down, Solid Haus Kunsthalle, Suffolk Coast, UK
2022
Back Home, Lamb Arts, London, UK
Future cities, National Poetry Library, South Bank Centre, London, UK
There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in, Martina Simeti Gallery, Milan, IT
L’abaco rovesciato, Straperetana 2022, Pereto, IT
2021
To Situations New, curated by Jenn Ellis, Lamb Arts, London
Panorama, curated by Vincenzo De Bellis, Italics, Various seats, Procida
2020
Io dico Io - I say I, curated by Cecilia Canziani, Lara Conte e Paola Ugolini, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e contemporanea, Rome
Unquiet Moments: Capturing the Everyday, MA Curating the Art Museum, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Sommerset House
2019
Appocundria, curated by Marta Cereda, Casa Testori, Novate Milanese
2018
Into the Wild, curated by Christiane Rekade, Kunst Merano, Merano
Premio Lissone 18, MAC Lissone
In Addition, an Exhibition of Artist Editions, curated by Adam Carr, MOSTYN, Llandudno, UK
The Collector’s House, curated by Caroline Corbetta, Salone del Mobile, Molteni &C., Milano
Per andare dove dobbiamo andare, per dove dobbiamo andare?, Nomas Foundation, Rome
One Missing Sock After Doing Laundry, The Art Laundrette, curated by Giulia Colletti, Glasgow
Ortica, Frutta, Rome
2017
Deposito d’Arte Italiana Presente, curated by Ilaria Bonacossa and Vittoria Martini, Artissima 2017, Turin
EXIT, curated by Adam Carr, Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels
ALL’APERTO – Tre artiste per Trivero, curated by Barbara Casavecchia and Andre Zegna, Fondazione Zegna, Trivero
2016
La seconda volta, curated by Cristiana Perrella, 16ma Quadriennale d’Arte 2016, Palazzo Delle Esposizioni, Rome
Ma l’amor mio non muore, Opere dalla Collezione Alloggia (Roma), curated by Rita Selvaggio, Casa Museo Ivan Bruschi, Arezzo
Je Ne Sais What?, Carnelutti Firm Law, Milan
Support Material, soft furnishings, curated by Liang Luscombe and Lisa Radford, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Project Space, Melbourne
Sem Saber Quando Virá o Amanhecer…, curated by Luiza Teixeira de Freitas, Silvia Cintra + Box4, Rio De Janeiro
Art Situacions III, SPAIN / ITALY, curated by Vicente Todolì, Maria de Corral, Lorena Martinez de Corral, Ilaria Gianni, Matadero, Madrid
2015
Ennesima, curated by Vincenzo de Bellis, Triennale, Milan
What is a Bird? We Simply Don’t Know, curated by Domenico de Chirico, Nicodim, Bucharest
16° Premio Cairo, La Permanente, Milano
Art Situacions I-II, SPAIN / ITALY, curated by Vicente Todolì, Maria de Corral, Lorena Martinez de Corral, Ilaria Gianni, Villa Croce, Genova, MACRO, Roma
TAVERNA – We are open (Icastica 2015), curated by Ilaria Gianni, Fraternità dei Laici, Arezzo, Shadow Scenes, Colomoscope 2015, curated by Natasha Ginwala and Menika Van der Poorten Colombo
Fantastica. The way we make art, BeatTricks, Milan
Alek O. and James Viscardi, Carl Kostyál, Stockholm
Le regole del gioco, curated by Luca Lo Pinto, Studio Castiglioni, Milan
2014
The Go-Between – artists from the Ernesto Esposito collection, Museo di Capodimonte, Napoli
SMALL Rome, curated by Adam Carr, Frutta, Rome
Ab-Stretching the Canvas, Jeanine Hofland, Amsterdam
Non-Profit & Profit, SpazioA, Pistoia
Accordion, Laura Bartlett, London
2013
Grand Opening, Frutta, Rome
Premio Moroso, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice
2012
D'après Giorgio, Fondazione Casa Giorgio De Chirico, Rome
Differenza e ripetizione, Galleria Lia Rumma, Naples
Everything old was once new, National Trust, Arts Council Collection, Worcester
Als Morandi mit der Kinematographie liebäugelte, Supportico Lopez, Berlin
An Incomplete History of Incomplete Works, Francesca Minini, Milan
Lucie Fontaine: Estate, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York
Without (Jonathan Monk), Meessen De Clercq, Brussels
Detective, Galerie Andreas Huber, Vienna
2011
Illy Prize Present Future, Artissima 18, Turin
To see an object, to see the light, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Guarene
Ariane De Rothschild Prize 2011, Palazzo Reale, Milan
Domesticity, Prague Biennale 5, Prague
Fruits, Flowers and Clouds, with Gallery Vela, MaK, Vienna
Quite Like A Lake, Unosunove, Rome
Like rowing a boat; facing the way you came, Gallery Vela, London
V Bienal de Jafre, various seats, Jafre
2010
Exhibition Exhibition, Castello di Rivoli, Rivoli, Turin
Saturday, Sunday Fair, Berlin
Certo sentimento, Cripta 747, Turin
Olivia Flecha, Alek O., Helen Marten, Gallery Vela, London
Gallery, Galerie, Galleria, Galleria Norma Mangione, Turin
2009
Lisson Presents 6, A Troubling Metamorphosis of Loose Ideas into Cast Forms, Lisson Gallery, London
Italian Open, Annet Gelink, Amsterdam
Territoria 4, The Great Leap, Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato
Playlist, Neon>campobase, Bologna
2008
Seek Refuge, Venezia Village, Venice
Onufri Award 2008, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana
Don’t disappear, Expotrastiendas, Buenos Aires
2007
La legge è relativa per tutti, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Guarene
2006
5th Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennal, The Black Theater, E-6, Shen Zhen
La necessità di un’isola, Isola Art Center, Milan
2005
J’en rêve, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris
Isola in-video, Isola Art Center, Milan
2004
Mappae mundi, Viafarini, Milan
Inattesa, Studioventicinque, Milan
2003
Mappae mundi, Fondazione Antonio Ratti, ex-church of San Francesco, Como
SPECIAL PROJECTS
2018
Ho Ho Ho, Frutta, Rome
2016
Je Ne Sais What?, Carnelutti Firm Law, Milan
2011
'Two Times Once'- an exhibition by Mr. Rossi, Limoncello, London
Night School #8, performance as Mr. Rossi, ICA, London
Festivela, Gallery Vela, London
Colazione con Mr. Rossi, performance as Mr. Rossi, Artissima Lido, Turin
2009
As you enter the exhibition, you consider this a group show by an artist you don’t know by the name of Mr. Rossi, ex-fabbrica Minerva, Milan
L’indiano in giardino, various seats, Milan
2007
A Certain Ratio, Room arte contemporanea, Milan
AWARDS
2018
Premio Editoria Exibart, MAC, Lissone
2017
Level 0, ArtVerona
2016
Special Mention Under 35, 16a Quadriennale d’Arte, Rome
WORKSHOPS AND RESIDENCIES
2010
Flux Factory Inc., Long Island City, New York
HIAP, Helsinki International Artist-in-residence Program, Helsinki
2006
Wherever we go, workshop with Adrian Paci, Viafarini, Milan
Making Of, Casino Luxembourg, Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg
2004
Real Presence 4, Museum 25th May, Belgrad
2003
Advanced Course in Visual Arts, visiting professor Richard Nonas, Fondazione A. Ratti, Como
REVIEWS AND CRITICAL TEXTS
Enrico Migliaccio, «Alek O.», Insideart n. 102, Maggio 2015, Roma
Pier Paolo Pancotto, «Alek O.», Artforum, November 2014, New York
Luca Lo Pinto, «Histoire d'O.», in Moroso Award for Contemporary Art catalogue, 2013
Alessandra Galletta (interview with), Flash Art n. 308, February 2013, Milano
Chris Fitzpatrick, «A Few Recombinant Layers», in Artissima 18 catalogue, 2011
Vincenzo Latronico, «Alek O., Questo ricordo di te», Flash Art n. 293, May 2011, Milano
Francesco Manacorda, «Alek O.», in Ariane De Rothschild Prize catalogue, 2011
Adam Carr, «Lives and works - Alek O.», Spike Quarterly n. 26, 2010, Wien
Laura McLean-Ferris, «Alek O.: The Thing», Art Review on-line, November 2010
Marco Tagliafierro, «Esotico quotidiano, Fenomenologia dell’alterità», Flash Art n. 276, June - July 2009, Milano
Roberta Tenconi, «Permission To Stay. Essere un artista straniero a Milano», Flash Art n. 268, February - March 2008, Milano
Roberta Tenconi, «A Certain Ratio, spostamenti minimi», Flash Art n. 267, December - January 2008, Milano
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
The Annotated Reader, Ryan Gander & Jonathan P. Watts, 2019
Artists’ Artists, Frieze Masters, Issue 6, London 2017
A Metaphysical Interior, Izet Sheshivari & Luca Lo Pinto, Boabooks, Genève 2014
TERRAZZA. Artisti storie luoghi in Italia negli anni zero, Marsilio, Venezia 2014
Alek O., Mostyn, Llandudno, Wales 2013
Moroso Award for Contemporary Art, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venezia 2013
To see an object, to see the light, Mousse Publishing, Milano 2011
Artissima Lido, catalogue of the project, 2011
Ariane De Rothschild Prize 2011, catalogue of the exhibition, 2011
Exhibition Exhibition, Skira, Milano 2010
Ange Leccia et le Pavillon, Musée Bourdelle, Paris 2009
100e Ceramiche per il Paradiso, Mariogros edizioni, Torino 2008
Oh, Charlotte, artist book, Salzinsel, Luxembourg 2007 J’en rêve, catalogue of the exhibition, Actes Sud, Arles 2005
Design at Work, Stefania Palmieri, Edizioni Polidesign, Milano 2004
Richard Nonas, Quaderni del Corso Superiore di Arte Visiva, Charta, Milano 2004