Giulia Ricci Biography

Born in Bagnacavallo, Italy in 1976, Giulia Ricci studied fine art at the Academy of Fine Art of Bologna (1995–1999) followed by part-time studies in history of art at the University of Bologna. After graduating, she moved to London in 2004 to study an MFA in sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art, graduating in 2007. Receiving a PGCE in art and design in 2009 through a part-time scheme for artists at UCL Institute of Education, Ricci balances a freelance career in teaching with her art practice.

Since her first London solo show, Connecting Threads (2010) at The Estorick Collection, Ricci has featured in multiple group and solo exhibitions in England and overseas. She has also been awarded multiple artist residencies and was shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize five times.

In her various series and individual works, Ricci utilises a range of materials including ink, pencil, and paint on paper, along with less conventional materials for drawing such as vinyl, wood, and leather. While the processes Ricci uses can be varied, including traditional hand drawing techniques, digital drawing, printing, laser engraving, and video, they are always underpinned by drawing in some form.

At the basic level, all of Ricci's works are comprised of grids of isosceles right triangles. She modifies and distorts the configuration of these grids through compositional techniques such as repetition, mirroring, and rotation.

Compared to earlier works like Order/Disruption No.22 (2011), which have a strong dazzling effect, Ricci's works on paper from later in the 2010s, such as Parallel/Bend No.51 (2017) and Order/Disruption No.73 (2018), are more intricately drawn and subtle in their textual illusion. While the underpinning methodology remains the same, their execution has become more refined.

Alongside these smaller studio works, the artist has completed installations commissioned by several private clients including social media giant Facebook, and for various interiors. Less intimately scaled, the size and patterns of her installations reflect the large scale of the works and surrounding architectural environments in which they are set.

Michael Irwin | Ocula | 2020