About

Nicola Andrea Lo Calzo is a photographer, curator and teacher-Phd-researcher (Uni Paris-Cergy and Ensapc) born in Turin in 1979. He lives and works in Paris where he teaches on decolonial and queer perspectives in photography at École nationale supérieure d'arts Paris-Cergy. Trained as an heritage curator at the Polytechnic University of Turin, he shifted to photography in 2006. His photographic practice and research are attentive to questions surrounding identity, coloniality and political history. Lo Calzo’s photographs show the ways in which subaltern groups interact with the dominant system, the ways in which they develop strategies of agency and self-reconstruction.

Lo Calzo’s research is part of a personal questioning around identity and body politics. His artistic approach stems from his experience as a queer person, having grown up as part of a minority. It is precisely this experience of self and of the injunctions made to “non-standard” bodies that feeds his photographic practice and questions him about community practices which, historically, have been undervalued. In this regard, the idea of the subaltern body and its performativity as a producer of denormative narratives is central. The body here is both a place of assignments and a “utopian” body – or, a possibility of resistance, action and subversion of social rules and exclusions. The memory and resistance photographed by Lo Calzo are also the subaltern communities’ creative response to the commodification of bodies, operated, in the past, by colonialism and, today, by its contemporary avatar, capitalist extractivism.

For ten years, Lo Calzo has been engaged in a long-term photographic research project on the memories of resistance in post-colonial time: the KAM project. Started in 2010, KAM is developed in a “rhizomic” fashion and covers different territories of West Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas, taking the form of an evolving and organic project. The memory of resistance to slavery and colonialism is thought here not as a subject but as a reading grid to address living performative practices that exist on both sides of the Atlantic within marginalized historical communities.

He is the recipient of a Cnap grant (2018) and nominated for the Prix Elysée (2019) and the Niépce prize (2020). In 2022, he won the Grande Commane Photographique by Ministry of Culture, led by the BNF.

His works have been showed in Museums, Art Centers or Festivals, including the Festival Fotografia Europea in Reggio Emilia and the Centro Italiano di Fotografia in Turin (Binidittu, 2021), the Institute of Cultures Islam in Paris (Tchamba, 2020), Macaal in Marrakech (Agouda, 2011); the Hospice Comtesse in Lille (Regla, 2018). In 2017 the Tchamba series was exhibited as part of the Afriques Capitales exhibition curated by Simon Njami in Paris and Lille. In 2015, the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam devoted a monographic exhibition to him with works produced in Haiti and Guadeloupe (Ayiti and Mas).
Lo Calzo’s works are present in several private and public collections, including the national collections of the CNAP, BNF, National Library of France, the Lightwork collection in Syracuse New York, the Alinari Archives in Florence, the Pinacoteca Civica in Monza and the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam.

From 2015 to 2019, as part of his participatory photographic approach, Lo Calzo worked on Kazal, an experimental photographic project with the photographers of the Haitian kolektif KD2, around the memory of crime under the Duvalier dictatorship in Haiti. The project, produced by the Fokal foundation, is published by Andrè Frére editions.

In 2022, in collaboration with the Jeu de Paume Museum and the Ensapc, Nicola Lo Calzo is organizing the symposium A Queer Photo Archive featuring contemporary artists whose works address the notion of queer, postcolonial issues and identity politics through the medium photography (but also installation, performance and orality).

L’Artière, Kehrer, André Frère have published several books by Nicola Lo Calzo: Binidittu (2021) Regla (2017), Obia (2015) Inside Niger (2012).
Lo Calzo is currently teaching at ENSAPC where he teaches a course on postcolonial and queer approaches in photography. His work is represented in France by the Galerie Dominique Fiat and in Italy by Podbielsky Contemporary Gallery.

Future projects

2023 / Rouan / Mémoires normandes de l’esclavage / Corderie Vallois
2023 / Paris / Marronnages, Tembe et photographies des Guyanes / Dominique Fiat

Solo & Group exhibitions

2022 / Malaga / Binidittu / Ozangé - African Photography Biennial
2022 / Paris / Obia / L’art de briser ses chaînes / Maison de l’Amérique Latine
2022 / Paris / Fragments Atlantiques / Dominique Fiat
2022 / Amsterdam / K2D - KAZAL: Narrating Haitian Memories / Framer Framed (Curatoring)
2022 / Amsterdam / Our Colonial Heritage / Tromensumseum
2022 / Reggio Emilia / Binidittu / Fotografia Europea
2021 / Vassivère / La barque ouverte / La Sagesse des Lianes / CIAP Vassivière
2021 / Siracusa / Binidittu / Fototeca Siracusana
2021 / Milan / Binidittu / Podbielski Contemporary Gallery
2021 / Aosta / The Families of Man / Museo archeologico della Val d'Aosta
2021 / Binidittu / Images Gibellina, Gibellina
2021 / Saint-Brieuc / Mythologies of Resistance / Saint-Brieuc Bay Photo Festival
2021 / Turin / Binidittu, CAMERA
2021 / Sao Tomé / Tragedia, Alliance Française, Saison Afrique 2020
2021 / Paris / (Un)Hidden, Dominique Fiat
2020 / Paris /Beliefs / Tchamba / Institut des cultures d’Islam
2019 / Syracuse NY / Bundles of Wood / Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery - Lightwork
2019 / Sète / Regla / Images Singulières Festival
2019 / Lodz / Mythologies of Resistances / Fotofestiwal
2019 / Cotonou / Africa is No Island / Zinsou Foundation
2018 / Mexico / AfricAmericanos / Obia / Centro de la Imagen
2018 / Lille / Ola Cuba! / Regla / Gare Saint Sauveur
2018 / Lille / Ola Cuba! / Caravana / Gare Saint Sauveur
2018 / Marrakesh / Africa is No Island / Macaal
2018 / Paris / Africa Aperta Part II / Dominique Fiat
2018 / Milano / Tchamba, FCAAAL
2017 / Bogotà / Cham, A work in progress / La Balsa Artè
2017 / Lagos / Tchamba, LagosPhoto Festival
2017 / Lille / Tchamba, Afriques Capitales 
2017 / Athens / Regla, Benaki Museum / Athens Photo Festival
2016 / Saint Laurent du Maroni / Obia / Ciap
2016 / Vichy / Regla / Portrait(s)  festival
2016 / Paris / Mas / Musée Albert Kahn
2016 / Paris / No Borders / Galerie Dominique Fiat
2015 / Belo Horizonte / Obia / FIF BH
2015 / Paris / Obia / Galerie Dominique Fiat
2015 / Nantes / Obia / Mémorial de l’abolition de l’esclavage
2014 / Amsterdam / The Insurgents of the Caribbean / Tropenmuseum
2014 / Nantes / Haiti, Effroi des oppresseurs, espoir des opprimés / Mémorial de l’abolition de l’esclavage
2013 / Lagos Nigeria / Inside Niger / Lagos Photo Festival
2013 / Monza / Biennale Giovani Monza
2013 / Jumièges  / L’Eau et les Reves / Inside Niger / Abbay of Jumièges
2012 / Morgante / Athens Photo Festival / Technopolis
2012 / Morgante / Fotoleggendo Festival / Officine Fotografiche / Rome
2012 / Morgante / Photographes de la Bourse du Talent / BNF
2012 / Chieri / Morgante / Centro PHOS
2011 / Sète / Morgante / Festival Images Singulières
2011 / Florence / Morgante / Musée National Alinari de la Photographie
2011 / Arles / Morgante / Espace Afrique In Visu
2011 / Orange / Comeback to Kalahari / La nuit de la photo / PBK
2011 / Paris / 11  Jeunes Talents Sfr au Bal / Le Bal
2011 / Paris / Italian Emerging Photography / Festival Circulation(s) / Parc de Bagatelle
2010 / Paris / Italian Emerging photography / par Laura Serani, Institute Italien de Culture
2010 / Paris / Chic Art fair 2010 / School Gallery
2010 / Guidel / Inside Niger /La nuit de la photo / PBK
2010 / Milan / The Promising baby / Festival de photojournalisme / Atri
2010 / Lyon, Inside Niger / Musée des Confluences / Mairie de Lyon
2010 / Genève / Comeback to Kalahari / Galerie Imaginaid
2010 / Paris / Un jeudi sur Terre / Exposition collective / Galerie Imaginaid
2010 / Paris / Parole Photographique / Exposition collective / Actuphoto
2009 / Paris, Inside Niger / Exposition collective / School Gallery
2009 / Lyon /Inside Niger / Exposition collective / ARTY Vitrines
2009 / Arles / Inside Niger /Exposition collective / Les Rencontres d’Arles /Galerie Sfr
2009 / Paris / Inside Niger / news portraits from Sahel / Festival de l’oh !
2006 / Milan / Amanti / The Photographers Gallery
2006 / Turin / Inanna / Fondazione nazionale di fotografia (progettodonna)
2004 / Turin / Decadenze in Villa Capriglio / Villa Capriglio avec I Leonardi
2004 / Rome / Decadenze / Brancaleone / curateur Stefano David
2003 / Turin / exposition collective Papille / Gallerie Nucleon
2002 / Turin / Paene Anima / Gallerie Nucleon
2002 / Turin / First award of Art competition Ioespongo

Seminars

2022 / Photographie et mémoires / Maison Europeenne de la photographie / Paris
2022 / Raconter et exposer les minorités / Quai Branly
2022 / L'Ethnologie va vous surprendre / Quai Branly
2021 / Survivances and ghosts of colonialism in contemporary societies - activism, research and artistic devices / ENSAPC
2021 / Queer activism and aesthetics in African literature / APELA Congress
2021 / L’engagement ethnographique / Global Studies Institute of the University of Geneva
2021 / Colonial Slavery in European Museum: Arts and representations / Musée Paul Erard
2019 / NY University / Black Portraitures V / The Cham project : Bundles of Wood / NY
2019 / Syracuse University: Nicola Lo Calzo, The Cham Project : Bundles of Wood / NY
2018 / Harvard University, Black Portraitures IV : Regla, Afro-Cuban Heritage, Cambridge
2018 / EHESS, Slavery and post-slavery seminar: Tchamba,  Paris
2017 / Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotà : Cham, Memorias de un pasado aùn Presente
2017 / Syracuse University, Syracuse New York : Nicola Lo Calzo, The Cham Project, rencontre animée par Cooper Battersby  
2017 / Columbia Univerity, Paris : Slavery’s Legacies, Black Struggles & White Suprematism, table ronde animée par Jean-Philippe Dedieu.  
2016 / UNESCO, Paris :  Coalition of Artists for the General History of Africa, rencontre animée par Tabué Nguma 
2015 / University of Nantes France : International colloquium of the Memorial of the Abolition of Slavery: an Architecture of Memory, table ronde animée par Françoise Vergès  
2015 / Arpia Association, Paris : Nicola Lo Calzo,  Obia: From Antislavery Struggles to Mass Society, rencontre animée par Mathieu Oui  
2014 / Fokal Foundation, Haiti : Nicola Lo Calzo, The Cham Project, rencontre animée par Laennec Hurbon  
2013 / Le Percolateur, Marseille : Contemporary Italian photography: some insights Panel guided by Marco Barbon  
2012 / Memorial of Abolition of Slavery, Nantes : International Colloquium of the Memorial of Nantes, table ronde animée par Françoise Vergès  
2010 / Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Paris : Italian Emerging Photography, table ronde animée par Laura Serani

Art Fairs

2021 / Artissima, Podbielski Contemporary / Paris
2021 / Parisphoto, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2020 / ArtParis Fair, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / Parisphoto, Solo Show - Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / ArtParis Fair, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / AKAA, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2018 / PhotoBasel, La Balsa Arte Gallery, Basel
2018 / ArtParis Fair, Dominique Fiat, Paris
2018 / MIA Photo fair, L’agence à Paris, Milano
2017 / AKAA, Dominique Fiat, Paris
2017 / Parisphoto Art fair, Kehrer Verlag publisher, Paris
2016 / AKAA, Dominique Fiat, Paris
2015 / Parisphoto Art fair, Kehrer Verlag publisher, Paris
2014 / Parisphoto Art fair, Dominique Fiat gallery, Paris
2012 / Parisphoto Art fair, Kehrer Verlag publisher, Paris
2010 / Chic Art Fair, School Gallery, Paris

Artist-in-residence programs

2019 / Alliance Française, Sao Tomé.
2017 / Light-Work Program, Syracuse University
2014 / Ciap, Saint Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana
2013 / Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans, Louisiana US
2012 / Fokal Fondation, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2011 / Zinsou Fondation, Cotonou, Benin

Catalogues

2019 / Contact Sheet -Bundles of Wood - Lightwork
2019 / AfricAmericanos / RM
2019 / Ayiti / VIS-AVIS - Fotodoks / Munich Germany
2018, Centro, Mundo, Imagen, Belo Horizonte Photo Festival
2017 / Afrique In Visu 10 Ans, Clementine de la Férronière
2017 / Athens Photo Festival, Hellenic Center for Photography
2017/ Afriques Capitales, Kehrer
2017 / AKAA Art fair2014 / Catalogue ParisPhoto
2014 / Nantes / Haiti, Effroi des oppresseurs, espoir des opprimés/ Mémorial de l’abolition de l’esclavage
2013 / Jumièges / L’Eau et les Reves
2013 / Monza / Biennale Giovani Monza
2012 / Athens / APHF :12 Athens Photo Festival / Hellenic Center for Photography
2012 / Rome / Fotoleggendo / VIII Edizone / Postcart
2012 / La Chaux-de-Fonds / 70eme Biennale d’art contemporain
2011 / Sète / Festival Images Singulières 3e édition
2010 / Paris / Italian Emerging photography / Instituto Italiano di Cultura / Mois de la Photo à Paris
2010 / Lyon /  Passages 2012 : Afrique et Creations, Musée des Confluences / Mairie de Lyon

Awards

2019 / Prix ELysée Nominee
2018 / Prix Fidal finalist
2016 / BURN Grant finalist
2013 / PDN Photo Annual 2013, Book category
2011 / Biennale Giovani Monza 2013
2011 / Prix Pictet 2011, Nominee
2011 / HSBC price for photography 2011, finalist
2011 / Bourse du talent reportage 2011, finalist
2010 / HSBC price for photography 2010, finalist
2009 / Magnum expression award 2009
2009 / Bourse du talent reportage 2009
2009 / Les Rencontres d'Arles SFR Jeunes Talents
2009 / Granx prix SFR Jeunes Talents de la photographie