ABOUT

Valerio Spada lives between New York and Milan. His work is exhibited, collected, and published internationally. On September 2011, Time magazine announced his first self-published book Gomorrah Girl to win the Grand Prize PBN Photography Book Now 2011 as Best Book of the Year, nominated by a panel of eleven international judges, among them Darius Himes, Steve McCurry, and Gerry Badger.

Valerio Spada awarded with the Guggenheim Fellowship featured in Fellowship: The Guggenheim Foundation and the History on American Photography to be published in 2027 to coincide with 90th anniversary of the first Guggenheim Fellow Edward Weston in 1937.
Richly illustrated, Fellowship will include eight thematic chapters by current leading scholars in the history of photography that will engage the long history and influence of the award.
A large portion of the book will also comprise of a comprehensive index of all award recipients and their projects, forming an invaluable scholarly resource.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025
Benrubi Gallery, New York, In Italia

2024
Benrubi Gallery, New York, In Italia

2019
Benrubi Gallery, New York, I am nothing

2017
Camera, Centro Nazionale per la Fotografia, Turin, Italy, I am nothing curated by Francesco Zanot

2013
Galeria Cero, Madrid, Spain, Gomorrah Girl

2012
PPAC Phila Photo Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA USA, Gomorrah Girl
Galleria Argentica, Ravenna, Italy, Gomorrah Girl

2011
Flatland Gallery, Utrecht, Holland, Gomorrah Girl

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2015
DAZ BANK Art Foyer Exhibition Private Exhibition at DZ-Bank Kunstsammlung, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Art Basel, The Grass Grows, Three Selected gallery from Italy, Valerio Spada, Gomorrah Girl

2013
A survey of documentary styles in early 21st century photobooks, Columbia Center for Arts & Paper, Chicago
Photoville, New York City, Curated by Darius Himes and Larissa Leclair
Artissima & The Others Fair, Torino, Italy

2012
FotoBook Festival Best Book of the Year, Le Bal Museum, Paris (France)
The Best Book Design Award 2012, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, (Holland)

2011
Incredible-Unglaublich, Münchner StådtMuseum, Munich, (Germany)
MAFIA/S – ImageSinguliéres, Séte (France), Christian Poveda, Letizia Battaglia, Valerio Spada
Fotografia Roma, MACRO, Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome, (Italy)
Outskirts, Palazzo Poli, Calcografia, Roma, (Italy)
Oh my Books 2011, Arles, France

2007
PragueBiennale3, Prague, Czech Republic

2005
Flash Art Fair, Milan, Italy

SELECTED RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS

2017
Magnum Foundation Fund Nominee Invitation

2015
Artist in Residence at Cité des Arts, Paris France with the support of Ministère de la Culture, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, Ville de Paris, et de l’Académie des Beaux-Arts

2014
Gomorrah Girl featured in "A History of PhotoBook, Volume III" by Gerry Badger and Martin Parr
DZ BANK Art Foyer Top 5 Artists 2014 DZ-Bank Kunstsammlung, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

2013
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, Creative Arts, Photography

2012
Kassel PhotoBook Festival 2012, Le Bal Museum, Paris, France (Germany/France)
2 nominations as Best Book of the Year by Jim Goldberg and Kummer & Hermann
Premio Ponchielli / Photo editor prize (Italy)
Resident Artist, LightWork, Syracuse University, NY (USA)

2011
Best Artist of 2011, Albert Renger-Patzsch Award 2012, (Germany)
 PBN Photography Book Now 2011, Grand Prize Winner, New York, (USA)
 Best Project of the Year, Winner FOTOGRAFIA, Museum of Contemporary Art, (Italy)
Top 10 Best Books of the Year by Rémy Coignet, Le Monde, (France)
Top 10 Best Books of the Year by Joerg Colberg, Conscientious, (USA)
4 Nominations as Best Book of the Year Photo Eye Best Books of 2011, Santa Fe, (USA)

LECTURES, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, ARTIST TALKS

2019
Scuola Holden, Torino, Italia "Nicola LaGioia incontra Valerio Spada, Mar 2019

2017
Camera, Centro Nazionale per la Fotografia, Torino, Italia, “La mafia come opera d’arte”, Valerio Spada, Serena Uccello, Marzia Sabella, Mar 2017

2015
School of Visual Arts, New York, i3 Lecture Series, Valerio Spada, Jan 2015
Scuola Holden, Turin, Italy, Jan 2015

2014
‘Mafia as a work of art’, Valerio Spada and Nando Dalla Chiesa invited by curator Francesco Zanot and Lorenza Bravetta, Head of Continental Europe at Magnum Photos, Artissima, Torino, Italy

2013
California College of the Arts, San Francisco, USA, on Jim Golbderg invitation, Sept 2013
Ramapo Liberal Arts College, New Jersey, USA, Sept 2013
Galeria Cero, Madrid, Spain , On the process of creativity with Valerio Spada, Jan 2013

2012
Magnum Lugano Photo Days, Lugano, Switzerland, Valerio Spada on self-publishing, Sept 2012
Visual Studies Workshops Photo-Bookworks Symposium, Rochester, NY, USA, June 2012
PhotoShow Roma 2012, Corso con Valerio Spada, Roma, Italia, Apr 2012

2011
Gomorrah Girl: Extensive lectures, panel discussions and artist talks throughout Europe and USA.
The future of photography and newspapers, Panel discussion at Münchner StädtMuseum, Munich, Germany, Sept 2011
Gomorrah Girl, Valerio Spada, Parsons School of Arts and Design, Paris, France, Oct 2011

SELECTED PRESS

Widewalls, Martinique, Elena. Documenting the Italian Mafia - Valerio Spada at Benrubi Gallery, Switzerland

Artsy, Valerio Spada. I am nothing. Benrubi Gallery, NYC, USA

i-D Magazine no.352 Adolescents in Marseille. Valerio Spada chronicles the lives of the teenagers of the melting pot port city of Marseille. Interview by Felix Petty. UK

TIME Magazine, TIME Special Preview: A guide to the best Spring/Summer Photobooks, USA

i-D Magazine, White, Ryan. How Valerio Spada captures the truth behind the headlines. UK

Sky Arte (TV) Valerio Spada e Magnum a Camera, Centro Nazionale per la Fotografia. Italy

The logging road, ...Trying to document my lost adolescence through the traumatic lives of others. A conversation with Valerio Spada, UK

i-D Magazine, Valerio Spada fotografa la mafia come nessun altro sa fare. Italy

Internazionale. La mafia raccontata da Valerio Spada in mostra a Torino. Italy

Vogue Italia. Italian Panorama. 15 best italian potographers shoots A/W 17/18. Italy

i-D Magazine, Valerio Spada's year in Photos, UK

Vogue Italia, Casadio, Mariuccia. Et maintenant la prochaine, Silvia Venturini Fendi on Karl Lagerfeld. Italy

The GAP. Worldwide Summer Campaign. Portrait of an American Summer. USA

Adweek. Gap found real people, not models, for its Summer Ads celebrating American diversity. USA

Ads of the World. The Gap by Valerio Spada, USA

British Journal of Photography. Seymour, Tom. The Italian Renaissance of Photography. UK

The Guardian. O’Hagan, Sean. The DIY Saviours of Photography. UK

Stern Crime. Ritter, Andrea. Es sind doch noch kinder – Valerio Spada. Germany (ADC Awarded Issue)

Enciclopedia della Moda, Spada Valerio - Italy

Dazed & Confused. Christiansen, Anne. The most exciting new photography books. Self Publish, Be Happy by Ceschel featuring Gomorrah Girl by Valerio Spada in the best photobooks self-published will launch at Foam Amsterdam and New York Book Art Fair. UK

Lomography. Laranjeira, Marta. An interview with Valerio Spada. UK

L'Oeil de la Photographie. Attinger, Irène. April selection best books Maison Européenne de la Photographie. France

SVA, NY. New books: Focus on Photography featuring Vivian Maier, Valerio Spada, Larry Fink, Larry Sultan, La Toya Ruby Frazier. USA

Book review, Haeusslein, Allie, Director Pier24 Photography, Photo-Eye, USA

Art Tribune, Valerio Spada I am nothing

Icon Magazine, La Fotografia ad Artissima, Italy

Camera, Torino, Valerio Spada, I am nothing Solo Exhibition, Italy

Lightwork, AIR, Valerio Spada, Collected prints

The New York Times IE, Tripoli, Gaia. An unfullfilled dream of escape, Gomorrah Girl by Valerio Spada. Page 2. USA

Playground, Muñoz, Alba. Gomorra Girl: así viven y mueren las adolescentes de la mafia, Brasil

Il Post, Le ragazze di Gomorrah, Italy

L'Oeil de la Photographie. Avedon, Elizabeth. Elizabeth Avedon talks to Valerio Spada, France

TIME Magazine, Lightbox, Best Spring/Summer 2014 PhotoBooks, USA

The Huffington Post. A haunting look at the Italian Mafia, Brunamonti, Filippo, USA

TVE2 (TV) Gomorrah Girl at Galeria Cero. TV Interview for La Aventura del Saber, Spain

TVE1 (TV) Lorenzo, Áurea. Valerio Spada, Gomorrah Girl, TV Interview for TeleDiario

RTVE (TV) Segura Albert, Luisa. Hacerse mayor conviviendo con la Camorra, Spain

Fraulen Magazine, Leinen, Lisa. Berlusconis Vermachtnis, Interview with Valerio Spada, Germany

The Photobook Review, Issue One, Ladd, Jeffrey. On Gomorrah Girl with Syb, Aperture Foundation, USA

Lens Magazine. Yue, Geng. On the strees in Naples, Valerio Spada interview, China

Hoolingan Magazine. Evtushenko, Yan. Valerio Spada interview on Gomorrah Girl, Russia

Peanut Butter Thoughts. Cheung, SGH. Valerio Spada – United Kingdom

ASX, American Suburb X. Rickard, Doug, Himes, Darius. Christie's Head of Photographs. PBN Winner: Gomorrah Girl, video, USA

TIME Magazine, Moakley, Paul. Gomorrah Girl: Best in Show, USA

IMSO, The land of the Camorrah, Five Award-Winning Photobooks, USA

Roberto Saviano on Valerio Spada, Facebook

Gomorrah Girl, 2nd edition, Photo Eye, Curated Selection, Santa Fe, USA

Le Monde, Coignet, Rémy. Gomorrah Girl, Valerio Spada, France

La Repubblica, Mutti, Roberto. Gomorrah Girl, Valerio Spada, Italia

Esquire, Gomorrah Girl by Valerio Spada, Russia

Enciclopedia della Moda, Spada Valerio, Mam-E - Italy

Fondazione Fashion Research Italy, Intervista a Valerio Spada. Olivieri, Giorgia. Italy

Cacciatore di Libri, Molti cercano l’eccezionale “Gomorrah Girl” di Valerio Spada. Italy

Pictures for Palestine, UK. Valerio Spada, Angel with a pistol, 2010.

Lars Eidinger by Valerio Spada, Re-Edition, UK 2021.