About Giustina Surbone

Artist Statement

I create portraits of people and events. I am interested in how our innate reaction to external stimuli affects our choices, our appearance and ultimately, how we function in the world. My paintings are intended to deliver a direct impact by virtue of their size and the expressive force of my subject matter. 


In my work, I explore issues concerning sexual fetishes, body politics, standards of beauty, food porn and addiction and gendered-based discrimination and violence.


My paintings can best be described as figuratively idiosyncratic portraits and narratives. Not only has my work been shaped by my personal experiences, but it has also been influenced by historical and contemporary art, cinema, current events and the continuous struggle of the human species.

I rarely paint from life; instead, I am interested in the moment when a photographic image becomes a painting. Mostly inspired by my own photographs, I also use personal photos of others and images found on the Internet, in magazines, movies and in the trash.


In addition to painting, I also experiment with a variety of other mediums. I make videos and experiment with live performance, installation, digital printmaking and the culinary arts to communicate the intent of my work.


I maintain a daily studio practice. I work slowly and need consistency in order to problem solve, experiment and allow new ideas to percolate and evolve. 

Resume

Art Education

1990-92 Parsons School of Design, NY, New York

1981-85 State University College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York


Performances

2012 Flux Factory, “Bacchanalian Banquet” for Banquet for America Experiment, Long Island City, NY

2012 Private Studio, “A Bacchanalian Dining Experiment,” Brooklyn, NY


Solo Exhibitions

2012 Flux Factory, “Bacchanalian Banquet,” Banquet of America Experiment, Long Island City, NY

2002 McCaig-Wells Gallery, “The Figure,” New York, NY


Select Two Person and Group Exhibitions

2024 Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, “Ancestral Voices,” Brooklyn, NY

2023 Tabla Rasa Gallery, “Literal and Figurative,” Brooklyn, NY

2022 Hilt and Stella Kelly Hall, “All Things Great and Small,” Roxbury, NY

2022 Drawing Rooms, “Rewriting Herstory: Women in the Visual Arts,” Artsy Online

2021 The Great Hall Gallery, “SCALE, within the artist practice,” NY, New York

2020 El Barrio Art Space PS 109,” Women Celebrate Women,” NY New York

2020 Ground Floor Gallery, Online Exhibition, “There’s No Place…,” Brooklyn NY

2020 Arts Gowanus on Atlantic Avenue (A Socially Distanced Safe Event) Brooklyn, NY

2012 Sideshow Gallery, “Mic: Check,” Brooklyn, NY

2011 Galleria, “Queer Bodies,” Queens, NY

2010 Pool Art Fair, New York, NY

2010 Sideshow Gallery, “It’s A Wonderful 10th,” Brooklyn, NY

2009 Gallery Korea, “Soul Ideologies,” New York, NY

2009 Tabla Rasa Gallery, “The Portrait: Painted & Personal,” Brooklyn NY

2008 A Gathering of the Tribes, “Being in a Lone Space,” New York, NY

2007 Broome Street Gallery, “Annual Invitational,” New York, NY

2006 Lascano Gallery, “Gender,” Great Barrington, MN

2005 Spike Gallery, “Nurturing the New,” New York, NY

2005 Exit Art, “Homomuseum & Archive Project,” New York, NY

2002 Ciao Bella, “Deep Beauty,” New York, NY

2002 Diesel Art Gallery, “Inaugural Exhibition,” Brooklyn, NY

2001 The Hall of Art, “Dodeca Mensual Salon II,” Brooklyn, NY

1996 Tivoli Artist Co-op, “Head to Toe, the Figure,” Tivoli, NY

1995 Smith Township Arts Council, Mills Pond House Gallery, “The Larger

Woman,” Smithtown, NY



Videos

2012 The Hungry Grlz Project: “A Bacchanalian Dining Experiment,” by Giustina Surbone and Daniel Smyksy

2012 “A Bacchanalian Banquet at Flux Factory” by Giustina Surbone and Daniel Smyksy

2009 “Quintalog: The Portrait Painted and Personal,” by Jennie Bourne

2008 “Being in a Lone Space,” The James Kalm Report


Bibliography, Media and Publications

Drawing Rooms, “Rewriting Herstory: Women in the Visual Arts Catalogue 2022

Time Out NY, Critic’s Pick: Queer Bodies by Ethan LaCroix, August 31, 2011

The Body-Nothing Else, How Women Approach their Bodies, Paintings #127 August 2011

7th Edition Pool Art Fair New York 2010 Catalogue

Gallery Korea Exhibition Series Catalogue 2009

Jenny Bourne. Video by Jenny Bourne, BourneDigital.Com “Quintalogue: Five Women Artist at Tabla Rasa Gallery. What is painted? What is Personal?

NY Daily News, ...& around the town, Page 39, “Sleeping Quentin,” Reproduction, Friday, March 6, 2009

Manuel Macarrulla. Pintamanuel. Review: “The Portrait: Painted and Personal” http://pintamanuel.blogspot.com/ 2009

Robert Roth & Arnold Sacher. And Then Page 65 (NY), “Drag #3,” reproduction 2008

James Kalm. The James Kalm Report. “Being in a Lone Space, Surbone & Ross at Tribes.” 2008

“Two Shine Bright at Tribes Gallery’s Lone Space,” Brooklyn Courier (NY), 24/7 (NY) 2008

Harrison, Helen A. “75 Statements about Women’s Bodies in a Didactic Exhibition.” The New York Times, April 2, 1995


Commissions

2012 Flux Factory, Bacchanalian Banquet, Banquet of America Experiment, Long Island City, NY


Affiliations

NAWA National Association of Women Artists, Inc.


Collections

Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn, NY: Painting #23 in Remarked Upon Book by Robin Ross

Work in private collections