Artist
CV


Cultural Producer


Language
EN / DE / FR / IT
Cultural Producer
About
Credits

Intro

Nina Pettinato (*1975) is a visual artist who has worked with the media of painting, drawing and photography for many years. In the context of her artistic practice she considers the theoretical examination of the art-historical perspective of the respective medium to be just as important as the practical work in the studio. Since 2018, painting has become the central focus of her artistic work, which is supplemented by photography projects and accompanied by short texts and essays.

 

 

Interests

Nina Pettinato's understanding of art, design and architecture is strongly influenced by the fascination for the subcultural protest movements of the 70s and 80s and is largely determined by the passion for European auteur cinema and the history of photography. The binational, family background and the associated direct access to German and Italian culture as well as to European cultural history in general have sharpened Nina Pettinato's perception of the dynamics of socio-cultural processes.

 

Early on, Nina Pettinato also developed a great interest in psychology in the sense of 'Seelenkunde' and since then has been involved with studies on individual development, on the theses of psychoanalysis and on new, scientific disciplines that aim to set out to interweave classic theories with new, technical processes.

 

 

Academic Career (1994 – 2008)

After graduating from high school in 1994, Nina Pettinato first decided to study biology at the University of Heidelberg and discovered classic, scientific illustrations, which at that time were still predominantly in the form of filigree, carefully colored hand drawings. After various discussions with established, scientific illustrators, in 2000 Nina Pettinato finally decided to do a second degree at the HfG Hochschule für Gestaltung in Offenbach, which she financed entirely herself through part-time student jobs until she received her diploma.

 

In contrast to the usual class structure of an art academy, at the HfG Offenbach art, media and design are taught in a modular study structure based on the training and research models of the Bauhaus, which enables the students to have a continuous, transdisciplinary exchange and guarantees a comprehensive, practical experience that is up to date with the latest technical possibilities.

 

During her undergraduate studies, Nina Pettinato switched from 'Applied Design' to the field of 'Visual Arts' and opened up the enormous field of contemporary art through seminars, lectures and workshops at the HfG Offenbach as well as through regular participation in the top-class lecture program at the Städelschule in Frankfurt. In addition, she supports the library and the art history department as a scientific assistant and is involved in the student committees of the art school. She successfully completed her studies in 2008 with a diploma.

 

 

Artistic Development (2008 – 2013)

After her studies, Nina Pettinato took part in numerous group exhibitions in Germany and abroad and gained the attention of the professional audience through her first solo exhibitions. In 2009 she was awarded the 'Kunstpreis des Bezirks Schwaben', which supported her successful application to participate in the postgraduate program of the 'International Studio and Curatorial Program ISCP New York'. During her three-month stay in New York in 2010, Nina Pettinato realized the long-term photo project 'If you see something, say something' and was resident of the PointB Artist Residency. After her return to Germany, the solo exhibition of the same name in the Neue Galerie at Höhmannhaus Augsburg had a great, positive response and a review of the catalogue was published in PHOTONEWS magazine. Thanks to the multi-year support from the 'Bayerisches Atelierförderprogramm' and the approval of a start-up grant for 'Studio Nina Pettinato', she was able to further advance her artistic development in terms of content and form and thereby achieve a professional level.

 

 

Cultural Management (2014 – 2022)

In search of a counterpoint to the artistic work in the studio, Nina Pettinato moved to Munich in 2012. In June 2014, she accidentally discovered a job advertisement from Euroboden Architekturkultur and recognized a possible field of activity at the interface between art and architecture. She successfully applied and just a few months later received an offer from founder and managing director Stefan F. Höglmaier to set up an art space in the bunker at Ungererstrasse. In autumn 2014, the art space 'BNKR - current reflections on art and architecture' was founded, which would be the central part of Euroboden's cultural commitment until 2022.

 

In order to be able to create a really new, different and progressive place for Munich's art and culture scene, Nina Pettinato interrupts her own artistic production and exhibition activities and devotes herself entirely to her new role as cultural manager. The strength of the BNKR concept is based on its structural flexibility and the conscious decision to pursue transdisciplinary diversity: through the programs of the annually appointed external curators, the high-rise bunker is transformed into a place of artistic practice and cultural participation and puts up current topics at the interface of art and architecture for discussion. For her successful work as a cultural producer, Nina Pettinato was awarded by the German Cultural Council Berlin in 2022 and became a mentee in the prestigious 'Mentoring Program for Women in Culture and Media'.

 

 

Outlook

Since 2023, Nina Pettinato puts the focus again on her own artistic work and related exhibition projects. She currently lives and works in Germany.