Nicoz Balboa is a transgender Italian award-winning visual artist who uses his life events as inspiration for works ranging from painting, drawing and tattooing to pyrography, graphic journals and graphic novels. He reveals his hopes, failures and successes in candid and, at times, critical works that are frequently both tragic and humorous. The themes of provocation and sexuality repeatedly surface as his works are firmly rooted in the tradition of transfeminist discourse.

Nicoz was born in Rome, and studied at the IED (European Institute of Design). After graduating they spent time at the E.S.A.G. in Paris.

Books & Graphic Novels

Since 2003, Nicoz Balboa has been publishing graphic novels, zines, and illustrated books that blend autobiography, queer and transfeminist reflections, and visual experimentation.

Their works include Play With Fire and Transformer
Nicoz’s books have been translated in French for Italian and presented at festivals such as BilBolBul (Bologna), Lucca Comics, and Angoulême.

Illustration & Design

Nicoz’s illustration and design practice bridges fine art, comics, and counterculture aesthetics. Their visual work explores identity and transformation across media — from experimental animation in the movie “Les Religions Sauvages” with Le dernier Cri (2002) to co-designing the sustainable brand Wooden Finger (2017–2020).

Tattooing

from 2012 Nicoz has travelled the world using his tattooing skills and has worked as a guest tattooist in some of the coolest tattoo parlors including Mystery Tattoo Club in Paris, Eight of Swords in New York, Salon Serpent in Amsterdam, the Ten Bells Tattoos in Rome, 1770 Tattoos (formerly “IN2U”) in Brighton, and Turbo Zero and they have now opened his own tattoo studio, called Strangeland. click here to check his tattoos.

Nicoz lives and works in France and regularly undertakes guest work in both Italy and the UK.

Solo Exhibitions 

• 2024 — Be Water
  Triple solo exhibition avec Virginie Rouvière et Henri Capron, invité par le collectif ESSENCE CARBONE — Quai Maubec, La Rochelle

• 2021 — Taking Place: Bodies on the Page
  Triple solo exhibition avec Alice Socal, Émilie Gleason et Rikke Villadsen — Festival BilBolBul, Bologne

• 2019 — #Mermtrans
  Solo exhibition — Play Zoo, pendant le Gender Bender Festival, Bologne

• 2018 — Drawing My Life Ruined My Life
  Solo exhibition — Les Libellules Studio, pendant le BilBolBul Festival, Bologne

• 2018 — Nicoz Balboa goes porn
  Solo exhibition — Les Libellules Studio, pendant le BilBolBul Festival, Bologne

• 2017 — Nicoz Balboa goes porn
  Solo exhibition — Desideratum Tattoo Gallery, Barcelone

• 2017 — Baglione Vs Balboa
  Dessin sur photos de William Baglione — Hangar Tattoo Gallery, Rome

• 2016 — Nicoz Balboa goes porn
  Solo exhibition — Eight Of Swords Gallery, New York

• 2015 — Le journal graphique
  Solo exhibition — Atelier Bletterie, La Rochelle

• 2014 — Touch us we are sick
  Double solo exhibition avec Francesco Panatta — Hangar Tattoo Gallery, Rome

• 2013 — Triple solo exhibition
  Avec Aya Kakeda et Angie Mason — MF Gallery, New York

• 2011 — La chasse à la ligne
  Solo exhibition — Atelier Bletterie, La Rochelle

• 2011 — Ambassadors of the Otherworldly
  Double solo exhibition avec Ciou — Rue de Beauce Gallery, Paris

• 2010 — Animal Wisdom
  Solo exhibition — Luisa Catucci Gallery (ex Cell63 Gallery), Berlin

• 2010 — Magical Mystery Wood
  Solo exhibition — Fabrica Fluxus, Bari

• 2009 — Triple solo exhibition
  Avec Navette et Easy Sacha — Le Pied De Biche, Paris

• 2002 — Contemporary Hearts
  Double solo show avec Anna Tufano — Rialto Occupato, Rome

Group Exhibitions 

• 2021 — TAKING PLACE: Bodies on the Page
  With Alice Socal, Émilie Gleason, Rikke Villadsen — Festival Bil Bol Bul, Bologna

• 2015 — Un dessin est beau si la ligne est vivante
  Winterlong Galerie, Niort, France

• 2013 — Les ateliers dans la galerie
  Atelier Bletterie, La Rochelle, France

• 2016 — Yoga on my skin
  Parione 9 Gallery, Rome, Italy

• 2012 — Ladies, ladies!
  MF Gallery, New York, USA

• 2011 — Méthamorphose en bord de ciel
  Art De Rien Gallery, Paris, France

• 2011 — Italian Pop Surrealism
  Mondo Bizzarro Gallery, Rome, Italy

• 2010 — Sweet Street II
  Gallery Nucleus, Los Angeles, USA

• 2010 — Premio Lissone (finalist artist)
  Museum of Contemporary Art, Lissone, Italy

• 2010 — Art Shake
  Mondo Bizzarro Gallery, Rome, Italy

• 2009 — World of Illustration
  Intoxicated Demons Gallery, Berlin, Germany

• 2009 — Girls of the Underground
  MF Gallery, New York, USA

• 2009 — Sweet Street
  Gallery Nucleus, Los Angeles, USA

• 2009 — Micropop NippoSuggestioni
  Angel Art Gallery, Milan, Italy

• 2008 — Power and Currency
  Curated by Nathalie Kates, New York, USA

• 2008 — Show Me Your Fantasy
  FEMINA POTENS, San Francisco, USA

• 2008 — Immigrant Punk
  Black Maria Gallery, Los Angeles, USA

• 2008 — Ketos
  Acquario Civico, Milan, Italy

• 2008 — Beautiful Dreamers
  Angel Art Gallery, Milan, Italy

• 2008 — Pop Invaders & Money-Lisa
  Mondo POP Gallery, Rome, Italy

• 2007 — Whaleless
  Strychnin Gallery, Berlin & London

• 2007 — Girls Adventures
  Arkel Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

• 2007 — Don’t Say Motherfucker, Motherfucker
  MF Gallery, New York, USA

• 2007 — Knock Your Socks Off
  Head Quarters Gallery, Montreal, Canada

• 2006 — Yoga on My Skin
  Parione 9 Gallery, Rome, Italy

• 2006 — I Need Your Skull
  MF Gallery, New York, USA

• 2006 — Cerbère
  Triple exhibition with Karote and Christian Baron, Viva Dolor Gallery, Lyon, France

• 2006 — FREAKS
  Art De Rien Gallery, Paris, France

• 2005 — Dites 33
  Espace des Blancs-Manteaux, Paris, France

• 2005 — Crack
  With Punk Surrealism group, Forte Prenestino, Rome, Italy

• 2005–2008 — Dirty Show
  Detroit, USA

• 2004 — Christmas Collective Exhibition
  Art’s Factory Gallery, Paris, France

• 2004 — Skulls Of Rome
  curated by Drago Publishing, Rome, Italy

• 2003 — Mobiletty
  Galleria Stella, Rome, Italy

• 2000s — The BIC Show
  Art De Rien Gallery, Paris, France

• 1999 — FUMETTA: The Contemporary Lady-Designers of the Italian Comic World
  Spinea, Italy