About

» - «

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.

 



publishing

2005

He published his first solo comic-album, Nicozrama, with the Italian publisher, Centro Fumetto Andrea Pazienza.

2008

He published another solo comic book Les larmes the crocodile, with the french publisher, “DIANTRE!”

2017

He once again published his work, this time a selection of his graphic journals in a book called “Born to lose, with the Italian publisher Coconino Fandango.

2019

He self published a self-help comic fanzine called “The Vibration List

2020

His new graphic novel came out in Italy under the name of “Play With Fire” for the Italian publisher Oblomov.

Translation in French of “Play With Fire” with the French publisher Ici-même

2023

Transformer” with Italian Publisher Oblomov .

the book won the prestigious “Yellow-Kid Book Of The Year award” at the Lucca Comics & Games 2023

 

2020 to 2021

Drawing comics for Italian magazine Linus


Illustration & Design

2002

He created a 2 minute cartoon with the french avant-garde screen printers group, Le dernier Cri, for the film “Les religions sauvages”.

from 2017 to 2020  he has been a designer for the brand Wooden Finger, which they founded with Lorena Rossi and Ariel Kinski.


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.


Exhibitions

solo

-“Baglione Vs Balboa”drawing on William Baglione photos at Hangar Tattoo Gallery, Rome

-“Touch us we are sick” double solo exhibition with Francesco Panatta at Hangar Tattoo Gallery, Rome

-“Contemporary hearts” double solo show with Anna Tufano at Rialto Occupato, Rome

-“Magical Mystery Wood”, Fabrica Fluxus – Bari

-“Ambassadors of the otherworldly” double solo exhibition with Ciou at Rue de Beauce Gallery – Paris

-Triple solo exhibition with Navette and Easy Sacha, Le Pied De Biche, Paris

-“Nicoz Balboa goes porn” at Eight Of Swords gallery, New York

-Triple solo exhibition with Aya Kakeda and Angie Mason, MF gallery, New York

-“La chasse à la ligne” solo exhibtion at atelier Bletterie – La Rochelle

-“Le journal graphique” solo exhibtion at atelier Bletterie – La Rochelle

-“Animal wisdom” Luisa Catucci gallery (formerly Cell63 Gallery), Berlin

-“Nicoz Balboa goes porn” Desideratum tattoo gallery, Barcelona

-“Nicoz Balboa goes porn” Les Libelules Studio during BilBolBul Festival, Bologna

-“Drawing My Life Ruined My Life” Les Libelules Studio during BilBolBul Festival, Bologna

-“#Mermtrans” at Play Zoo during Gender Bender Festval, Bologna

collective

-“Italian pop surrealism” group exhibition at Mondo Bizzarro gallery – Rome

-“Art shake” at Mondo Bizzarro gallery – Rome

– “Yoga on my skin” at Parione 9 gallery, Rome

-“Skulls of Rome” curated by DRAGO publisher – Rome

-“Pop Invaders” and “Money-Lisa” at Mondo POP gallery – Rome

-“Mobiletty” at galleria Stella,Rome

“Crack” exhibition (with the Punk Surrealism group) at Forte Prenestino, Rome

-“Micropop nipposuggestioni” at the Angel Art Gallery – Milan

-“Beautiful dreamers” at the Angel Art Gallery – Milan

-“Ketos”, Acquario civico – Milan

-“Premio Lissone”, Museum of Contemporary Art – Lissone

-“FUMETTA, the contemporary lady-designers of the Italian comic world” –  Spinea

-“Sweet street” at Gallery Nucleus – Los Angeles

-“Sweet street II” at Gallery Nucleus – Los Angeles

-“Immigrant punk” at Black Maria Gallery – Los Angeles

-“Show me your fantasy”,  FEMINA POTENS, San Francisco

-“Don’t say motherfucker, motherfucker” at the MF gallery – New York

-“Halloween party” at MF gallery, New York

-“I need your skull” at MF gallery, New York

-“Girls  of the underground” at MF gallery, New York

-“Ladies, ladies!” at MF gallery, New York

-Collective exhibition “power and currency” curated by Nathalie Kates, New York

-“Dirty Show” – Detroit

-“Knock your socks off” at the Head Quarters Gallery – Montreal

-“World of illustration” at Intoxicated Demons Gallery – Berlin

-“Whaleless” at Strychnin Gallery – Berlin and London

-“Girls Adventures” at Arkel gallery – Bruxelle

-Christmass collective exhibition at Art’s Factory gallery, Paris

-“Méthamorphose en bord de cièl” group exhibition at Art De Rien Gallery – Paris

-Collective exhibition the BIC SHOW,  Art De Rien Gallery, Paris

-Collective exhibition FREAKS,   Art De Rien Gallery, Paris

-“Dites 33” at Espace des Blancs-Manteaux , Paris

-“Cerbère” triple exhibition with Karote and Chris Bonobo Viva Dolor  gallery, Lyon

-“Les ateliers dans la galerie” group exhibition at Atelier Bletterie – La Rochelle

-“Un dessin est beau si la ligne est vivante” group exhibition at Winterlong Galerie, Niort

 – “TAKING PLACE bodies on the page” (Nicoz Balboa with) Alice Socal, Émilie Gleason, Rikke Villadsen during Festival Bil Bol Bul, Bologna 2021

ED175373-A541-4897-8EC0-D866596EEC05