Bio

Ilaria Antolini (b.1993) is an Italian multidisciplinary artist living and working in London. She received a BA in Interior Design from the Polytechnic of Milan in 2015 and a MA in Communication Design: Illustration from Kingston University, London in 2017. Ilaria is best known for her mixed media collages that investigate the relationship between the human body and clothing and fashion as a form of non-verbal communication. Ilaria is interested in the value of clothing as an identification tool, as a medium or channel for self-expression.
In her practice, Ilaria depicts clothing as a second skin, as an enigmatic layer between the self and the not-self that can change one's view of the world and the world’s view of us.

In her collage creation progress, Ilaria proceeds with a natural and instinctive approach combining visually evocative elements to create engaging and thought-provoking images. The layers of magazines, textiles, ink, and acrylics in Ilaria's work are a metaphor for the stratum of double meanings and symbols present in her artwork. Every piece aspires to stimulate the mind of the viewer, opening a dialogue that creates a connection.

Ilaria has exhibited internationally, selected group shows include International Women's Month, Adidas Oxford Circus, London, UK (2022); William Morris: Wallpaper Man, William Morris Society, London, UK (2021); Decay, Arch Hanoi, Vietnam (2021); Idiom Home Show, London Design Week, London, UK (2019); Metamorphosis, Ugly Duck, London, UK (2019); Storybox: Tales of Absence, ‘What ifs’ and Salvation, Wilton’s Music Hall, London, UK (2017) and Caves, Antonia Jannone’s Gallery, Milan, IT (2013). Her work has been also featured in multiple publications and major tv channels including BBC News, Sky Sports, At The Races, Talksport, The Sun, and The Times.