Barbara Capponi, aka Babas (Milan, 1966), is a visual artist who moves across a very broad territory ranging from drawing to writing, from sculpture to photography. One of her most original means of expression are the retablos, small dioramas inspired by the Mexican tradition containing 3d miniature scenes, to which Babas adds a title.
Before dedicating herself to art full time, she was an art director and a creative director in a large international advertising agency, where she created many successful campaigns and characters, including the popolar chameleon Carletto. She also produced several campaigns for no profit organizations, in particular for Amnesty International and Lipu (Italian Association for Birds Protection), and carried out projects of an artistic nature, including the collaboration with the Italian cult band Elio and Le Storie Tese.
The relationship between man and nature, the link between micro and macro cosmos, psyche, the unknown, beauty and ferocity of the world, love are some of the central themes of her work, which she tries to tackle with a light hand, poetry and humor.
Her last book, “Come addomesticare un umano” (Giunti 2022), has been translated into 17 languages.
She divides her time between Rome and Monterosso al Mare.
