Bio
Attilio Fiumarella is a visual artist whose practice intersects photography, architecture, and social landscapes. Trained at the Porto School of Architecture, he worked as an architect before fully dedicating himself to photography. His work explores themes such as identity, territory, and social issues, often incorporating performative elements and new media.
In 2025, he is an artist-in-residence at Braga25 – Portuguese Capital of Culture. In 2020, he won the Portrait of Humanity award, organised by the British Journal of Photography in collaboration with Magnum Photos. He was also a finalist for awards such as the Aesthetica Art Prize, the Head On Portrait Prize, and the UNSEEN Dummy Book Award. In 2018, he received a grant from the Arts Council England to develop a project on British identity.
His work has been commissioned by institutions such as the University of British Columbia (Canada) and the Centro Internacional das Artes José de Guimarães (Portugal), as well as publications including The Guardian, Le Monde, Die Welt, L’OBS, and the Financial Times. His work is part of various public and private collections and has been exhibited internationally at institutions such as the Art Museum of West Vancouver (Canada), The Barber Institute of Fine Arts (UK), Sydney Museum (Australia), and Capa Centre (Hungary). He was also a guest artist at the Porto Design Biennale 2023 (Portugal).
Attilio is based in Portugal.
Awards
2025
Artist Residency, Shopyard, Braga25 - Portuguese Capital of Culture
2023
Urbanautica Institute Awards, Shortlisted
2020
Portrait of Humanity, Winner
2019
UNSEEN Dummy Book Award, Finalist
FUAM Dummy Book Award, Finalist
FOTO WIEN - Photo Book Award, Finalist
2018
Art Grant - Developing Your Creative Practice, Art Council England
2017
Head On Portrait Prize, Finalist
2016
Aesthetica Art Prize, Finalist
2015
RBSA Photographic Prize, 1st Prize
IPA - International Photography Awards, “Social Cause” Category, Honourable Mention
IPA - International Photography Awards, “People” Category, Honourable Mention
Athens Photo Festival, Finalist
2014
Art Grant - Some Cities, Birmingham, Uk
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award, Finalist
PHOTODOCUMENT, Finalist
2013
Novos Talentos FNAC, Honourable Mention
Artist Residency, Shopyard, Braga25 - Portuguese Capital of Culture
2023
Urbanautica Institute Awards, Shortlisted
2020
Portrait of Humanity, Winner
2019
UNSEEN Dummy Book Award, Finalist
FUAM Dummy Book Award, Finalist
FOTO WIEN - Photo Book Award, Finalist
2018
Art Grant - Developing Your Creative Practice, Art Council England
2017
Head On Portrait Prize, Finalist
2016
Aesthetica Art Prize, Finalist
2015
RBSA Photographic Prize, 1st Prize
IPA - International Photography Awards, “Social Cause” Category, Honourable Mention
IPA - International Photography Awards, “People” Category, Honourable Mention
Athens Photo Festival, Finalist
2014
Art Grant - Some Cities, Birmingham, Uk
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award, Finalist
PHOTODOCUMENT, Finalist
2013
Novos Talentos FNAC, Honourable Mention
Exhibitions
2023
Apagar A Linha: Entre Terra E Água - Erasing The Line: Between Land and Water , Palácio dos Viscondes de Balsemão, Porto, Portugal
2022
Through a Northern Lens: a community view on Health and Wellbeing in Northern BC, Prince George, Canada
Seclusion & Spectacle , Slide Room Gallery, Victoria, Canada
2021
On the Hook, BLAH -Benjamin Lumb Art House, West Vancouver, Canada
2020
Portrait of Humanity, Capa Centre, Budapest, Hungary
Portrait of Humanity, Sent into Space, The Space
Portrait of Humanity, Indian Photo Festival, Hyderabad, India
Presence & Absence, Nic Lehoux and Attilio Fiumarella, Art Museum, West Vancouver, Canada
2019
UNSEEN Dummy Book Award - Westergas, Amsternam, The Netherlands
Istanbul Photobook Festival - Istanbul, Turkey
FotoNoviembre 2019 - Atlantica Colectiva, Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
OBSCURA Festival of Photography - Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Malaysia
Photometria International Photography Festival, Photo Book Exhibition, Palea Sfagia, Ioannina, Greece
MOPLA -Month of Photography Los Angeles - Photo Book Exhibition, House of Lucie, Los Angeles, USA
Foto Wien Photo Book Exhibition, Festival Centre, Wien, Austria
2018
Middle Bound: Exploring the Social Fabric at the Heart of England, QUAD, Derby, UK.
2017
Head On Photo Festival, Sydney Museum, Australia
Works of Mercy, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham, UK
2016
East Meets West 2.0, The Waterhall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, UK
East Meets West 2.0, QUAD, Derby, UK
Works of Mercy, FNAC Gaia, Portugal
Internal Landscape, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists - RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, UK
Aesthetica Art Prize, York, UK
2015
FotoNoviembre 2015 - Atlantica Colectiva, Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Works of Mercy, FNAC Santa Catarina, Porto, Portugal
Urban Life exhibition 2015 (1st Prize), RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, UK
The Swimmers, The Old Print Works, Birmingham, UK
Mid-Lands, Stryx Gallery, Birmingham, UK
Works of Mercy, FNAC Braga, Portugal
Works of Mercy, FNAC Chiado, Lisbon, Portugal
2014
Works of Mercy, FNAC Matosinhos, Portugal
Works of Mercy, FNAC Albufeira, Portugal
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Festival,Tbilisi, Georgia
Works of Mercy, FNAC Norteshopping, Porto, Portugal
The Photographers' Wall - A Collection, New Library of Birmingham, UK
2013
New Settlers, Ponte Pedonal, Peso da Regua, Portugal
New Settlers, Parque do Imperio, Mirandela, Portugal
New Settlers, Lg. Arquinho - Pr. República - Solar dos Magalhães, Amarante, Portugal
Apagar A Linha: Entre Terra E Água - Erasing The Line: Between Land and Water , Palácio dos Viscondes de Balsemão, Porto, Portugal
2022
Through a Northern Lens: a community view on Health and Wellbeing in Northern BC, Prince George, Canada
Seclusion & Spectacle , Slide Room Gallery, Victoria, Canada
2021
On the Hook, BLAH -Benjamin Lumb Art House, West Vancouver, Canada
2020
Portrait of Humanity, Capa Centre, Budapest, Hungary
Portrait of Humanity, Sent into Space, The Space
Portrait of Humanity, Indian Photo Festival, Hyderabad, India
Presence & Absence, Nic Lehoux and Attilio Fiumarella, Art Museum, West Vancouver, Canada
2019
UNSEEN Dummy Book Award - Westergas, Amsternam, The Netherlands
Istanbul Photobook Festival - Istanbul, Turkey
FotoNoviembre 2019 - Atlantica Colectiva, Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
OBSCURA Festival of Photography - Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Malaysia
Photometria International Photography Festival, Photo Book Exhibition, Palea Sfagia, Ioannina, Greece
MOPLA -Month of Photography Los Angeles - Photo Book Exhibition, House of Lucie, Los Angeles, USA
Foto Wien Photo Book Exhibition, Festival Centre, Wien, Austria
2018
Middle Bound: Exploring the Social Fabric at the Heart of England, QUAD, Derby, UK.
2017
Head On Photo Festival, Sydney Museum, Australia
Works of Mercy, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham, UK
2016
East Meets West 2.0, The Waterhall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, UK
East Meets West 2.0, QUAD, Derby, UK
Works of Mercy, FNAC Gaia, Portugal
Internal Landscape, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists - RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, UK
Aesthetica Art Prize, York, UK
2015
FotoNoviembre 2015 - Atlantica Colectiva, Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Works of Mercy, FNAC Santa Catarina, Porto, Portugal
Urban Life exhibition 2015 (1st Prize), RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, UK
The Swimmers, The Old Print Works, Birmingham, UK
Mid-Lands, Stryx Gallery, Birmingham, UK
Works of Mercy, FNAC Braga, Portugal
Works of Mercy, FNAC Chiado, Lisbon, Portugal
2014
Works of Mercy, FNAC Matosinhos, Portugal
Works of Mercy, FNAC Albufeira, Portugal
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Festival,Tbilisi, Georgia
Works of Mercy, FNAC Norteshopping, Porto, Portugal
The Photographers' Wall - A Collection, New Library of Birmingham, UK
2013
New Settlers, Ponte Pedonal, Peso da Regua, Portugal
New Settlers, Parque do Imperio, Mirandela, Portugal
New Settlers, Lg. Arquinho - Pr. República - Solar dos Magalhães, Amarante, Portugal
Artist Talks
2024
Artist Talk: Artistas Estrangeiros em Portugal. Alina Zaharia, Attilio Fiumarella e Polly Hummel, moderação de Nora Manty.
MFA - Mostra de Fotografia & Autores Porto - Clube dos Fenianos, Porto
2023
Guided Visit: Apagar A Linha: Entre Terra E Água ,
Museu do Porto, Portugal
2020
Artist Talk: Attilio Fiumarella
West Vancouver Art Museum, Canada
2018
IPCI - Instituto de Produção Cultural e Imagem
Conversa com Attilio Fiumarella, Porto, Portugal
2017
20 X 20 X 5: Contemporary Art
The Barber Institute of Fine Art, Birmingham, UK
Works of Mercy
The Barber Institute of Fine Art, Birmingham, UK
The Image Makers Seminar Series 2017: 1 Attilio Fiumarella
Photography Studies College, Melbourne, Australia
2016
East Meets West, Watherhall Gallery
Photographers Talk And Exhibition Tour, Birmingham, Uk
“Superdivercity”
Photocafe’, Birmingham, Uk
“Birmingham, layers of a hybrid landscape”,
International Conference – Frontiers and borders of superdiversity: theory, method and practice, University of Birmingham, Uk
2014
SOME CITIES....a work in progress: with photographers Attilio Fiumarella and Stephen Burke
MAC - Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham, UK
2013
Conversas Sobre Fotografia
FNAC Norteshopping, Porto, Portugal
2012
Pecha Kucha 03
Spot Architecture, Cagliari, Italy
Artist Talk: Artistas Estrangeiros em Portugal. Alina Zaharia, Attilio Fiumarella e Polly Hummel, moderação de Nora Manty.
MFA - Mostra de Fotografia & Autores Porto - Clube dos Fenianos, Porto
2023
Guided Visit: Apagar A Linha: Entre Terra E Água ,
Museu do Porto, Portugal
2020
Artist Talk: Attilio Fiumarella
West Vancouver Art Museum, Canada
2018
IPCI - Instituto de Produção Cultural e Imagem
Conversa com Attilio Fiumarella, Porto, Portugal
2017
20 X 20 X 5: Contemporary Art
The Barber Institute of Fine Art, Birmingham, UK
Works of Mercy
The Barber Institute of Fine Art, Birmingham, UK
The Image Makers Seminar Series 2017: 1 Attilio Fiumarella
Photography Studies College, Melbourne, Australia
2016
East Meets West, Watherhall Gallery
Photographers Talk And Exhibition Tour, Birmingham, Uk
“Superdivercity”
Photocafe’, Birmingham, Uk
“Birmingham, layers of a hybrid landscape”,
International Conference – Frontiers and borders of superdiversity: theory, method and practice, University of Birmingham, Uk
2014
SOME CITIES....a work in progress: with photographers Attilio Fiumarella and Stephen Burke
MAC - Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham, UK
2013
Conversas Sobre Fotografia
FNAC Norteshopping, Porto, Portugal
2012
Pecha Kucha 03
Spot Architecture, Cagliari, Italy
Interviews
Artist Interview: Attilio Fiumarella: Works of Mercy
https://facilitateurbanphotography.wordpress.com/tag/attilio-fiumarella/
https://facilitateurbanphotography.wordpress.com/tag/attilio-fiumarella/
Aesthetica Art Prize
http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/aesthetica-art-prize-call-for-entries-countdown/
http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/aesthetica-art-prize-call-for-entries-countdown/
Some Cities - Spotlight
http://www.some-cities.org.uk/spotlight/attilio-fiumarella
http://www.some-cities.org.uk/spotlight/attilio-fiumarella
BBC - 'Terracotta army' photographed at Moseley Road baths
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-28392292
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-28392292