Valentina Abenavoli is an Italian artist working at the intersection of photography, text, and the artist’s book. She studied Photography and Visual Communication at IED Turin and is currently based in Trivandrum, India.
In 2012, she founded Akina Books, an independent publishing house known for its experimental approach to editing and bookmaking. The press produced over thirty photobooks, now held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Photobook Museum in Cologne, and shortlisted for international awards such as the Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards.
The artist’s book has always been central to her practice. Through both publishing and her own work, she approaches the book as a medium in itself — a space where sequencing, rhythm, and materiality generate meaning. Her projects, including Anaesthesia (2016) and The Harvest (2017), explore the ethics of images, violence, and collective perception, and have been exhibited internationally.
Alongside her artistic practice, she works as a book designer and educator. She received the 2023 Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Award and has led workshops worldwide. She is also a co-founder of Neighbour, an artist-run space in Trivandrum dedicated to experimental and socially engaged practices.
Valentina Abenavoli is an Italian artist working at the intersection of photography, text, and the artist’s book. She studied Photography and Visual Communication at IED Turin and is currently based in Trivandrum, India.
In 2012, she founded Akina Books, an independent publishing house known for its experimental approach to editing and bookmaking. The press produced over thirty photobooks, now held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Photobook Museum in Cologne, and shortlisted for international awards such as the Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards.
The artist’s book has always been central to her practice. Through both publishing and her own work, she approaches the book as a medium in itself — a space where sequencing, rhythm, and materiality generate meaning. Her projects, including Anaesthesia (2016) and The Harvest (2017), explore the ethics of images, violence, and collective perception, and have been exhibited internationally.
Alongside her artistic practice, she works as a book designer and educator. She received the 2023 Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Award and has led workshops worldwide. She is also a co-founder of Neighbour, an artist-run space in Trivandrum dedicated to experimental and socially engaged practices.
