The Bronx Museum 2025 AIM Fellow
Piero Penizzotto
ARTIST STATEMENT
Piero Penizzotto’s (he/him) artistic expression takes shape through life-sized painted papier-mâché sculptures that reflect his Peruvian-American heritage. These pieces serve as visual narratives, exploring the complexities of Penizzotto’s cultural background and scenes of daily life he experienced in South Florida, New York, and Peru. Each sculpture captures the essence of familial and friendship dynamics, portraying moments of embraces, conversations, and intimate moments that embody the importance of human relationships.
Right now, Penizzotto is in a state where he wants to highlight this message of togetherness, to remind himself—and hopefully others—to dive into their own family and friendship narratives and help build a deeper appreciation of these bonds while we’re all still here.
His goal is for the viewer to engage with the figures on a personal level, for people to reflect on their own relationships—whether blood or forged by friendship—and perhaps even see themselves within the stories he tells about community, identity, and the connections that define us.
Penizzotto tries to achieve this goal by creating intricate details within each sculpture— focusing on the attire, facial expressions, and body language to bring these sculptures to life. The life-sized scale is crucial, creating an immersive experience that connects the artwork and the audience. This intentionality transforms viewers into active participants in the space, establishing a sense of belonging.
Biography
Piero Penizzotto (b. 1998) is a Peruvian-American artist based in New York. Penizzotto’s sculptural practice is presented as an ode to the friendships and communities he is a part of growing up in New York and South Florida. He recently graduated with honors from Hunter College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Previous exhibitions include Primary Gallery, Miami (2024), White Columns, New York (2023), and Public Access Gallery, New York (2022). Pennizzotto received a 2025 AIM Fellowship at The Bronx Museum.
