Paola Pivi was born in Italy in 1971. Over the years, she has lived and worked in Italy, Anchorage (Alaska), Big Island (Hawaii), New Delhi (India), and Toronto (Canada). 

By manipulating scale, space, materials and colours, often bringing together unexpected elements, Pivi creates works that are both enigmatic and surprising, evoking a sense of wonder in the viewer. The artist invites viewers to shift their perspective, encouraging them to reconsider their preconceived notions of what her works represent. This approach gives rise to a distinctive form of utopian exuberance, driven by a continuous exploration of new expressive possibilities that expands and redefines the boundaries of artistic creation.

Recent solo exhibitions include Come check it out. Lies lies lies, Phi Foundation, Montreal (2026); I don’t like it, I love it, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth (2025); A helicopter upside down, San Carlo Cremona, Cremona (2024); It's not my job, it's your job. Ce n’est pas mon travail, c'est votre travail, Musée d'Art Contemporain, Marseille (2023); You Know Who I Am, curated by Cecilia Alemani, High Line Commission, New York (2022); I Want it All, curated by José Carlos Díaz, The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh (2022).

Pivi has also participated in Interludes, curated by Francesco Bonami, as part of Sogni e conflitti: La dittatura dello spettatore, 50th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, Venice (2003); and dAPERTutto, 48th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Harald Szeemann, Venice (1999). Her works are held in museum collections in Italy and internationally.