Cristina Burns, an award-winning Italian-American, was born in Spain but found her creative haven in the lively streets of Naples, Italy, where she still resides. Her artistic journey began early, with photography becoming her preferred means of expression.
In her vibrant artworks, Cristina explores the intricate dance of life's dualities. Her keen eye and penchant for vivid colors result in surrealistic compositions that challenge our perceptions of reality. Through her lens, she artfully blends conflicting elements, blurring the boundaries between fantasy and reality, purity and sin, and life and death.
Cristina's art serves as a captivating mirror, inviting viewers to contemplate the consequences of their actions in a rapidly changing world. She believes that as individuals, we carry the weight of responsibility for our choices, yet remain susceptible to the far-reaching impacts they generate. Her work sparks introspection into the complex interplay between our decisions and their repercussions.
Her compositions reveal a unique fusion of seemingly unrelated elements: candies, toys, and flowers harmonize with anatomical parts and insects, while human figures interact with beloved cartoon characters. These striking juxtapositions ignite contemplation, urging us to ponder the intricacies of existence.
Recognition for Burns' unique vision came from prestigious platforms early in her career. In 2015, her talent was spotlighted by Vogue Italia, a testament to her burgeoning status in the art world, leading to her exhibit at the revered Leica Gallery in Milan. Her series "Through the Mirror" further cemented her reputation, featuring alongside celebrated artists like Damien Hirst and Mark Ryden in the anthology "Anatomy Rocks.
Recognition for Burns' unique vision came from prestigious platforms early in her career. In 2015, her talent was spotlighted by Vogue Italia, a testament to her burgeoning status in the art world, leading to her exhibit at the revered Leica Gallery in Milan. Her series "Through the Mirror" further cemented her reputation, featuring alongside celebrated artists like Damien Hirst and Mark Ryden in the anthology "Anatomy Rocks."
In 2017, Cristina achieved the honor of permanent exhibition at Naples' Vanvitelli Station, with her work "Stratificazioni Antropologiche" (image above)  joining the illustrious Naples Metro art collection, a repository featuring contemporary legends such as Anish Kapoor, Jannis Kounellis, Karim Rashid, and Sol LeWitt.
2018 saw Cristina's artistry traverse into realms of social consciousness. Lombardia Region chose her hauntingly beautiful "Candy Girl" to represent the memorial day for women victims of the mafia, a poignant reminder of her work's emotive power. Her solo exhibition "CandyLand", presented in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism of Naples at Palazzo delle Arti - PAN, was a celebration of her artistic journey, an enchanting fusion of whimsy, color, and profound commentary.
Burns' art continued to captivate international audiences, with 2019 featuring exhibitions like "Inside Me" at the Bourbon Tunnel in Naples, and "Sweet Art" at the Lemon Frame Gallery in Tel Aviv, Israel. Her work transcends visual pleasure, touching upon the core of human experiences and societal reflections.
In a powerful stand against female genital mutilation, Cristina contributed her artwork "Lost Venus" to the monumental cause, her creation becoming the face of the Interdisciplinary Summit on Female Genital Mutilation held at the Italian Senate and prominent universities. This initiative marked her art as not just an aesthetic pursuit but a catalyst for change and advocacy for women's rights.
The year 2021 welcomed audiences to her solo exhibition "Escapism" at the Foundation Royal Palace of Carditello, Italy, showcasing her continual evolution as an artist unbound by conventions. Her work "Stop Playing" became part of the impactful "Ten paciencia, mujer, que eres oscura: el mito patriarcal de las mujeres enfermas" at the Casa de la Cultura “Teodoro Cuesta” in Mieres, Spain, further highlighting her voice in challenging patriarchal narratives.
Recent years have seen Burns' art gaining unstoppable momentum, with her participation in the prestigious Art Laguna Prize in Venice in 2022 and exhibitions at the Italian Senate and the Koehnline Museum of Art in 2023. Her works, a vivid dialogue between the conscious and subconscious, reality and fantasy, continue to receive accolades and recognition.
Cristina Burns' artistic footprint spans across continents, from the United States to Europe, and beyond to Israel, South Korea, and Japan. Esteemed publications such as "Vogue Italia”, "La Cucina Italiana", "Plastik Magazine", "La Repubblica”, and "El Mundo" have featured her work, acknowledging the profound impact of her visual narratives.
EXHIBITIONS
2023
"Don't Drag Me Down", Koehnline Museum of Art, Oakton College​​​​​​​, United States
"Lost Venus", Italian Senate, Rome, Italy
"Laguna Art Prize", Arsenale di Venezia, Italy
2022
"Lost Venus", University of Padova, Palazzo Bo, Italy
In The Locked Garden, Tel Aviv, Israel
2021
Solo Exhibition "Escapism", Foundation Royal Palace of Carditello, Italy
"Ten paciencia, mujer, que eres oscura: el mito patriarcal de las mujeres enfermas" Casa de la Cultura “Teodoro Cuesta” Mieres, Spain
2019
"Lost Venus", University of Naples “Federico II, Italy
"Inside Me", Bourbon Tunnel, Naples, Italy
"Sweet Art", Lemon Frame Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
2018
CandyLand solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, "PAN", Naples, Italy 
Artwork to represent the Memorial Day of Mafia Victims, Regione Lombardia - Palazzo Pirelli, Milan, Italy
2017
Part of the art collection of Naples Metro, in permanent exhibition, Vanvitelli Station, Italy
Art Installation for ANM and the City of Naples, Italy, permanent exhibition Funicolare Centrale
"Premio Raffaele Pezzuti per l'Arte", group show exhibition, sponsored by the City of Naples, ANM and Motor Village
"A World of Harmony", Vogue Italia and Natuzzi, Photovogue Festival, Milan, Italy
Contemporary Photography Exhibition, CICA Museum - South Korea
Women Artists -  Lemon Frame Gallery, Tel Aviv
2016
Luxembourg art fair
PhotoVogue Festival Exhibition Huawei and Vogue Italia, Base Milano
Lemon Frame art Gallery, Tel Aviv
22 Artists mad for Naples, Castel dell'Ovo, Group, Napoli
2015
45 Frames from PhotoVogue, (Group) Leica Gallery, Milan, Italy
Alice and The Beanstalk Gallery, (Group), Tokyo, Japan
Sacripante Gallery, (Group), Rome, Italy
2014
An Iconic View of White - Vogue Italia and Porsche Design - (Group), Milan, Italy
Hive Gallery , (Group), Los Angeles, USA
F+ Gallery, (Group), Santa Ana, USA
Sm'Art Aix , Aix-en-Provence, France
Affordable Art Fair, Milan, Italy
Art3F , Nantes, France
Art for a Cure, (Group), Rome, Italy
2013
Affordable Art Fair, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Swab Art Fair, Barcelona, Spain
Affordable Art Fair, Stockholm, Sweden
Solo show "Freaky love" Temporary Art Gallery, Naples, Italy
"Notti d'Arte" Video projection and exhibition,  for the city of Naples, Italy
PUBLICATIONS AND FEATURES
La Cucina Italiana
Il Mattino
La Repubblica
Foto Cult
Ilas Magazine
Plastik Magazine, issue 31
Anthology Anatomy Rocks
HIGGS  - cover - issue 2 
San Francisco MOMA 
Vogue.it
"Not For Print", issue n°2, WeTransfer and Ello
Premio "Raffaele Pezzuti per L'Arte" catalogue, City of Naples
Photo Vogue Festival Book Vogue Italia and Huawei
San Pellegrino
El Mundo
Vanity Fair
Fine Dining Lovers
Clutter Magazine
Style.it
Espresso.it
Espresso Napoletano 
MetropoliRoma
Panorama
AWARDS AND HONORS
2023
Laguna Art Prize 2023
2021
International Photography Awards, Honourable Mention for  "Temporal Intersections" series.
2017
Winner of "Premio Raffaele Pezzuti per l'Arte"
2016
Included in the 10 most representative Still Life photographers of Photo Vogue Italia
International Photography Awards, Honourable Mention for "Through the Mirror" series.
2015
Included in the top 100 of Photo Vogue Italia of 2015 Photo of the day on Vogue.it