Carlo Rocchi Bilancini was born in Todi (Umbria, Italy) to an old family of glassmakers.  After graduating in Economics, he attended the Fondazione Forma per la Fotografia in Milan.

He is renowned for his use of swimming pools with their brilliant turquoise blue as a backdrop for his photo projects.2011 saw Skira’s publication of Rocchi Bilancini’s first monograph, Pesci fuor d’acqua, with contributions from Antonia Mulas, Malcolm Bull, Brian O’Doherty, and an interview between the artist and Federico Sardella. A solo show featuring a selection of photos from the book was held in 2012 during the 13th annual Venice Biennale for Architecture, in La Piscina on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Hosted by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, the show was curated by Živa Kraus and promoted by Umberto Morera. The photos were also exhibited in Torgiano, near Perugia, during the cultural festival Versando Torgiano 2013, and in Doha, in 2015, in an exhibition curated by Manuela De Leonardis for the Cultural Village Foundation Katara, in cooperation with the Italian Embassy.In 2014, Manuela De Leonardis curated Pesci fuor d’Acqua, a solo show for the Acta International gallery in Rome and also included Rocchi Bilancini’s piece, ‘Unwanted Wedding’ in a group show entitled La Grande Illusione / The Great Illusion at Temple University in Rome. The same year saw an exhibition of portraits of Lindsay Kemp – featuring the only aquatic performance of this internationally famous mime artist – at the show Lindsay Kemp: The Wednesday Drawings at the Fondazione Cominelli di Cisano di San Felice del Benaco (BS), curated by Rosanna Padrini Dolcini and Federico Sardella.Rocchi Bilancini’s first solo exhibition in New York, Migration, was held in 2018 at The Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at New York University and was curated by Carol Borelli. 

In February 2023, the Saraceno Art Gallery hosted his first solo show in Rome, In-chiostri, curated by Marilena Saraceno and with a critical text by Costantino D'Orazio.

The artist’s photos have appeared internationally in books, newspapers and magazines including Resa till Rom (Ica Bokförlag 2008), Il Sole 24 Ore, Io Donna - Corriere della Sera, Elle Decor, Ville & Casali, Il Messaggero, EasyJet Inflight, Shape, Voltaire, Queen, T-Time.