Monica Carrera (1979) describes her language as sentimental conceptualism, which maintains the rigor, seriality and modularity of the conceptual approach but with a narrative or human investigation purpose. For this aim, she often works with photography, creating collages, combining, stitching or cutting photographic prints. Depending on her expressive need, she realizes installations, or transforms her shots into actual environmental installations. Her main interest is to stretch the limits of the photographic image, exploring what it can transmit by going beyond its boundaries and usual uses, also hybridizing with other languages. Although photography is her favorite medium, she expresses herself using other languages such as installation, sculpture or video. Alongside personal and collective exhibitions, she developed the Case Sparse residency project in Val Camonica (2012-2018) and is one of the founders of Carme, a cultural center active in Brescia since 2018.
TRAINING AND RESIDENCIES
S. Giulia Fine Arts Academy, Brescia, 1998-2003
Brera Fine Arts Academy, Milan, 2006-2008
Workshop “Physiognomy, Psychology and Aesthetics in portraying” by M. Cardelli, FMAV, Modena, 2017
“Hotel Pupik” artistic residency in Schrattemberg, St. Lorenzen bei Scheifling (Austria), 2002
“Ospiti” artistic residency curated by Associazione Croma, Celico (CS), 2004
Development of the project “Case Sparse”, GlogauAIR, Berlin 2014
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” artistic residency in Camonica Valley (I°- VII° editions), Malonno (Bs), 2012-2018
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
“QIC - Finestre su Calvino” site-specific project by M. Carrera and F. Bix, Queriniana Library, Brescia
2020
“Le antenne di Tangeri guardano il mare” curated by M. Cortese, Bunkervik, Brescia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
“La stanza di compensazione” a project by D. Ferruzzi and S. Ravelli, Studio 02, Cremona
Hotel pupik 35 ≠ 0 35 Jahre Artists Residence - In Residence im echoraum, Echoraum, Vienna
“That’s contemporary! A call for video art” curated by B. Basile and C. Remondina, in collaboration with Combat Prize, Cremona Art Fair, Cremona
“That’s contemporary! A call for video art” curated by B. Basile e C. Remondina, in collaboration with Combat Prize, Lucca Art Fair, Lucca
2023
“Liquida Photo Festival, Better days will come” curated by L. Tota, powered by PARATISSIMA, Cavallerizza, Turin
“Eco del Silenzio” curated by M. Berta e A. Pedretti, Casa degli artisti Angolo Terme (Bs) | Casa degli artisti Bienno (Bs) | Musil Cedegolo (Bs)
“Dalla fabbrica all’arte” curated by D. Dotti, Diocesan Museum, Brescia
2022
“Combat Prize”, Civic Museum Giovanni Fattori, Livorno
“What does indifference mean?” curated by M. Sgarra, A. Gramsci’s house of birth, Ales (Or)
“Ermetica”, curated by Caminom Project, Mo.Ca centro per le nuove culture, Brescia
“Nodi” curated by A. Piergentili with U.C.A.I, Villa Galnica, Puegnago sul Garda (Bs)
2021
“L’ultimo appartamento”, with F. Damiano and M. Onorio, curated by N. Zangari, c/o app.arta.mento art space, Brescia
“Between Us”, CARME Cultural Centre, Brescia
“Gesto Zero. Istantanee 2020” curated by M. Galbiati, ACME Art Lab, I. Bignotti, M. Cagol, former church of St. Mary Magdalen, Bergamo
“Respiro blu” curated by R. Colace, Il Triangolo Gallery, Cremona
“Eros e Thanatos, 4 prospettive al femminile” curated by Rete di Daphne ODV, within the schedule “Filosofi lungo l’Oglio”, S. Giorgio Fortress, Orzinuovi (Bs)
2020
“Nessun luogo è come casa” curated by R. Colace, Il Triangolo Gallery, Cremona
“Gesto Zero. Istantanee 2020” curated by M. Galbiati, ACME Art Lab, I. Bignotti, M. Cagol, Santa Giulia Museum, Brescia
“Gesto Zero. Istantanee 2020” curated by M. Galbiati, ACME Art Lab, I. Bignotti, M. Cagol, Violin Museum, Cremona
2019
“Maybe We Are The Waves” (publication), Replica Project, Italian Artist Book Archive, Villa Vertua Masolo, Nova Milanese (Mi)
“La terra è bassa, 10 luoghi per 10 progetti” curated by A. Pioselli, farmacia Wurmkos, Sesto S. Giovanni (Mi)
“Non ora non qui#2”, Bianco//project space, Brescia
2018
“Non ora non qui”, Bianco//project space, Brescia
“A porte aperte”, Bianco //project space, Brescia
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
2017
“Abitare l’arte, Incontro Nazionale di Residenze d’artista” curated by A. Pioselli, Breno (Bs)
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
Educational Workshops developed within “Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency 2016, Chiari (Bs) | Roccafranca (Bs)
2016
“La smania per le vacanze” curated by Suppiej&Zanato, Preganziol (Tv)
“Contexto” curated by Casa Testori, Edolo (Bs)
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
“Case Sparse. Ripartiamo dal privato” : book launch “Case Sparse 2012-15”, O’Ass. no profit, Milan
“Case Sparse. Ripartiamo dal privato” : book launch “Case Sparse 2012-15”, “Storie di Schiribis e Punto a capo” bookstore, Pisogne (Bs)
2015
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
“Maybe we are the waves” curated by S. Marcadent, GlogauAIR, Berlin
“Maybe we are the waves” curated by S. Marcadent, Archive Books, Berlin
“Istantanee (t ->∞)” , Progetto Tangram // Spazio per le arti, Brescia
2014
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
Development of the project “Case Sparse”, GlogauAIR, Berlin
“Where is the familiar?” curated by M. Ferretti, GlogauAIR, Berlin
2013
“Case Sparse | tra l’Etere e la Terra final works”, curated by G. Martino, O’ Ass. no profit, Milan
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency” project winner at “Creative Camp 2013”, Milan
2012
“Case Sparse | Tra l’Etere e la Terra” Artistic Residency, Malonno (Bs)
“Case Sparse | tra l’Etere e la Terra final works”, AplusB Contemporary Art, Brescia
“Per Monica: doni”, curated by Lalveare Cultural Association, Brescia
“50 opere d’arte contemporanea”, San Giorgio Fortress, Orzinuovi (Bs)
2011
“Per non morire” curated by B. Merola, STARC, Brescia
“Per non morire: Esperienza” curated by B. Merola, Piccolo Teatro Libero, Brescia
2009
“L’Energia della Passione” curated by AB Group, Orzinuovi (Bs)
2006
“No Parachute”, ArtandGallery, Milan
2004
“Radio Rebelde”, O’ Artoteca, Milan
“Visioni dal basso”, S. Giorgio Fortress, Orzinuovi (Bs)
2003
“No Parachute”, ArtandGallery, Milan
“Tu che mi guardi, tu che mi racconti” curated by M. Arfiero, Verbo Essere Cultural Association, Bergamo
“Campo Minato-Contaminato”, within “Esterni-Salone Arredo Urbano”, Milan
“All we need is love”, curated by Austrian Cultural Forum, Milan
”Wurmkos” coop. sociale Parpagliona, Sesto S. Giovanni (MI)
2002
“43 kg. circa” curated by M. Scotini, spazio Smoll, NABA Milan
“Flebo”, Verbo Essere Cultural Association, Brescia
“ZebreZebrate”, public art project, Brescia
“Hotel Pupik” Artistic Residency in Schrattemberg, St. Lorenzen bei Schiefling, Austria
“Tana di Wurmkos” with educational workshops, Villa Croce Museum, Genoa
2001
“TUbe” curated by M. Scotini, Cavellini Archive, Brescia
“Auguri Monica” within “Globe: la torre di Babele”, Villa Croce Museum, Genoa
“Lavori sotterranei” curated by M. Panzera, San Giovanni Cloister, Brescia
2000
“Auguri Monica”, NABA Project, Bordone Gallery, Milan
“Tana di Wurmkos”, Bordone Gallery, Milan
PRIZES | SELECTIONS | MENTIONS
2024
“That’s contemporary! A call for video art” curated by B. Basile and C. Remondina, Cremona Art Fair and Lucca Art Fair, Lucca
2022
“Combat prize”, selected for final exhibition, in photography category
2021
“Between Us”, C.AR.M.E. Brescia
2020
Combat Prize, recommended from the jury in photography category and publication on the catalogue
2019
Combat Prize, recommended from the jury in photography category and publication on the catalogue
PUBLICATIONS
Dalla fabbrica all’arte, exhibition catalogue edited by D. Dotti, 2023
Liquida Photofestival, Better days will come, exhibition catalogue edited by L. Tota, 2023
What does indifference mean?, exhibition catalogue edited by M. Sgarra, 2022
Premio Combat Prize 2022, exhibition catalogue edited by P. Batoni, ed. Sillabe, Livorno 2022
Gesto Zero. Istantanee 2020, exhibition catalogue, Skira Edition 2020
Premio Combat Prize 2020, exhibition catalogue edited by P. Batoni, ed. Sillabe, Livorno 2020
Premio Combat Prize 2019, exhibition catalogue edited by P. Batoni, ed. Sillabe, Livorno 2019
Non ora non qui, exhibition catalogue, 2019
Case Sparse / Tra l’Etere e la Terra 2012_2015. Ripartiamo dal privato, Fortino Editions, 2016
Contexto, exhibition catalogue edited by Casa Testori, 2016
Maybe we are the waves, Limited Edition, edited by Saul Marcadent, Berlin 2015
Collezione permanente Pinacoteca di Orzinuovi, exhibition catalogue, 2013
Radio Rebelde, edited by P. Almeoni, M. Carrera, F. Damiano, B.Merola, P.Sabatti Bassini, O’ Artoteca, Milano 2004
Visioni dal basso, exhibition catalogue, Orzinuovi 2004
Tu che mi guardi, tu che mi racconti, exhibition catalogue edited by M. Arfiero, Bergamo 2003
All We Need Is Love – marzo 2003, edited by P. Almeoni, M. Carrera, F. Damiano, E. Formenti, P.Sabatti Bassini
Tube, texts by P. Cavellini and M. Scotini, 2002
Hotel Pupik, exhibition catalogue, Schrattemberg, Austria 2002
WURMKOS Tana, exhibition catalogue, text by S. Solimano, S. Bordone, P. Campanella, B. De Battè, E. Marasco, P. Sacchetti e F. Serrati, Genova 2002
Globe, la torre di Babele, edited by S. Solimano, exhibition catalogue, Genova 2001