my name is Elisa Cantarelli
i’m based in London at Wimbledon Art Studios (n°270)

current collaborations

C30 Contemporary Art Gallery (Italy)
Base Gallery (Tokyo)
Neuberg Art Space (Hong Kong)
Box Galleries  (London)
Croft and Balogh – Big Deal (London)
Blundell Street Studios (London)

education qualification

1996 – 2001
Art Institute P.Toschi in Parma
2001 – 2006
Fine Art Academy in Bologna

solo exhibitions

2007
Scarpette (Pumps), La Pillola Gallery, by Gaetano Sorbetti – Bologna
2010
Oggetti di desiderio, Laboratorio delle Arti Gallery – Piacenza
2011
Dots, curated by Laura Petrillo, The Framers Gallery – London
Elisa Cantarelli, Blundell Street Studios – London
2012
11 in punto, private event curated by Laura Petrillo, Palazzo Segni Masetti – Bologna

group exhibitions

2005
Oggetti pronti all’uso, Dont Gallery – Carpaneto (Piacenza)
Babele, i luoghi della contaminazione – Forlì
2006
Female artist in the world – Salsomaggiore Terme (Parma)
Babele, i luoghi della contaminazione – Pieve di Cento (Bologna)
2007
A.R.G.A.M. Primaverile Romana, Fidia Arte Moderna Gallery – Roma
In Movimento, Showroom Fratelli Broche – Bologna
2008
Girando-le, La città si nota – Parma
Lettura fresca, C30 Contemporary Art Gallery e Museo Medievale, by Christian Vasciarelli – Bologna
2009
Tempo, temp(i)o, t riempio, i Manovali dell’Arte, Laboratorio delle Arti Gallery – Piacenza
BoulevART, Elisa Cantarelli in Domusnova Design – Parma
2010
Oltre all’Arte, Spazio Rosso Tiziano Gallery – Piacenza
2011
Big deal n°3, The Collective, by Vanya Balogh, Croft & Balogh – London
No Fictional Additives, Moving Gallery, by Sofia Mattioli and Anna Slocarovà – Newcastle Upon Tyne (UK)
Big Deal – Sexy 100, by Vanya Balogh, Croft & Balogh – London
2012
Wimbledon Summer Open Studios Show (studio 248) – London
Wimbledon Winter Open Studios Show (studio 248) – London
2013
Fulham Pop up Gallery Exhibition, de Freitas Fine Art & Box Galleries – London

fairs

2006
Vernice Art fair – Forlì
Immagina 2006 – Reggio Emilia
2007
Art Fair Art First – Bologna
2009
Art Fair Art First – for Base Gallery (based inTokyo) – Bologna
Art Fair Tokyo – for Base Gallery (based in Tokyo) – Tokyo
Mercanteinfiera Primavera – Parma
Paris Photo – for Base Gallery (based in Tokyo) – Paris
2010
Art Fair Art First – for Base Gallery (based in Tokyo) – Bologna
2012
Spoon Art Fair – for Neuberg Art Space (based in Hong Kong) – Hong Kong
AAF Hamburg – for Neuberg Art Space (based in Hong Kong) – Hamburg

2013
AAF Milan– for Neuberg Art Space (based in Hong Kong) – Milan

awards

2006
Arte & Sport, Winter Olimpics A.O.N.I – Roma e Crotone
2007
Premio Nazionale delle Arti, M.I.U.R. – Bologna e Roma
Grant Prize 2006, Fondazione Zucchelli – Bologna
2009
Arte per Loro, Gruppo Giovani Industriali Piacenza – Piacenza

catalogues

  • Oggetti pronti all’uso, by Odile Orsi
  • Arte e cultura nei Giochi Olimpici, by Ugo Ristori
  • Babele, i luoghi della contaminazione, by united polititian of Forlì
  • Pna06, by Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna
  • BoulevART, by Edicta

 

dotting

My work stems from the graphic and pictorial research project I undertook during my third year of study at Bologna’s Academy of Fine Art under the supervision of Professor Rosi.

During the first years I enjoyed being the subject of my works, initially using my body as the protagonist and following this integrating objects interacting with the body. The setting or story I would create would then allow me and the photographer to build a series of pieces all tied to a specific object or a motif relevant to the object, (e.g. shoes, fitball, basketball, etc.).

As time went by, my focus moved to the discovery and creation of the object with which I was previously interacting; this idea led me to search for the object to work on or in certain cases the object itself would trigger this (e.g. pink telephone, clock, ashtray, etc.).

Slowly the object has begun to stand out from the body and in fact it is now the main subject of most of my recent projects. Researching the object has become the first phase of my work and perhaps even the most enjoyable: wandering, looking for, buying, taking photos, sometimes returning and if not, crafting, glittering, etc.

With the object ready, it is then time to set the scene and take photographs. Although I do not consider myself a photographer especially because, as mentioned previously, most of my earlier work focused on me as the subject of my pieces, this does not mean that I do not like photography. On the contrary, photographing the subjects of my pieces allows me to get lost in capturing the tiny elements and details I want to highlight and makes the final piece feel completely mine.

Although initially I imagine certain concepts being narrated through a couple of pieces, often I end up producing a series of works which tell the story which surrounds the object-subject.

Having many photographs to choose from (thank God for digital cameras) the next phase of my work involves elaborating the image with Photoshop: selecting the best shots, crops, working on the black and white and colour areas, adjusting the brightness, shadows, contrast, etc. Although this step is perhaps my least favourite, I must admit that looking at the final image ready for print is always satisfying.

Once the image has been printed on photographic paper and laid on d-bond it is finally ready for “dotting”. This is by far the most physical phase of the process, where I get in direct contact with my work. Whenever I leave the print shop holding the new piece, there is already a sense of satisfaction which gives me a rush of adrenalin that envelopes me and almost becomes an obsession during the “dotting” process.

During the final phase the “dotting” begins; every single dot of colour (or other) is left to drip, grow and materialise on the surface. Black on black, white on white, shade on shade and where there’s colour, glitter and transparent varnish; all this until the entire surface of the print is covered and the piece is at last finished.