I have always felt the desire to express myself through Art and motion: the freedom of the creative impulse, energy and discipline of sport to overcome obstacles and achieve my goals.
I believe “dotting” is an evolution of my favorite childhood games: puzzles and colouring books. An unusual way of colouring with drops of paint, becoming dots to compose a picture, like pieces of a puzzle; my "trademark" for almost 20 years, which distinguishes me for the artist I am.
“Dotting” is a meditative process: the drops fall, color on color, shade on shade, creating a three-dimensional surface of dots that involves the viewr both from the point of visual and tactile perception.
I love to experiment with my “dots” using different materials and supports, trying to push myself to the limits to find out where my work can go.
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Elisa Cantarelli was born in 1981 in Fidenza. She grew up in Salsomaggiore Terme between sports, colouring books and puzzles. The primary school teacher is the first to light the fire of creativity in her.
In 1996 she enrolled at the P. Toschi Institute of Art in Parma and later at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna where, in the spring of 2004, she began to drip her first dots.
Since 2006 her works have been exhibited at prestigious art fairs: Art First Bologna, Paris Photo, Art Fair Tokyo, Art Verona, Art Padova, Affordable Art Fair (Milan - Hamburg - Hong Kong).
She has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Italy, Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.
In 2009 she moved to London where she still lives.
Since 2019 she has been working between London and Parma where she recently created a temporary public installation between Art and recycling for Parma Capital of Italian Culture 2020 + 21 and for the Venice Biennale 2022, Republic of San Marino Pavilion.
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 Elisa Cantarelli in DOTS
Le Dame Art Gallery, Melia White House - London, UK
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2015 Follow the coloured brick road
Apthorp Gallery, Artsdepot - London, UK
2013 Elisa Cantarelli
De Freitas Fine Art & Box Galleries - London, UK
2012 11 in punto
Collectors private event curated by Laura Petrillo - Bologna, IT
2011 Elisa Cantarelli - Dots
Artefact The Framers Gallery, by Laura Petrillo - London, UK
2010 Oggetti di desiderio
Laboratorio delle Arti Gallery - Piacenza, IT
2007 Scarpette (Pumps)
La Pillola Gallery, by Gaetano Sorbetti - Bologna, IT
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SITE SPECIFIC INSTALLATIONS
2022 We are Plastic - WITHout esSENZA, Biennale di Venezia, Repubblica di San Marino Pavilion - Palazzo Donà dalle Rose - Venice, IT
2021 We are Plastic - Message in a Bottle, temporary public installation, Quadrilegio &
Parma Capital of Culture 2020 + 21, Ospedale Vecchio Portici - Parma, IT
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SPECIAL PROJECTS
2022 Design is a woman and plays bold for Pinko , Milano Design Week, Montenapoleone Boutique - Milan, IT
2021/22 From heARTh to eART, Elisa Cantarelli for Amoretti, Parma, IT
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SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 RO Plastic Prize, Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology - Milan, IT
2019 Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend - Box Galleries - London, UK
2017 In-segnAti da Bologna, Premiati Zucchelli 1963-2016, by Beatrice Buscaroli & Elena
Marchetti - Zu.Art giardino delle arti - Bologna, IT
2016 Chelsea goes POP! - Box Galleries - London, UK
2013 Sankta Sango - Vuotociclo, Castel dell'Ovo - Naples, IT
2012 New Place New Phase - Neuberg Art Space - Hong Kong, HK
2010 Oltre all'Arte, Spazio Rosso Tiziano Gallery - Piacenza, IT
2009 Tempo, temp (i) o, t riempio, i Manovali dell'Arte, Laboratorio delle Arti Gallery - Piacenza, IT
2008 Lettura Fresca, C30 Contemporary Gallery and Medieval Museum, by Christian Vasciarelli - Bologna, IT
2007 In Movimento, Fratelli Broche Showroom - Bologna, IT
2007 ARGAM Primaverile Romana, Galleria Fidia - Rome, IT
2006 Babele, i luoghi della contaminazione - Pieve di Cento (Bologna), IT
2006 Ready-to-use objects, Dont Gallery - Carpaneto (Piacenza), IT
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CHARITY FUNDRISING EVENTS
2022 Secret Art, Stand with Ukraine - We restART – Londra, UK
2021 L'esercito delle sagome colorate - Quadrilegio - Parma, IT
2021 Secret Art, postCovid19 - We restART - London, UK
2020 Everything will be fine, Cris Contini Contemporary
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SELECTED ART FAIRS
2021 Art Padova - Cris Contini Contemporary - Padova, IT
2021 Art Verona - Cris Contini Contemporary - Verona, IT
2019 Art Padova - Cris Contini Contemporary - Padova, IT
2019 Art Verona - Cris Contini Contemporary - Verona, IT
2018 Art Padova - Cris Contini Contemporary - Padova, IT
2018 Art Verona - Cris Contini Contemporary - Verona, IT
2018 Artrooms Fair London (guest artist) - Melia White House - London, UK
2018 Artrooms Seoul 2018 - Hotel Rivera - Seoul, ROK
2018 Artrooms Roma 2018 - The Church Palace Hotel - Rome, IT
2014 Affordable Art Fair - Neuberg Art Space - Milan, IT
2014 Affordable Art Fair - Neuberg Art Space - Hong Kong, HK
2013 Affordable Art Fair - Neuberg Art Space - Milan, IT
2012 Affordable Art Fair - Neuberg Art Space Hamburg, DE
2010 Art Fair Tokyo - Base Gallery - Tokyo, JP
2010 Art Fair Art First - Base Gallery - Bologna, IT
2009 Paris Photo - Base Gallery - Paris, FR
2009 Art Fair Tokyo - Base Gallery - Tokyo, JP
2009 Art Fair Art First - Base Gallery - Bologna, IT
2007 Art Fair Art First - PNA 2006, Accademia di Belle Arti Bologna - Bologna, IT
2006 Imagine 2006 - Accademia di Belle Arti Bologna - Reggio Emilia, IT
2006 Vernice Art Fair - Accademia di Belle Arti Bologna - Forlì, IT
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AWARDS
2009 Arte per Loro, Gruppo Giovani Industriali - Piacenza, IT
2007 Grant Prize 2006, Zucchelli Foundation - Bologna, IT
2007 National Arts Award, M.I.U.R. - Bologna and Rome, IT
2006 Art & Sport, Winter Olympics A.O.N.I. - Rome and Crotone, IT
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COLLECTIONS
2009 MIM Museum in Motion, San Pietro in Cerro Castle - Piacenza, IT
2007 Zucchelli Foundation - Bologna, IT
2007 Ministry of Education, University and Research M.I.U.R. - Bologna and Rome, IT
Private Collections