ARTIST STATEMENT
I'm an artist, anthropologist of fashion, speaker and activist for women's body issues. My artistic and academic research focus on gender, beauty ideals and their sociocultural, political and economic underpinnings. The naked body is my chosen language: I paint strong women (and men) with unique bodies full of details and symbols in order to visually counter the homologation prevalent in media and popular culture. I use saturated, vibrant colours to stimulate emotional responses in my viewers and thus counter the disaffection that is sadly spreading in Italy.
My art is political: I believe that being a woman artist and anthropologist I must claim a voice and respond to the sociocultural context in which I live. My artwork is gestural and involves my whole Self. In my live painting performances my body and clothing become part of the artwork, and with this intense physicality I intend proposing a positive embodied experience in which the female body is used to communicate a strong identity, as opposed to the lack of identity that women's bodies are used to communicate in the media.
The uniqueness of our bodies is the physical manifestation of the uniqueness of our identities; their homologation in media and pop culture expresses and drives the annulment of our identity in society. With my artwork, live painting performances, inspirational speeches, lectures and writing I strive to change this state of things by empowering women and men to embrace the uniqueness of their identity and to creatively express its complexity. I believe in the transformative power of art: with my colors I can raise awareness by reaching people's mind through their heart.
Read my inspirational words here www.theanthropologistinfashionland.com
Enjoy my inspirational speeches & lectures on my newly launched YOUTUBE CHANNEL
CV HIGHLIGHTS
9-11.10.2013 "La speranza e la certezza (Hope and certainty)". Solo painting exhibition, R.F.Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, Firenze (Italy).
9.10.2013 "Rethink your body. Women's bodies and identities". Inspirational speech, WIN Women's International Network, Syracuse University, Firenze (Italy).
27.06.2013 "Rethink your body. Ripensare il corpo e l'identità femminile in Italia oggi". Inspirational speech, Officina Re-Think, Officina Giovani, Prato (Italy).
10-13.05.2013 "MostriAMOci. L'arte di essere donna". Collective exhibition, Spazio Espositivo Sopra Le Logge, Pisa (Italy).
06.03.2013 "An Anthropologist's Gaze on Fashion". Lecture, Kent State University, Florence (Italy).
4-7.10.2012 "Affordable Art Fair", The Tunnel, Chelsea, New York (USA)
07.07.2012 Live painting performance, Fiftieth Anniversary Collective Painting Exhibition, "La Marguttiana", Forte dei Marmi (Italy)
07.2012 Fiftieth Anniversary collective painting exhibition, "La Marguttiana", Forte dei Marmi (Italy)
30.05.2012 Guest artist, painting exhibition, "Gallery Night", San Niccolò, Florence (Italy)
03-05 2012 Solo painting exhibition, "Arte è Rapporto", Il Barone, Florence (Italy)
Ongoing, Professor, "Curating Fashion", MA-Masters Course in Museum Studies, Marist College (NY) - Lorenzo de Medici International Institute, Florence (Italy)
Ongoing since 2006, Professor, "Anthropology of Fashion", Marist College (NY) - Lorenzo de Medici International Institute Florence (Italy)
Ongoing, Professor, "Women in Italian Society", Richmond College, London, Florence (Italy) Campus
Ongoing, Professor, "Contemporary Italian Life and Culture", University of New Haven-Prato (Italy) Campus
10.2011 Lecture: "Art and Fashion: Endless Inspiration", Marist College (NY) - Lorenzo de Medici International Institute Florence (Italy)
2011 Co-Curator, "Art+Fashion_Inspiring Imaginations" (with Sass Brown, FIT Florence Director), FIT-Fashion Institute of Technology Graduation Exhibit, "Civico 69" Art Gallery, Florence (Italy)
2011 Lecture: "Art+Fashion_Inspiring Imaginations", FIT-Fashion Institute of Technology NY (Florence, Italy Campus)
04.2011 Solo painting exhibition, "Sentire, Rifiutare, Proporre", Civico 69 Art Gallery, Florence (Italy)
24.02-31.03.2011 Solo painting exhibition, "Ode all'Egitto", Chiaroscuro, Florence (Italy)
01-02.2011 Solo painting exhibition, "Mi Dipingo Donna", Cuculia, Florence (Italy)
12.2011 Featured artist of the month, "Elementos Design" (USA) www.elementosdesign.com/
2011 Solo painting exhibition, "La Vie en Rose", Divina Commedia, Florence (Italy)
2010 Cover for the publication, "L'infanzia nel cinema di Spielberg", by Emilio Audissino, Ennepi Libri (“Il cinema la notte”, mixed media on paper, 10x15)
24.05.2010 Lecture "Alma Artis", Presentation of Master Goldsmith Stefano Alinari's Solo Exhibition in Palazzo Pitti. Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence (Italy)
2010 Professor, Anthropology of Art, Marist College NY - Lorenzo de Medici International Institute, Florence (Italy)
01.2010 "L'importanza di esser(R)è Franco" (acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 50x70cm) Poster for the debut of the omonymous theatrical performance, Compagnia Teatrale EsserRé, Teatro delle Laudi, Florence (Italy). The original artwork is used as stage prop during the performance.
04.2010 “Spirito Allegro (Blithe spirit)” (mixed media on paper, 35x70cm) Poster for the omonymous theatrical performance by Noel Coward, Compagnia Teatrale EsserRé, Florence (Italy).
26.11.2009-27.03.2010 Selected artist, "I 100% Passaggi Olimpici", International Collective exhibition for the Vancouver Olympics, Parco del Valentino, Turin (Italy).
09-13.09.2009 "The Meaning of Art", Collective exhibition, The Foundry, London (GB)
14-16-16.05. 2009 Theatre performance “Jaques e il suo padrone” (by Milan Kundera), Dir. M. Giorgetti (Parts: Justine, Agathe). Saloncino del Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy)
05.2009 Solo painting exhibition, "Lo spazio del metodo", in occasion of the debut of the theatrical performance "Jaques e il suo Padrone", Dir. M. Giorgetti, Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy)
05.2009 "Lo spazio del metodo" (acrylic on canvas, 50x60cm) cover of the booklet for the theatrical performance “Jaques e il suo padrone” (by Milan Kundera), Dir. Marco Giorgetti, Il Saloncino, Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy).
03.2009 Performance “Spirito Allegro” (by Noel Coward), Dir. Alessandro Mariotti (part: Edith)
03.2009 “La palla annoiata” (mixed media on paper, 50x70cm) Children’s illustrated book project created for the 15° Illustration Competition “Palla avvelenata”, Associazione Culturale Teatrio, Venice (Italy).
2008/2009 Theatre workshop "Orazio Costa's Mimic Method", Dir. Marco Giorgetti, 2nd year, Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy)
06.2008 Solo photography exhibition, International Prize "Premio Galileo 2000", Istituto d'Arte di Porta Romana, Florence (Italy)
06.2008 Projection of my artwork on actors and set, International Prize "Premio Galileo 2000", Istituto d'Arte di Porta Romana, Florence (Italy)
06.2008: photograph for the cover of the booklet presenting the International Cultural Prize Premio Galileo 2000, Florence (Italy).
03-05.2008 "Espressione libera", workshop with Mexican Artist Monica Ogaz, Settignano (Italy)
2007-2009 “An insider’s view”, Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy) Actors’ portraits and documentation of Theatre Workshop "Il Metodo Mimico di Orazio Costa" (in which I am participating also as actress).
2007/2008 Theatre workshop "Orazio Costa's Mimic Method", Dir. Marco Giorgetti, 2nd year, Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy)
05.2007 Theatrical performance “Sogno di una Notte di Mezza Estate” by W. Shakespeare, Dir. M. Giorgetti (part: Hermia) Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy).
2006/2007 Theatre workshop "Orazio Costa's Mimic Method", Dir. Marco Giorgetti, 1st year, Teatro della Pergola, Florence (Italy)
2006 Theatre School, 2nd year, Teatro d’Almaviva, Florence (Italy)
2005 Theatre School, 1st year, Teatro d’Almaviva, Florence (Italy)
2004-2009 “Self”: photographic project on self portraiture in art history
2004 Theatre School, Theatrical Improvisation Course,Teatro D’Almaviva, Florence (Italy)
2007 Solo photography exhibition, The Artists' Workshop, Florence (Italy)
2006 Solo photography exhibition, "Dream Me", Palazzo Borghese Art Hotel, Florence (Italy)
2006 PhD in Anthropology (embodiment, gender and femininity), Università di Firenze, Florence (Italy)
2005 Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, Marist College NY- Lorenzo de Medici International Institute, Florence (Italy)
2003 Illustration course, Scuola Internazionale di Comics - Accademia delle Arti Figurative e Digitali, Florence (Italy)
07.2003 Illustrations for the two volumes of the Book of Abstracts, International Anthropology Conference “XV ICAES 2K3, Humankind/Nature Interaction: Past, Present and Future”, 5th-12th July 2003, Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica, Laboratori di Antropologia “Leo Pardi”, Università di Firenze, Florence (Italy).
2001-2002 Masters Course in International Relations, School of International Affairs, SIOI - Italian Society for International Organization, Rome (Italy)
09-12.2002 Advanced drawing and painting course, RUFA-Rome University of Fine Arts, Rome (Italy)
2000 MA in Anthropology (gender and masculinity), Università di Torino, Turin (Italy)
1998-2001 Internship with Photographer Nino Panassiti, Imperia (Italy)
06.1998 Theatrical Performance “Tutti a Cena da Trimalcione”, Dir. P. Petruzzelli, Arma di Taggia (Italy)
1997-1998 Theatre School "Officina", 2nd year, Teatro del Banchero, Palazzo Soleri, Taggia (Italy)
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