Francesca di Ciaula
Born in 1960
Italy/Netherlands
date of insertion in W.A.D. 12/2023
Biography
I was born in Padua but I attended school in Rome until I graduated from high school, dividing my interests between social, feminist and, last but not least, artistic commitment, regularly visiting exhibitions and museums. I took classical guitar, drama and life drawing lessons. I am very fond of the memories of the afternoons spent at Villa Strohl-Fern in the painting studio of Lidija Aleksandrovna Trenina, an elderly Russian painter in a wheelchair who moved elegantly among the easels, guiding us in deepening our gaze on the naked bodies of the models.
My education in vision and listening was consolidated there. Having returned to Padua to pursue university studies in Art History, the fortuitous meeting with a group of artists from the “Scuola Padovana dell’Oro” made me start learning the art of metalworking in their studios, a precious experience. I therefore participated in the first international exhibitions in the mid-80s and collaborated with Gianfranco Ferrè, creating a collection of bijoux for him to accompany his fashion show in Milan (1984). In addition to color as a means of expressing emotions, I was immediately attracted by the use of different and not necessarily precious materials. The same year, with the acquisition of a scholarship, I attended the Ritveld Academy in Amsterdam, which, like many in Northern Europe, hosts various sections without “class distinctions” between major and minor arts.
I remained in this city for over twenty years; I can definitely say that I grew up in Holland on a professional level and beyond, and that I feel connected to this country where two of my children live. In Amsterdam I continued to deepen my practice in making jewelry and experimenting with it, also moving on to the art of ceramics for a few years. I continued to exhibit in galleries and museums in various parts of the world and my work has become part of a few public collections. Having returned to Rome 15 years ago, as an artist, I felt the need to address social issues, to sharpen my gaze outside and inside myself. Photography, which for years I used for practical purposes, won me over. The lens, by placing the right distance between my eye and the outside, provided the means to ask myself questions and try to find answers. It allowed me to look at the little things and discover the richness of the invisible. In the last year I have approached the art of performance also seen as participatory action. The themes of taking care of the environment, of ourselves and others, of overcoming inequalities, of gender violence, feminicide and those of intolerance; all of this is what I try to address through the tools an artist has at his disposal: tools of transformation.
I believe in magic.
Curriculum
Awards
-17th Edition Julia Margaret Cameron Award Honourable Mentions
-Premio Letizia Battaglia 2021 for REWRITERS
-16th Edition Julia Margaret Cameron Award Honourable Mentions
Public Collections
Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Arnhem NL
Riksmuseum, Amsterdam NL
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas TX
Photography Exhibitions, Performance, Istallation (selection)
2023 Canto d’Amore, Docks Dora, Torino IT
FORGETMEKNOT, Museo del Ricamo e del Tessile, Valtopina PG, IT
(performance “Eleven minutes and a half”)
LontaniVicini, Binaria,Torino IT
RAW 2023, Rome IT
All’Albero e al Vento, azione partecipata, Roma IT
Officine fotografiche, Roma IT
Scambio di pelle, performance a Villa Sciarra, Roma I
Oltre la siepe, installazioni in giardini privati, Rome IT
Kou Gallery, Roma IT
2022 Think diverse! Tevere Art Gallery, Roma IT
Trieste Photo Days, Trieste IT
RAW 2022, Roma IT
PHOTOMAARC 2022, Como IT
2021 “Fotografie per Ferlinghetti”, Centro Internazionale di Fotografia, Palermo IT
ReWriters Fest, WEGIL Roma IT
#INTRANSITO,Stazione Tiburtina, Roma IT
2020 PHOTOMAARC 2020, Como IT
DomaniInArte, Galleria d’ Arte Moderna, Roma IT
F-Stop Magazine Group Exhibition “Staying home together” Issue #103
Trieste Photo Days, Trieste IT
Jewellery and Ceramic Exhibitions (selection)
2023 Contemporania, Barcelona ES
Melting Point 2023, Valencia ES
2022 Devotional Jewellery, Oratorio di S.Rocco, Padova IT
In my opinion…jewellery with a message, Museum of Kazimierz, PL
2020 9 March, GROUND Solyanka Gallery, Moscow/ Chelyabinsk/ Perm RU
2019 In my opinion…jewellery with a message, PL
2016 Gioielloinarte-la Roma del Bernini, Roma IT
Capitolium Art Auction, Brescia IT
2015 2015 Beijing International jewelry Exhibition, Beijing CN
Premio Internazionale Mario Pinton II edizione, Padova IT
Jewelry Art for Heroes, Chemnitz DE
Studio Alberta Vita, Padova IT (duo)
2013 2013 Beijing International Jewelry Exhibition, Beijing CN
Gioielloinarte_Il preziosismo di G.Klimt, S.Eligio Roma, IT
Premio Fondazione Cominelli, Salò IT
Ring Party, Treviso IT
2012 Gioie da condividere, Aranciera di S.Sisto, Roma IT
2011 Premio Internazionale M.Pinton I edizione, Padova IT
Ring Party, Palazzetto Baviera Senigallia, IT
2010 Archeogioielli contemporanei, Museo Civico Archeologico di Anzio IT
La Memoria del Metallo, Mostra per i 150 anni dell’Unita` d’Italia, Roma IT
2009 Forma VS Materia, Galleria Cristiani, Torino IT
Artisti per Luchu, Bloomsbury Auctions, Roma IT
2008 New play in art-the unespected jewel, Gardone Riviera IT
Galleria Fioretto, Padova IT
2007 Galerie Slavik, Wien AT
2003 Galerie de Genieloods, Aalsmeer NL
2002 Dutch Jewelry in the 20th Century, Centraal Museum, Utrecht NL
2000 Alles Schmuk,Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich CH
Op het huid/Jewelry from the Collection, Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Arnhem NL
1997 Galerie Mei Ling Knibbe, Edam NL
Galerie Ademloos, Den Haag NL
Galerie Slavik, Wien AT
Water sieraden en mode presentatie, Galerie Ademloos NL Galerie Art Box BE
Galerie Griets en Carmeliet, Gent BE
Galerie de Genieloods, Aalsmeer NL
1996 Galerie Mei Ling Knibbe, Edam NL
Galerie Sofie Lachaert, Gent BE
Galerie Art Box, Wagerem BE
Galerie Slavik, Wien AT (duo)
1995 Galerie Carin Delcourt Van Krimpen, Rotterdam NL
Galerie Sofie Lachaert, Gent BE
1993 Galerie Slavik, Wien AT
Festival dell’Oro, Vicenza, IT
Galerie Delcourt Van Krimpen, Rotterdam NL
1992 Festival de l’Or, Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris F
100 Amulets, Bloom Gallery Amsterdam NL
1990 News from the Netherlands, Lisboa, Bratislava, Barcelona, Amsterdam
1988 Swiss Biennal of Contemporary Art Jewelry, Lugano CH
1987 Schmuckszene’87, München BE
La Cosa Inventata: Nuove tendenze del design italiano, Museo di Milano IT
Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen NL
Galerie Luoise Smit, Amsterdam NL
Galerie Rutzmoser, Munchen DE (duo)
1986 6th. Tokyo Triennial JP
Galleria Lanaro, Padova IT
Cardillac Galerie, Karlsruhe DE
Italian Art Jewellery, Seibu Department Store, Tokyo JP
Seibu Art Forum, Tokyo JP
Galerie Luoise Smit, Amsterdam NL
Galleria Il Fioretto, Padova IT (solo)
1985 Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, Germany DE
53° Salon des Aristes Decorateurs, Paris FR
Veertien sieraad_Ontwerpers/Edelsmeden, Schipol Airport NL
1984 69th. Bevilacqua La Masa, Venezia IT
Modit ,collezione primavera estate 1985 Bijou per G.Ferrè, Milano IT
69th. Bevilacqua La Masa, Venezia IT
Studio GR20, Padova IT
Bangle
1984 – cm. 14,5×14,5×3,5 – Nylon yarn, silver
Two jewels for March 9th
2019 – Because You’re Worth It, Per Elisa – Silver, gold, enamel, gold and silver leaf, plastic, fabric
Potamoi
2021-2023 – cm 40×30/ 80×60 limited edition – Four digital photos from the series Potamoi Giclée print on Hanhemuehle Photo Matt 200g
Exchange of skin
2023 – Performance with participatory action, Villa Sciarra, Roma – photo credit Daniela Nobilia
Eleven minutes and a half
2023 – Performance during the International Exhibition FORGETME(K)NOT, Museum of Embroidery and Textile, Valtopina(PG) – photo credit Luca Petrucci
