I am based in Milan and Sardinia, Italy.
I would love to hear from you.
+39 327 53 17 868
VAT No. 02662970900
© 2023 Valeria Cherchi, all rights reserved
Portrait by Camilla Ferrari
Newsletter
Biography
Valeria Cherchi (b. 1986 in Sassari, Italy) is a research-based artist working with images and words, freelance photographer and lecturer.
Her work over the past years has been themed around the meaning of the ‘unspoken’, with a particular interest in using images and words to shed light on little known stories about lack of social justice.
In her most recent project ‘Some of You Killed Luisa’, she examines small Sardinian communities as an example of a civil context that has opted to shape its social structure by choosing omerta (Code of Silence). The project has been published and exhibited across Europe and the photo-text book published by The Eriskay Connection was longlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, the book won the Premio Marco Bastianelli for the best Italian photo book published in 2020.
In 2018 Valeria was named in British Journal of Photography’s annual ‘Ones to Watch’ as one of sixteen best emerging talents from around the world. In 2019 she was one of the artists selected for Plat(t)form at Fotomuseum Winterthur, nominated for the C/O Berlin Talent Award, 6×6 Global Talent Program, Joop Swart Masterclass and for the Foam Paul Huf Award 2021.
Education
2020-2022 – MA in Multimedia Design and Visual Communication, interdisciplinary course under Architecture, Political Science, Sociology and Communication at The Sapienza University of Rome
2020 – Anthropological, psychological, pedagogical disciplines, teaching methodologies and technologies, Università Telematica “Leonardo da Vinci”
2020 – Taking Your Time: Expanding Long-Term Visual Projects, Magnum workshop with Moises Saman and Paul Moakley : exploring the production, editing and publishing of long-term multimedia projects
2018 – Nikon-NOOR Academy, masterclass with Bénédicte Kurzen, Sanne De Wilde, & Francesco Zizola
2018 – Fact Checking, workshop with Nicolas Niarchos during Festival Internazionale di Ferrara
2016-17 – Photographing the Past mentored by Simon Norfolk, ISSP International Masterclass
2013 – MA in Fashion Photography, University of the Arts London
2010 – BA in Industrial Design and Visual Communication, The Sapienza University of Rome
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2021 – 2nd Art Book Exhibition, Jiazazhi – Ningbo City, CN
2021 – Anatomia del Silenzio, Photo Open Up – Padova, IT
2020 – Anatomia del Silenzio, Museo Nivola – Orani, IT
2013 – I Used to – Fondazione Logudoro Meilogu, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea FLM. Banari, IT
Group Shows
2021 – Hybrids, Melkweg Gallery – Amsterdam, NL
2021 – Addis Foto Fest – Addis Ababa, ET
2021 – Premio Francesco Fabbri per le Arti Contemporanee – Villa Brandolini, Pieve di Soligo, IT
2019 – Athens Photo Festival, Hellenic Centre for Photography – Αthens, GR
2019 – LOOKING ON, MAR – Museo d’Arte della città di Ravenna – IT
2018 – FUTURES NARRATIVES, Unseen – Amsterdam, NL
2018 – GPF2018, Guernsey Photography Festival – UK
2018 – SO FAR, Landskrona Photo Festival – SE
2018 – FUTURES (Projection), PhotoESPAÑA – Madrid, ES
2018 – BJP Ones To Watch, Copeland Gallery – London, UK
2018 – SHOWOFF, Krakow Photomonth – Krakow, PL
2018 – ACTIVISM – Fotografia Europea – Reggio Emilia, IT
2016 – MODUS OPERDANDI – Milan, IT
2015 – SIFEST OFF, Savignano Immagini Festival – IT
2015 – OF PEOPLE AND PLACES – London, UK
2013 – SALON13 – Photofusion. London, UK
Talks and Teaching:
2020-present – TEACHING: Educator at Accademia Formativa della Martesana, Gorgonzola (Milan), IT
2021 – LECTURE: ICP International Center of Photography │ New York, US
2021 – LECTURE: University of South Wales │ Prifysgol De Cymru, UK
2021 – RADIO: Nearest Truth, A podcast devoted to photography. In conversation with Brad Feuerhelm
2021 – TEACHING: La ricerca fotografica, il museo e il territorio with Antonella Camarda, Cagliari (Sardinia), IT
2020, 2021 – LECTURE: RUFA Rome of University of Fine Arts, IT
2020 – TALK: Challenging Visual Cultures: Art and Journalism in Changing Times. A conversation between Angelo Boccato, Valeria Cherchi and Ilaria Conti / Photo Vogue Festival
2020 – LECTURE: Hochschule Luzern, CH
2020 – RADIO: Rai Radio 3, guest at MEDITERRADIO with Vito Biolchini
2020 – RADIO: Radio X, CAPTIVITY, in conversation with Enrico Lixia and Tellas
2020 – TALK: www.phroommagazine.com / IG LIVE
2020 – TALK: www.10x10photobooks.org / LIVE-streaming Photobook Salons
2020 – TALK: www.studiomarangoni.it / Conference @ Home
2020 – TALK: www.phmuseum.com / Photobooks
2020 – TALK: ww.ars.fondazionedisardegna.it / Appunti d’arte condivisa
2020 – TEACHING: On Silence and Omerta, Secondary School A.Mura – Orani, IT
2020 – LECTURE: IIS Caterina da Siena – Milan, IT
2019 – TALK: Athens Photo Festival, Hellenic Centre for Photography – Αthens, GR
2019 – TALK: The Phair, Ex Borsa Valori – Turin, IT
2019 – LECTURE: Women in Focus: Documentary and Citizenship. The European Centre for Documentary Research – Cardiff, UK
2018 – TALK: Recyclart @ CENTRALE for Contemporary Art – Bruxelles, BE
2018 – TALK: Extra Fort @ Le Vecteur – Charleroi, BE
Acknowledgements:
2021 – WINNER, Premio Marco Bastianelli for the best Italian photo book
2021 – NOMINATED, Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
2021 – NOMINATED, Foam Paul Huf Award
2021 – SHORTLISTED, Dutch Photobook Award / Best Photo-Text Book
2020 – WINNER, Strategia Fotografia Grant, MiBACT
2020 – FINALIST, Premio Francesco Fabbri per le Arti Contemporanee
2019 – SELECTED, Plat(t)form 2019, Fotomuseum Winterthur
2019/20 – NOMINATED, C/O Berlin Talent Award
2019 – NOMINATED, 6×6 Global Talent Program
2019 – NOMINATED, Joop Swart Masterclass
2019 – SHORTLISTED, Foam Talent
2018 – SELECTED, British Journal of Photography, Ones To Watch
2018 – SHORTLISTED, Lucie Foundation Emerging Artist Scolarship
2018 – SELECTED, Futures-Photography
2018 – FINALIST, Guernsay International Photographic Competition
Selected links
SOME OF YOU KILLED LUISA BOOK REVIEWS:
– Simon Baker on Photobookstore and Vogue Italia / Best photobooks of 2020
– Rosy Santella on Internazionale / Best photobooks of 2020
– Arianna Rinaldo on Lensculture / Best photobooks of 2020
– Giuseppe Oliverio on PHmuseum / Best photobooks of 2020
– Edie Peters on PhotoQ – World Press Photo
– Giada Storelli on Rivista Studio (Italian)
– Manuela Accinno on Rolling Stone (Italian)
OTHER TEXTS
How Photography Helped me: Valeria Cherchi. Essay for Photovoice UK – June 2018
e-flux: Museo Nivola presents Valeria Cherchi, Anatomy of Silence – January 2020
Book: Some of You Killed Luisa by Valeria Cherchi on Photocaptionist – June 2020
Valeria Cherchi, Some of you killed Luisa. Essay by Emma Lewis on 1000words Magazine – June 2018
Valeria Cherchi. Anatomia del Silenzio. Interview by Sara Benaglia on ATP Diary (Italian) – February 2020
Anatomia del silenzio. Valeria Cherchi in Sardegna. Exhibition Review on Artribune by Camilla Mattola (Italian) – February 2020
INTRODUCING: VALERIA CHERCHI. Futures Interview – December 2018
BJP, Ones to Watch: Valeria Cherchi – Article by Charlotte Jensen – May 2018
Selected clients
Internazionale, Hemispheres Magazine, Wallpaper* City Guide, Freunde von Freunden, Wonderland, Flaunt, Tank, Universal Records, NTS Radio, Hyperdub Records, LVMH, UCLA, Guess, QVC, BCBG, EyeEm, Mutina.
Selected publications
BOOKS: Some of You Killed Luisa, The Eriskay Connection (2020)
MONOGRAPHS: Some of You Killed Luisa, Photopaper 22 curated by Salvatore Vitale (2017)
The British Journal of Photography, Internazionale, Rolling Stone, Else, Rivista Studio, Photocaptionist, Pismo, Panorama, Vogue.it, YET, Blink, 1000 Words Magazine.