Born in Montevideo, Uruguay (1981) - Lives and works in Berlin
Valentina Torrado is a visual artist born in 1981 in Montevideo, Uruguay. She obtained her Ph.D. in Art and Design at the Bauhaus University Weimar in 2013. She studied Communication Sciences with a focus on Semiotics, Art History and Audiovisual media design at the Catholic University of Uruguay. Her works were shown in international group and solo exhibitions: Before, fish were abundant (Kunstraum Bethanien, Berlin 2019), Topographical (CoGalleries, Berlin, 2017), Mares Negros (DIEHL CUBE Galerie, Berlin, 2015), AURORA Projekt „Kunst in der Kirche“ (St. Christophorus Church, Berlin, 2015), Constelaciones de Campo, Mañana llueve (LEHRTER 17, Berlin, 2014), Czarne wiatry (Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art, Slupsk, Polen, 2012), Ensayos en rojo neón (Pablo Atchugarry Foundation for Contemporary Art, Manantiales, Uruguay, 2012) as well as Fließend (Emil Nolde Stiftung Berlin, 2011) among many others.
Valentina Torrado received Artists in Residence grants in Europe, including a studio grant from the Karl Hofer Gesellschaft Berlin. In 2014 her book on contemporary art "Die Präsenz des Abjekten in der zeitgenössischen Kunstproduktion" was published by Velbrück Wissenschaft Verlag. Since 2016 she has been working as a partner in Studio Tatwerk with a focus on design and exhibition conception. The artist lives and works in Berlin.
Artist Statement
The work of the Uruguayan artist shows a strong connection to nature and above all to the sea. In her multidisciplinary works she artistically deepens the question of the relationship between nature as the most original state of all life. Her portraits of the ocean depict the artist's visual and emotional connection to the land of her birth, Uruguay, the desire for the sea, for her native country. The sea has always been a life symbol for the artist. A vital and sensual element that inspires her work. In consequence mainly large-scaled works consisting of drawings, paintings and installations are especially presented in monochrome shades of black or neon. Through the work process Torrado reverses the absence of the sea. All works, including installations and projects, contain a play between two worlds, between dream and reality.
EXHIBITIONS / PROJECTS (SELECTION)
2020 Szczecin, Poland. National Museum - Virtual Gallery. Hiperlink - new images of man and the world. Video installation. As water runs out. In Venezuela. Curated by Dr. Aleksandra Łukaszewicz Alcaraz, Prof. Zbigniew Romańczuk, Mgr Radosław Nagay.
2019 Athens, Greece. International Exhibition of Interactive Art EX MACHINA. Video. Imagining water in Gaza Strip, Palestine. Curated by D.Sc. Arkadiusz Marcinkowski
2019 Art Center Bethanien, Berlin. Videoinstallation Before, fish were abundant with Héctor Solari.
2017 Birth of my twin daughters Chiara and Sophie
2017 CoGalleries, Berlin. Topographical. Photography. Locus Amoenus. Curated by Monique Wysterski
2016 SEZ, Berlin. First pop - up exhibition from pilote art collective. pilote:pilote. Curated by Monique Wysterski
2015 Birth of my daughter Aurora
2015 St. Christophorus Church, Berlin. Project Kunst in der Kirche. Lightinstallation AURORA. Curated by Celia Caturelli
2015 DIEHL CUBE Gallery, Berlin. Mares Negros & Book presentation Die Präsenz des Abjekten in der zeitgenössischen Kunstproduktion
2015 Kommunale Galerie Berlin Charlottenburg. Contemporary art fair Berlin. 3 Tage Kunst.
2014 Project Space LEHRTER 17, Berlin. Videoinstallation Constelaciones de Campo, Mañana llueve- with Irina Raffo.
2012 Brandenburg/Spreewald. Aquamediale 8. Installation 5 seg. de distorsión en rojo. Curated by Christian Gracza
2012 Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art. Slupsk, Poland. Photo Installation Je suis
2012 Baszta Czarownic (Witches Tower). Installation Czarne wiatry. Curated by Roman Lewandowski
2012 Museum Pablo Atchugarry, Manantiales, Uruguay. Ensayos en rojo neón.
2012 Freies Museum Berlin. Collective Transient Museum of Art. Montevideo Mon Amour. Curated by Aga Szwengier
2011 DMY - First international Design Festival Berlin Tempelhof.
2011 Smallspace Gallery Berlin. Installation Thinking of Home. Curated by Anna von Hahn
2010 Potemka Gallery for contemporary art Leipzig. Magic Club. Group exhibition. Curated by Lu Potemka
2010 Hauptstadtoper, Berlin. Experimental Opera. Videoinstallation. Eurydike und Orpheus. Lange Nacht der Opern und Theater Berlin 2010
2009 Instituto Cervantes Berlin. Dancetheatre project ProjektONETTI (9. Internationales Literatur Festival Berlin 2009).
2009 Museum Emil Nolde Berlin. Installation Fließend. Curated by Dr. Jörg Garbrecht
2009 Baltycka Galeria Sztuki Wspótczesnej, Utska, Poland. Videoinstallation Je suis Amos
2009 Museum Pablo Atchugarry, Manantiales, Uruguay. Painting Revival
2008 Kunstmuseum Walter, Augsburg, Germany. Group show, New talents
2008 Herz Jesu Church, Munich. Videoinstallation for the experimental Opera Morgen.Metamorphosen, directed by Sabine Bergk
2008 BarockPalais, Dresden, Germany. Morphonic LAB Festival. Videoinstallation Water box.
2008 Galerie B26, Berlin. Solo show, painting Or maybe I don´t like you.
2007 Centre for contemporary art OSTRALE, Dresden, Germany. Painting Installation. Es riecht nach Montevideo.
2007 Barockpalais, Dresden, Germany. Videoinstallation. Je suis Morgana. Je n´ai pas d´histoire.
2006 Atelierfest der Karl Hofer Gesellschaft/UDK, Berlin. Group show.
2005 Project for the urban space in the city Görlitz. Germany. Installation Let´s make people
2005 Project for the urban space in the city Pécs, Hungary. Performance and installation Answer the phone.
2005 PARK MOSTÓW W SWIETLE. Görlitz/Zgorzelec as european capital of culture 2010. Installation Espacio Cielo-Tierra. Curated by Héctor Solari
2004 Primer Encuentro de Artistas jóvenes del Mercosur, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Group show
2003 Del paseo Gallery of contemporary art, Montevideo, Uruguay. Painting Diálogos con Nietzsche.
2003 First International Fair about Latin American Art, Arte Américas 2003. Trench Gallery of contemporary art. Miami, USA.
2001 CCA+D - Corcoran Gallery of contemporary art and Design. Washington, USA. Group show.
BOOK PUBLICATION
Torrado, Valentina (2014): Die Präsenz des Abjekten in der zeitgenössischen Kunstproduktion. Projekt Schlafbox Berlin. Velbrück Wissenschaft Verlag.
OTHERS (SELECTION)
Since 2016 she has been working as a partner in the exhibition design studio Tatwerk in Berlin with a focus on scenography and conception.
2020 Ruhr-Universität Bochum - Hans Kilian und Lotte Köhler - Centrum. Lecture: Zwischen dem absoluten und relativen Refraktärzustand.
2019 Poznan, Poland. University of Art- Atrium. Exhibition "Art pozy+" Symposium about contemporary art. Moderator: Katarzyna Kujawska -Murphy.
2012 Bauhaus University Weimar. Lectures about abject art. Die Abjekte Kunst: Kann die Gegenwartkunst noch subversive sein oder leiden wir unter einem unendlichen Immunisierungsprozess? Chair of Fine arts (Prof. Elfi Fröhlich).
2011 - 2010 University of applied sciences Görlitz – Zittau. Lectureship Wie wirklich ist die Wirklichkeit. Chair of Aesthetics (Prof. Dr. Binas).
2004 - 2003 Catholic University of Uruguay. Teaching assistant for Aesthetics at the faculty of Communication.
2012 Artists in Residence: Kunst:Raum Sylt Quelle, Sylt, Germany
2008 Selected works, competiton New talents. Museum Augsburg/ Galerie Noah, Augsburg Germany
2006 Artists in Residence & Atelier-Stipendium - Karl Hofer Gesellschaft/Universität der Künste, Berlin.
2005 Artists in Residence. III International Artworkshop. Pécs, Hungary.
2005 Young Artists in Residence des (Stipendium, Institut für Kulturelle Infrastruktur Sachsen).
2003 Uruguayan Museum of Prints. 2. Prize. Salón de Grabado uruguayo. Minas, Uruguay.
2000 Artists in Residence. Batuz Foundation Working Center Societé Imaginaire. Altzella, Saxony, Germany
2000 Selected work, competiton Wasserwelten, Expo Hannover 2000