Anna Serra Conforti was born in Genova, Italy, in 1955.
She graduated in classical studies.
She earned the diploma in Graphic Design at the Scuola Politecnica di Design (SPD) in Milan, 1976;
some of the teachers were famous graphic designers such as Bruno Munari, Max Huber,
PinoTovaglia, Heinz Waibl; other teachers, like the director of the School, Nino Di Salvatore, were artists members of the 1950‘s milanese M.A.C. movement (Movimento Arte Concreta); M.A.C. supported abstract and geometrical art integrated by studies in visual perception;
some of the lecturers were designer Bob Noorda and design historian and critic Gillo Dorfles.
Whithin the course of her studies, Anna Serra Conforti followed with interest classes on:
“Psychology of Form” taught by Gaetano Kanizsa, scholar of visual perception and professor at the
University of Trieste, Italy, and “Vision Science” by Nino Di Salvatore.
In 1994 the School won the “Compasso d’oro ADI” career award, for its design teaching activity.
She worked as graphic designer at:
- “Studio Firma”, Genova, assistant to Ettore Veruggio (fellow AIAP), 1977
- “RPBW. Renzo Piano Building Workshop,” Renzo Piano’s architectural study, Genova, from 1981 to
1986
Based on the knowledge acquired, she was teacher of “Visual Perception” according to the Gestalt theory at:
- Istituto Politecnico di Design IPOD/Byron, Genova 1996/97
- Degree Course in Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture, University of Genova,
from 1999 to 2009
In that same period she felt the need to dedicate herself to art; hence began integrating her own artistic training:
she attended courses in drawing, watercolour, artistic anatomy at the Academy of Fine Arts of Genova, in 1986, 1988, 2002-2004.
She acquired oil painting technique attending the studio of artist Renata Soro, 1997- 2007.
She followed courses in photography (practiced since when she was young) with Karl-Dietrich
Bühler, and in wood carving at the Professional School of Artistic Handicrafts in Ortisei (Val
Gardena, South Tyrol, Italy).
Her work initially starts with images made using traditional techniques and then goes back to the formal culture and processes of Graphic Design.
She is associated with Satura/Palazzo Stella Association for the promotion of arts, Genova.
She has exhibited in many group exhibitions, amongst which:
- Galleria “Il Punto” - Genova, 2001, 2002, 2003.- “Affordable Art Fair” - Roma, Ex Mattatoio Testaccio, 2012.- "Affordable Art Fair" - Milano, SuperstudioPiù, 2013.- “Institute for Unconscious Materials and Forms/Claudio Costa Museum”, Genova, 2017.- “ArteGenova” art fair - Genova, Fiera di Genova, almost annually, from 2012 to 2026, with Satura/Palazzo Stella Association.- “Premio Arte 2019”- Milano. In 2019 was selected in the competition organized by the Italian art magazine “Arte”,
and participated in the Exhibition of the 40 finalists at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, November 2019
- "ArteLaguna Prize 2020" Her work passed the first selection (320 artists from 3.000), so she was selected as “artist in the spotlight”.
Anna Serra Conforti lives and works in Genoa (Italy). In her practice she uses painting and photography (but not only that) to explore and espand the notion of memory.
Serra draws inspiration from personal experiences and individuals she encounters, paying attention to emotional and affective traces they leave behind. Objects that belonged to these individuals also play an important role in connecting the reality of the person encountered to the artist's sensitivity.
In creating her works, Serra trascends the two-dimensionality typical of photography to explore new forms. To this end, hard materials - such as sheet metal - and transparent materials - such as plexiglass - serve as supports for the printing and digital processing of photographs.
ITALIANO
Anna Serra Conforti vive e lavora a Genova. Nella sua pratica si serve della pittura e della fotografia (ma non solo) per esplorare ed ampliare la nozione di memoria.
Serra Conforti trae ispirazione dalle esperienze vissute e dalle persone incontrate, concentrando particolare attenzione sulla traccia emotiva e affettiva che queste lasciano. Gli oggetti appartenuti a queste persone giocano altresì un ruolo importante nel collegare la realtà della persona incontrata alla sensibilità dell'artista.
Nella realizzazione delle opere, Serra Conforti supera la bidimensionalità tipica dei mezzi pittorici e fotografici per esplorare nuove forme. A tal fine materiali duri - come la lamiera - e materiali trasparenti - come il plexiglass - fungono da supporti per la stampa e l'elaborazione digitale di fotografie.
