Artist Statement
As an artist, I am interested in problematising the inherited beliefs and social constraints that define our society, placing us on a constant struggle with our human essence and environment. By the same means, reflecting on our relationship with nature and the ecological crisis that emerges from it, while examining the most intrinsic aspects of human behaviour.
I do not limit myself to a single artistic medium, on the contrary, I use various techniques, being digital photography and curatorial narrative the most common. I prioritize the treatment of the idea before the form.
As a curator, I approach similar themes, problematising on today's socio-cultural conflicts such as the supremacy of capitalism, current neoliberalism and social convictions inherited by our personal history and social context. My aim as a curator is to promote contemporary art and to stimulating an attitude of self-reflection, questioning our contemporaneity and the experiences that define us.
CV
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (1985), moved to Uruguay in 1994. Catalina initiates her curatorial and artistic career in 2010 at fac (Fundación de Arte Contemporáneo) in Uruguay. In 2014 she relocated to London to pursue an MA in Curating Contemporary Art at Essex University. Catalina was granted the FEFCA 2015 fund from Mec (Ministry of Education and Culture) in Uruguay, destined for academic training. She now lives and works in Madrid, and studied a Master course in Internalization of Cultural Management and creative arts at UCM (Universidad Complutense Madrid).
She exhibited as an artist in prestigious shows such as Ficciones 2011, with the photographic piece Autorretrato at Fundación Atchugarry in Maldonado, Uruguay. The annual exhibition Llamale H 2012, was nominated for a second prize with the photographic series Princesas in Montevideo. The collective exhibition De cajón 2013 at the Cultural Centre of Mexico Embassy in Montevideo, with photographic piece Sociedad Chiclera, in Montevideo. Participated in the Biennale Salto 2013 in Salto, Uruguay, with artwork Sociedad Chiclera. In 2014 was selected and prized with an honour nomination at the Paul Cezanne Prize, in MNAV (Museo Nacional de Arte Visuales), in Montevideo. In 2016 was selected for the first Ibero-American Arts Award in London, and the collective show Sobreexposición curated by Juan José Santos, with the artworks One-selfie and Autorretrato, at Eac (Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo) in Montevideo. In 2019 she participates in the exhibition Autorretrato/Autorreferencialidad of Project Ace ’with the video 67 Mosquitos in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2020 she participates with COCO in Bienal Mercosur in Porto Alegre, with the instalation Iletradxs. In 2021 she exhibited a collective artwork called La sal no sala, with a group of Uruguayan visual artists at Cósmica contemporary art and culture fair at TRIBU, Montevideo.
Her first curated exhibition was titled HyperSEXY 2012, part of the 8th season of Eac (Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo), in Montevideo. Perpetua (carne) 2013, was her second exhibition co-curated with Fernando Lopez Lage in the Engelman Ost collection, in Montevideo. As part of the training in the MA course, she organizes Abject Subject, her third exhibition at Art Exchange in Essex University, Uk. The exhibition was co-curated with four other colleagues. Upwards, Downwards 2017 was her fourth exhibition exhibited in London, Paris and Montevideo and produced by art collective COCO. She co-curated The Things We Leave Behind 2018 with Clara Rocha at One Paved Court Gallery in London. Participated of the research group Conversación Abierta in Sala Alcalá 31 in Madrid (2018). In 2020 she curates along with COCO the show RIP in CCE (Centro Cultural España) in Montevideo, Uruguay. In May 2021 she curates artist’s Javier Abreu virtual performance at Diana Saravia Gallery in Montevideo, Uruguay. In March 2022 she co-curates with COCO M.arte exhibition at Centro Cultural Verde. She associates with Zoco Gallery in Punta del Este, Uruguay and develops mentoring and coaching for artists and creatives.