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BIOGRAPHY

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Born in Grosseto, Italy. Studied illustration at the IED, Europe Institute of Design after which she published works in over 30 books. In 1993 she shifted her focus to painting. In 1998 she moved permanently to New York where she started her research as an artist painter full time. In 2006 she was selected by the American Association of University Women in the “Emerging Women Artists Juried Exhibition” New York Design Center .  Her work has being collected and commissioned by both public and private clients; Soros collection, Serafina group, CityCinema group, Jerry Saltz collection. Martello  collaborates with: galleria Giovanni Bonelli, Italy, Pen&Brush gallery NYC, Parlor gallery, NJ.

In 2014 she won the selection for juried exhibition  "Understanding Media, the Extension of Human Being” organized by CallforBushwick, during BOS, in Brooklyn, NYC,  she exhibited at Tibet House Museum US, and she took part of ''Transcending Tibet'' NYC curated by Davide Quadrio.

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In 2015 she has being commissioned a trittico for the permanent collection of Metropoliz MAAM Museum of Rome by curators Giorgio de Finis, she's being selected by curator Rick Kinsel, director of Vilcek foundation to be part of ''Domesticity Revisited'' at Pen&Brush NYC, and exhibited at AQUA Miami Art Fair, and in 2016 at Context NYC.  In 2016/2017 she’s selected to be part of Woodenwallsproject a public art program with 3 Murals installation in Asbury Park, NJ, same year she exhibited at A.I.R. gallery '' Overlap; Life tapestries'' curated by Vida Sabbaghi, an itinerant group show that travel to PennState gallery in 2018.

Same year Pen&Brush hosted  a large scale solo show of 8 years of Martello's paintings, ‘’Future is Goddess’’  and she’s  a featured artist in the Public Art Project LaMer-WaveWalk NYC with WeAreProjectZero, alongside notable artists and influencers.

 

In 2018 she is part of SuperSHE a group show at Galleria Giovanni Bonelli, Milan, and Beauty in the Beast a group show curated by COPE-NYC at Soulangh Cultural park in Taiwan, where she also does an Art Residency painting a mural for the National Museum of Children. Ending 2018 with 2 person show Michela Martello / Tricia Wright at Pen&Brush NYC. In 2019 she has a solo show in Raleigh, NC, ArtSpace, ''Consequential Stranger'' and a 2 person show '' Everything Has A Vortex " with artist Shigeru Oyatani in Tainan city - Taiwan, curated by COPE-NYC, she's also part of the third iteration ''Overlap; LIfe Tapestries'' at Pen&Brush NYC, her piece Time Zone is selected to be exhibited in the group show MAAM at MACRO, Museum of Modern Art, Rome. In 2020, Martello is invited by the curatorial program of Tainan Art Museum to be part of the group show ''Art Point'', and a first female solo exhibit at galleria Giovanni Bonelli in Milan,''Of The Earth'' in the same year she's selected by Jarry Saltz for the prestigious publication New American painting. In 2022, she's curating the group show The Fire and the Cow at galleria Giovanni Bonelli,  she is selected by Wendy Olsoff and Eden Reeding by PPOW for the Artsy auction to benefit Pen+Brush, and received a grant from Montmouth Arts to create an installation for WoodenWallsProject, Asbury Park, NJ. She is invited as artist in residence at Siao-Long Cultural Park, Taiwan, where she produce The Heavenly Princesses and the BAM Ripple, For which she received another Artist Merit Prize. In 2023 she is the recipient of Tristate Italian Art Prize, juried by Paola Antonelli, Massimiliano Gioni, Nancy Olnick, and part of the group show curated by Chiara Mannarino.



Education


 

SELECTED SOLO SHOWS AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITION

                  photo by Katelyn Kopenhaver

 

1986 - MFA Illustration, Europe Institute of Design, Milano Italy 

1983 - BFA College of Arts, Brera Hayech, Milano Italy

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SELECTED GROUP SHOWS

2022 - The Heavenly Princesses and the Bam Ripple, Siao-Long Cultural                  Park, CopeNYC, Tainan, Taiwan

           Grant Recipient, Eternal Swoon, Carousel, Asbury Park, NJ,                        WoodenWallsProject, Pen+BrushNYC, Monmouth Arts

2020 - Of The Earth - Sulla Terra, Galleria Giovanni Bonelli, Milan, curated              by Dawn Delikat & Parker Daley Garcia

2019 - Everything Has A Vortex, Soulangh Cultural Park, curated by COPE-              NYC, Tainan, Taiwan, with artist Shigeru Oyatani

           Consequential Stranger, ArtSpace, Raleigh, NC, curated by Anna                Lee

           Itaca Penelope, SetUp Art Fair Bologna, Italy, Giovanni Bonelli                    Gallery

2018 - Michela Martello / Tricia Wright, Pen&Brush, NYC

           Talisman: An Intimate Act With Michela Martello, HereNow, NYC

2017 - Future is Goddess, Pen&Brush, NYC

2016 - Soul Textiles: A Fiber Journey, Trace  Foundation, NYC

           Time Zone, Curated by Giorgio de Finis, MAAM Museum, Permanent            collection, Rome

2014 - Weight of Happiness, Tibet House Museum, NYC

2011 - Metropolitan Buddha, Cappelletti Arte Contemporanea, Milano

           Art Your Food, Italian Cultural Institute, NYC

2010 - Painting Performance, Kaufman Music school, NYC

           Idols and Icons, Tria Gallery, NYC

2009 - No Panic, Bonelli Arte Contemporanea, Mantova, IT
          Painting Accidents, Italian Culture Center, Centro Raccontami, NYC

2002 - Untitled, Arturo Di Modica Studio, NYC

1998 - Le Stanze, Compagnia Generale, Milan, IT
 

PUBLIC & PRIVATE COLLECTION
ACTIVITIES
SELECTED COMMISSIONS - PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
PRIZE AND HONORS

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Anand Giridharadas & Pryia Parker collection

Jerry Saltz collection

Andrea Soros collection

Davide Bernacca collection

Emilio Bordoli collection

Giovanni Bonelli collection

Soulangh Cultural Park, Children Museum of The Arts, Permanent collection, Taiwan

MAAM Museum, Permanent collection, Rome Italy

2023 -  Painting Performance for B&B Italia Gaeteano Pesce 

            UP chair, Pen+Brusch Fund raising, NYC       

2022 -  Art Residency, Siao-Long Cultural Park, Tainan, Taiwan

            Celebrating the Art of Compassion at Tibet House NYC                 organized by  Nalanda Institute

2021 -  Art Residency, The Third   Eye Residency Project, Cope                  NYC

2020 -  Brooklyn Rail, New Social Environment   #89 

           Queens Museum, CopeNYC, Teaching virtual workshop  

2019 -  Art Residency, Soulangh Cultural Park, by CopeNYC                   presenting the show ''Everything Has A Vortex''

2018 - Artist Talk, Michela Martello / Tricia Wright, Pen&Brush                NYC
           Art Residency, Soulangh Cultural Park, Curated by Cope              NYC
           Frottage kids workshop, HereNow space NYC
           Frottage workshop, Brooklyn college, curated by Cope                 NYC
2017 -  Art Residency, Gift Wooden Walls, Parlor gallery,
           Woodenwallsproject, Asbury Park, NJ
           Artist talk, Pen and Brush, Future is Goddess NYC
           Graffiti Workshop, Pen&Brush, Graffiti Vacation NYC
           Frottage workshop, Queens Museum curated by Vida                    Sabbaghi, NYC
2016 - Series of Frottage workshop, Queens Museum  curated by           Vida sabbaghi, NYC
         

2022 - Public Art Installation, Ethernal Swoon, Asbury Park NJ

          WoodenWallsProject  in collaboration with Pen+Brush NYC

2021 - Community Mural,  Brooklyn Book Festival, commissioned by House of Speakeasy

2018 - Paper Dolls Story, Pen&Brush, NYC, Wall Installation for the launch of the new                InPrint Book

           Colorful Supremacy, Mural for TED at Asbury park convention hall, NJ

           Graffiti Goddesses, Mural for New day, shelter for battered women in Bronx

           Auspicious Field, Mural for the Children Museum of the Arts, Soulangh Cultural              Park, Taiwan

2017 - The Wave Walk, Group public art project, Painted fiber glass wave sculpture                  commissioned by We Are 

           Project Zero - La Mer

           Woodenwallsproject, Mural for the board walk in Asbury park New Jersey,                    Curated by Parlor gallery

2016 - Series of Painting on Canvas Installed on wood panels for LAM residence, Tribeca            lofts, NYC 

           Murals, Graphics, logos, ongoing collaboration with CityCinemagroup, NYC

           Woodenwallsproject, Dakini mural for the board walk in Asbury Park, NJ

2015 - Mural series project for Creative Chaos LLC, Dumbo, Brooklyn 

           Mural and Illustration packaging for TOCCA Company, NYC 

           Murals for Serafina group, Sao Paulo

2014 - Murals for Serafina group, Rio de Janeiro, Bengaluru, Tokyo

2013 - Murals for Serafina group,Seoul, Dubai

           Murals for Geiko San, Sao Paulo

2012 - Murals for Serafina group, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Miami, New York

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2023 - Winner of Tristate Italian Art Prize, committee by Paola Antonelli, Massimiliano

           Gioni, Nancy Olnick

2022 - Siao Long Cultural Park & Tainan City Cultural Affairs Bureau Artistic Merit

          Monmouth Arts Grant recipient for the art installation Eternal Swoon

2019 - Soulangh Cultural Park & Tainan City Cultural Affairs Bureau Artistic Merit

2014 - Bushwick Open Studio, Winner, Understanding Media the Extension of Human 

           Been

2005 - Emerging Women Artists, Winner, American association of Women, NYC Design

           Center

2023 -  Tristate Italian Art Italian PRIZE, Consulate general of Italy, NYC

           Curated by Chiara Mannarino

           Tell Me Something, Galleria Giovanni Bonelli, Milano, Italy

           Filanda Art AM 4, Old Filanda, Soncino Italy

           curated by Luigi cazzaniga and Ilka Scobie

           The Divine The passion and the Magic, Visitor Center,

           Newburgh, NY     

2022 - Modern Nature, Kipinz Gallery, Walton NY

           Sensing Woman, curated by Christine Massy, C24 gallery NY

           Artsy Auction to Support P+B,NYC, curated by PPOW gallery

           Curatorial, The Fire And The Cow, Galleria Giovanni Bonelli,  

           Milan, Italy.

           At The Root, Sozo gallery, Charlotte, NC. 

2021 - Nest, Gowanus Open Studio

           Care, Online group show DearArtists, curated by Kaylan Buteyn

           Multi, Pen+Brush, NYC

           Maybe In May, Basilica di San Celso, Milan

           This is Who We Are, Pen+Brush, NYC

2020 - Art Point, Tainan Art Museum, Taiwan

           Tuft, GroupProjects, Philadelphia

           This is Who We Are, Manhattan Borough's President Office,                curated by Pen&Brush

2019 - Ingombri, L'Altro Altrove, MACRO, Museum of Contemporary                Art, Rome, Italy

           Overlap: Life Tapestries, Pen&Brush NYC curated by Vida                    Sabbaghi

           Wings to Fly, NU Hotel, BK,NY, curated by Welancora Gallery

           No place Like, Fieldsprojects, Online group show

2018 - Beauty in The beast, Soulangh Cultural park, Taiwan, curated by            COPENYC

           The Curious Shape of Red, Bellano, Italy, curated by Velasco                Vitali

           WoodenWalls Artists, The Carousel, Asbury park, NJ

           Guilt By Association, parlor gallery, Asbury Park, NJ

           Super S.H.E., Galleria Giovanni Bonelli, Milano Italy

           Arte Verona, Galleria Giovanni Bonelli, Italy

           Overlap Life Tapestries, Penn State, curated by Vida Sabbaghi

           On Adornment, Pen&Brush, NYC

           Arts Connects New York, Fund raising , Paula Cooper, NYC

2017 - Graffiti Vacation, Pen&Brush, NYC

           Anything You Can Do, Parlor gallery, Asbury Park, New Jersey

2016 - Overlap:LifeTapestries, Curated by Vida Sabbaghi, A.I.R.                      Gallery, NYC

           Woodenwallsproject, curated by Parlorgallery, Asbury park, NJ
           Musica! Notazioni nell’Arte Contemporanea, Curated by                      Annamaria Targher, Museo Maso Spilzi, Trento, IT
           Context Art fair, Azart Gallery, NYC
           We Are Infinite, Parlor gallery, Asbury park, NJ

2015 - Domesticity Revisited, Curated by Rick Kinsel, Pen&Brush, NYC
           Trascending Tibet, Curated by Davide Quadrio & Paola Vanzo,            Trace Fondation, NYC 

           Repsychling, Curated by Vida Sabbaghi, Teachers college,                  Columbia university, NYC

2014 - Understanding media, the Extension of Human Being, Juried                  Exhibit, Bushwick open studio , Brooklyn

2013 - Urban Decay, Tria gallery, NYC
           Summer Salon, Rarity Gallery, Mikonos, Greece

2011 - Primo Centro, curated by Alessandra Bonomo, Castello                        Aldebrandesco, Arcidosso, IT 

           Art your Food, Itinerant exhibit, Italian Culture Institute, Los                    Angeles
           Lattuada gallery, Milano, Wook gallery, NYC

2008 - Small Work, Juried exhibit, Curated by Jim Kempner, NYU                    Washington Square gallery, NYC 

           AAF Art fair, Tria gallery, NYC
           Body and Soul, Tria gallery, NYC

2007 - Sacred Ways, Tria gallery, NYC
           Small work, Juried exhibit, Curated by Ed Harris, NYU                        Washington Square gallery, NYC

2006 - Emerging Women Artists, Juried exhibit, NYC Design Centre 

           Miracolo a Milano, Palazzo della ragione, Milan, IT

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Vilcek Foundation, The coloring Book of Michela Martello, Be A Good Ancestor

MAAM Museo dell'altro e dell'altrove di Metropoliz_citta' meticcia, by Giorgio de Finis

Michela Martello, Pen + Brush

Musica! Notazioni sull’Arte Contemporanea , Michela Martello , by Annamaria Targher 

Domesticity Revisited, by Rick Kinsel
Repsychling, by Vida Sabbaghi
Trascending Tibet, by Davide Quadrio and Paola Vanzo
Details, A stylist’s secrets to Creating Inspired Interiors, by Lili Diallo
Mangia L’Arte, Imaf, by Rossella Canevari and Elena Maria Manzini
Spas for your home, by Christina Paredes, Collins design
Miracolo a Milano, by Alessandro Riva

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