Marinella Senatore

In 2012, Marinella Senatore created The School of Narrative Dance (SOND), a nomadic, free of charge, and non-hierarchical school that proposes an alternative educational system based on emancipation, empowerment, and self-education: in ten years, they have taken place in over 23 countries, involving about 8 million people.
Since her training at the National Film School in Rome (where the artist studied direction of photography), the light has always been a key element for the artist: “the light can prove to be a tool for narration and poetic creation, as well as for resistance and cohesion”

The large-scale light sculptures –handcrafted in Apulia, Italy, with LED bulbs and recycled materials – have been designed for public places, museums, and festivals worldwide. These “luminarie” have become a key, recurring element to Senatore's production: particularly significant for their catalytic power, these ephemeral architectures create temporary spaces for rituals and socialization. Inspired by Southern Italy's traditional illuminated decorations, they incorporate evocative quotes about empowerment and community building. Senatore's commitment to environment is reflected into the innovative production of new green-neon sculptures mercury-free, a highly polluting metal already banned in several European countries.

Amongst the large-scale commissioners, we mention: Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Guarene; Kurgarten vor dem Kurhaus, Baden-Baden; Vranken-Pommery, Reims; Noor, Riyadh; Battersea Power Station; Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence; Berlinische Galerie; FIAC Hors Les Murs at the Jardins des Tuileries, Paris; Steirischer Herbst'21, Graz; Panorama ITALICS, Procida; Villa Borghese, Rome; Museo del Novecento, Milan; and the 34th São Paulo Biennial.

Senatore's works have been commissioned and exhibited by Italian and international institutions alike, including: Museo Madre, Naples; Palazzo Grassi, Venice; Moderna Museet, Stockholm; Museo Boijmans Van Beuningen; CCA, Tel Aviv; Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Madrid; Serpentine Gallery, London; Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin; Petach Tikva Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago; Bozar, Bruxelles; Kunsthalle Sankt Gallen; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; BAK Utrecht; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; High Line, NY; Centre Pompidou Paris; Kunsthaus Zürich; ICA, Richmond; Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal; Pearl Art Museum, Shanghai; Berlinische Galerie, Berlin; MAXXI, Rome; Museo del Novecento, Milan; Kästner Gesellschaft, Hannover; Museum der Moderne Salzburg; Museum VILLA STUCK, Munich.

Over the years, The School of Narrative Dance has received numerous commissions from institutions such as: Centre Pompidou, Paris; Kunsthalle, Mannheim; Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, Turin; MAXXI, Rome; Venice Biennale, 2015; Faena Art Forum, Miami; Queens Museum, New York; Kunsthaus, Zurich; Villa Medici, Rome; Manifesta12; Kunsthalle, Bregenz; Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; Magazzino Italian Art, Cold Spring, NY; Serlachius Museums; Museo Pecci, Prato; Colomboscope, Sri Lanka; Festival of Regions and Steirischer Herbst, Austria; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Blitz, Malta; Museum der Moderne, Salzburg; Museum Villa Stuck, Munich.

The artist has participated in the following contemporary art biennials: Venice Biennale; São Paulo Biennial; Lyon Biennial; Thessaloniki Biennial; Liverpool Biennial; Athens Biennial; Havana Biennial; Gothenburg Biennial; Cuenca Biennial; Pune Biennial; South Tyrol Biennial; Bangkok Biennial; and Manifesta12, Palermo.

Senatore won numerous awards, such as: ACACIA Prize 2021; Cantica21 Italian Contemporary Art Everywhere Prize; Cinello Unlimited Prize; Italian Council Award (4th and 7th editions); Evelyn Award; York Museum, UK; Art Grant – The Foundation of Arts and Music for Dresden, Germany, 2017; MAXXI and AMACI (Associazione dei Musei d'Arte Contemporanea Italiani) Prize, 2014; Castello di Rivoli Fellowship, 2013; American Academy in Rome Fellowship; Gotham Prize and 23rd M. Bellisario Prize, 2012; The New York Prize and Premio Terna, 2010; and Dena Foundation Fellowship, 2009.