About
Marcela Montes (born in Buenos Aires) is an artist based in Basel who works with printmaking, drawing and sculpture.
Marcela studied drawing and printmaking at the School of arts
Pridiliano Pueyrredon in Buenos Aires.
After finishing her art studies, she exhibited her work in several salons and galleries, winning several prizes in printmaking. Later she was invited to Poland to exhibit her graphic work, and then she moved to Switzerland, where she participated in several exhibitions.
Marcela studied graphic design at L’École romande d’arts graphiques in Lausanne. She worked for advertising agencies in the creation of games, watch bracelet designs, food packaging and design of books and catalogues.
He completed a Master’s degree in Marketing at the University of Basel, continuing his work with new editions. Since 2022 she starts working in sculpture.
Statement
The indigenous theme as a driver of inspiration began with a look at my ancestors, including an indigenous great-grandmother. This led me to research the indigenous communities of the Americas and their respect and care for nature.
The transmission of their beliefs to younger generations turned my attention to the children of indigenous communities as receivers and transmitters of a new message that surrounds them.
The engravings, drawings and sculptures depict indigenous children discovering a world shaped by what they see and by what adults have left them. Here a fantastic reality is mixed with a disfigured figuration.
Dream and reality is another of the themes treated in the engravings on animal dreams. Existing and extinct species are presented in unreal scenarios where their stories and desires are processed in their sleep.
Biography
Group exhibitions
Graphic Biennial Buenos Aires, Argentina (1983)
Exhibition Salon National de Santa Fe, Argentina (1984)
Exhibitions in various galleries in Santa Fe and Buenos Aires,
Argentina (1985)
1st Graphic Biennial of Luján, Argentina (1986)
Group exhibition Museum Sívori, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1987)
Graphic Biennial Lodtz, Poland (1987)
Graphic Biennial Cadaqués, Spain (1987)
Triennial International Xylon, Winterthur, Switzerland (1987)
Santa Fe National Exhibition, Argentina (1988)
Lodz Male Formy Grafiki / Small Graphic Forms, Biennale of Engraving, Poland
(1989)
National Exhibition Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1990)
Alte Krone Art Gallery, Biel, Switzerland (1991)
Christmas exhibition, Centre Pasquart, Bienne, Switzerland (1992)
Alte Krone Art Gallery, Biel, Switzerland (1993)
Art Museum, Chandon Exhibition, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1994)
Exhibition in the Metropole Buenos Aires, Argentina (1994)
Christmas exhibition, Centre Pasquart, Bienne, Switzerland (1996)
Exhibition «Hin-und Rückfahrt», Alte Krone, Biel, Switzerland (1997)
Bürki Art Gallery, Ostermündigen, Switzerland (1997)
Exhibition «Hin-und Rückfahrt», Espace d’exposition, Geneve, Switzerland (1998)
Exhibition at the Argentine Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany (1998)
Triennal de la gravure, Musée des Beaux Arts, Le Locle, Switzerland 1998)
Theatre Bienne, esquisses de Opera, Bienne, Switzerland (2000)
Bookstore Pretexte, esquisses de Opera, Bienne, Switzerland (2000)
Gruppenausstellung Visa Art, Basel, Switzerland (2003)
Gruppenausstellungen « Sakrale Zeit» Basel, Switzerland (2022)
Galerie Eulenspiegel, Basel, Switzerland (2023)
ArtESB Art Exhibition, Liestal, Switzerland (2023)
29th International Art Exhibition «Arte Binningen», Switzerland (2023)
ArtLiestal, Liestal, Switzerland (2023)
Solo exhibitions
Epsilon Gallery, Santa Fe, Argentina (1988)
Bialystok, Art Gallery, Polen (1989)
Warschau Art Gallery, Polen (1989)
Zankowa, Art Gallery, Lubin, Polen (1991)
Sulmin Gallery, Gdansk, Poland (1991)
Arc Gallery, Murten, Switzerland (1992)
Art Museum, Le Locle, Switzerland (1994)
Awards
2nd prize, Academy Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1983)
3rd prize, Lanus Art Exhibition, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1986)
1st prize, Sociedad de artistas de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1986)
3rd prize, exhibition at the Museum of the City of Buenos Aires (1986)
1st prize, exhibition of San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1987)
2nd prize, Sociedad de artistas de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1987)
2nd prize, exhibition of the Society of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1988)
3rd prize, Graphic Arts College Ward, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1988)
Publications
Smart colouring and play book, colouring book for the Smart brand Opera, sketches /esquisses.
Opera sketchbook © by Marcela Montes
Conferences
- The origin of printmaking in Argentina/ Painting before and after the dictatorship in Argentina. Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland (1989)
- The origins of printmaking in Argentina. University of Gdansk, Poland (1990)
- The origins of printmaking in Argentina, Museum of Fine Arts in Le Locle, Switzerland (1994)