About
Studio Voltaire, London
Image credit: Luke Fullalove for Marguerite
Biography
Natasha Caruana is a London-based artist working across photography, moving image and installation. Caruana has an MA in Photography from the Royal College of Art, London. Her work begins autobiographically, exploring narratives of love, betrayal and fantasy, underpinned by a performative and playful approach. Her work is created drawing from archives, the Internet and personal accounts. The series Married Man breaks with traditional portrayals of infidelity, whilst later works grapple with the institution of marriage - its promise and defeat. She is a Senior Lecturer of Photography at the University of the Arts London.
Natasha Caruana recently had an early career survey show A Lover’s Discourse at the new Centre de la photographie de Mougins, France. The exhibition brought together fragments across eight series of works from the past 16 years. Caruana’s works have toured widely across the United States, France, Lithuania, Portugal, India, China, Australia and Saudi Arabia and included in numerous contemporary photographic catalogues, printed as monographs. Recent exhibitions include - The Turner Contemporary, Margate, 2019, Hooked, Science Gallery, London, 2018, Timely Tale, Photoworks, Brighton, 2017, The New Observatory, FACT, Liverpool 2017, The Real Thing, Flowers Gallery, New York, 2016, Married Man, International Center for Photography Museum (project space), New York, 2016. In 2014 Caruana was named as the winner of the BMW Artist in Residence Award at the Nicéphore Niépce Museum, France. The award led to solo shows at Les Rencontres d’Arles and Paris Photo and the monograph Coup de Foudre.
Since 2016 Caruana has run the NC mentorship scheme, an annual mentorship aimed at women under-represented within the arts. The self-funded scheme supports creative development, confidence, and provides valuable practical knowledge on how to maintain a creative work. In July 2022, Natasha was invited onto the Board of Trustees at Photoworks, the international platform championing photography for everyone.
CV
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Fairytale for Sale, Centre for British Photography, 23 January - April, 2023
2022
Together at Last, Les Arts au Mur Artothèque de Pessac, Pessac, France, April - June
A Lover’s Discourse, Centre de la photographie de Mougins, France, October 2021 - January
2021
Love, eternally (Duo show with Jenny Rova), Gare de Cannes, France, November - December
2019
Timely Tale, ASC gallery, London, UK, December
Love in the 21st Century, Imitate Modern, London, February
2017
Timely Tale, Edward Street gallery, Photoworks, Brighton, UK, September
2016
Married Man, ICP Museum (project space), New York, August
2015
At First Sight, BMW Brand Store show, Paris, France, November
At First Sight, BMW Residence at Nicéphore Niépce Museum, Grand Palais, Paris Photo, Paris, November
Love is an Act, Open Data Institute, London, July
At First Sight, Salle Henri Comte, Les Rencontres D’Arles, Arles, France, July
2012
Married Man and other stories, Photofusion, London, February
2006
Facing East; solo show. The Office- An Art Space, Los Angeles, California,
Group exhibitions (selected)
2022
Hooked, Science Gallery, Atlanta, USA, August
2021
Seaside Photographed, Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool, UK, July
Seaside Photographed, Newlyn Exchange, Cornwall, UK, May
2020
Seaside Photographed, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, UK, October
2019
38CC, Delf, The Netherlands, October
Home Sweet Home, Institut pour la Photographie, Lille, France, October
Flumblelovelifekisturbingandflexy, ASC Gallery, London, UK, September
Home Sweet Home, Les Rencontres D’Arles, Arles, France, July
Seaside Photographed, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK, May
Probabilité 0.33, Nicéphore Niépce Museum, Burgundy, France, February
209 Women, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, UK, March
2018
Hooked, Science Gallery, London, UK, May - September
The Overhaul, Peckham 24, London, UK, May
2017
Merignac Photography Festival, Artothèque of Pessac, France, October
The New Observatory, FACT, Liverpool, UK, June
PROYECTA, Plaza Mayor, 28012 Madrid, Spain, April
P.O.V, Project 78 Gallery, St Leonards, Hastings, UK, March
2016
DAYADAHAHA, Beefhaus Gallery, Dallas, Texas, August
What's too painful to remember... Israeli Centre for Digital Arts, Israel, May
At First Sight, Riga Photo Festival, Latvia, April
Married Man, Flowers Gallery, New York, January
‘Feminine Masculine’ Photo50, London Art Fair, London, January
2015
Small is Beautiful, Flowers Gallery, New York, December
Power and Illusion, Encontros da Imagem, Braga, Portugal, September
Les Rencontres d'Arles à la station, Cité Metro, Paris, July
'Fairytale Reworked', La Nuit de l’Année, Arles, France, July
Abject Subjects, Art Exchange, University of Essex, Essex, UK, May
2012
Beyond Evidence, Format Festival, Derby, UK, March
The impossibility of seeing clearly, Lianzhou International Photo Festival, China, November
Magenta Flash Forward, Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre, Toronto, Canada, November
Get it Louder, Orange Sanlitun Village, Beijing, China, November
‘I Love You’ Tenderpixel. Cecil Court, London, May
2011
Hijacked III: Contemporary Photography from Australia and the UK (touring) Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), Australia, QUAD Gallery & at The Silk Mill, Derby, The Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney, Australia, Griffith University Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia, 2011 - 2012
Wonders of the Visible World; Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Sunderland, October
The Trace of an Act; Paraty Em Foco Photo festival, Brazil, September
Nine-point Perspective; Hotshoe Gallery, London, June
2010
18 Leading Women in Art Photography UK, TASCHEN & Humble Arts Foundation, London, March
The Kinsey Institute Summer Show, SoFA Gallery, Indiana, USA, May
2009
The Fool; Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Sunderland, July
Invisible Adversaries; Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Sunderland, February
The Man Group Photography Prize, Royal College of Art, London, September
2008
The Show; Royal College of Art, London, June
2007
The Lecia Prize; Fh-Bielefeld Gallery, Germany, May
Failure/ Success; Photomonth in Krakσw, Poland, May
As We See It; commissioned by the British Council, Hilton Hotel, Saudi Arabia, March
2006
As We See It; commissioned by the British Council, The Dray Walk Gallery, London, June
2005
Format 44, Truman Brewery, The Well, London, June
Guest Talks (recent)
2022
ISPN (Independant Photography in the South East of England)
Photoworks, What's next? Tips on establishing a professional photographic practice, online
Redeye: The Photography Network, online
FT Weekend X Photo London: In Conversation with Parasol Foundation Curator of Women in Photography at the V&A Fiona Rogers, Somerset House, UK
(Re) Production: Parenthood and the art world, online
2020
Canterbury Christchurch, Canterbury, UK
Falmouth University, Cornwall, UK
2019
East Meets West, Masterclass, Walsall, UK
Magnum Photos Masterclass, London, UK
Personal is Political, ISSP, Latvia
Photographers’ Gallery, VR storytelling, London, UK
University of West England, Bristol, UK
Photographers’ Gallery Patron’s tour, ASC Studios, London, UK
Kingston University, London, UK
East Meets West, Masterclass, Derby, UK
2018
Art & Brexit, Photoworks, Brighton, UK
A Lottery Postcode, Science Gallery, London, UK
Photography & Gender Dynamics post #MeToo, Photographers' Gallery, UK
Cold Cases, Phoenix, Brighton Photo Fringe, Brighton, UK
Documentary Futures - Towards inclusive Practices, LCC, London, UK
The Application Process, Free Range, London
Women in Photography, The Photography Show, NEC, Birmingham
Recycle Art, Brussels, Belgium
2017
In Conversation with Photoworks Director, Brighton University, Sussex
The Worst Kind of Betrayal, IC- Visual Lab, Arnofini, Bristol
Self Love + Love Spells, The Museum of Broken Relationships, LA
The New Observatory, FACT, Liverpool
Prognostics Lecture, University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland
Women in Photography, The Photography Show, NEC, Birmingham
Briony Campbell and Natasha Caruana, Photoforum, London
Croydon Photoforum, Croydon, UK
Education
MA Photography, Royal College of Art London, 2006 - 2008
BA (Hons) Photography- 1st Class Honours
University for the Creative Arts, 2002 - 2005
Awards/ Residencies
Foam Paul Huf Award Nomination, 2023
Development Your Creative Practice Award, Arts Council England, 2022
Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, Long list, 2022
Emergency Fund, Arts Council England, 2020
Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award, 2020
Amperstand Foundation Residency, Shortlisted, 2019
Prix de la Photo Madame Figaro Arles, Shortlisted, 2019
Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, Long list, 2018
Development Your Creative Practice Award, Arts Council England, 2018
AIPHES, Teaching Excellence Award, Shortlisted, 2018
Museum of Broken Relationships Residency, Los Angeles, 2017
Eastside International Residency, Los Angeles, 2017
Arts Council England Award ODI, Artist in Residency Award, 2015
UCA Research Fund Award, 2015
BMW musée Nicéphore Niépce Artist Residency Award, 2014
Foam Paul Huf Award Nominated, 2014
UCA Research Fund Award, 2013
UKIERI (UK India research Initiative) British Council Award, 2012
Magenta Emerging Artist Award, 2012
The Man Group Photography Prize, Shortlisted, 2008
The Deutsche Bank Pyramid Award, Shortlisted, 2007
The Lecia Prize, Laureate Award, 2007
The National Magazine Awards, Shortlisted, 2007
Reviews (recent)
London’s getting a huge new photographers gallery, TimeOut
23 for 2023: Observer writers’ culture highlights for the year ahead, The Guardian
The Centre for British Photography’s first exhibition celebrates uproarious, feminist self-portraits, inews
All the gems from the new Centre for British Photography, Hero Magazine, 2020
Loupe Magazine, Issue 13, 2022
Embracing Emotion, Hero Magazine, 2022
Trigger, Diane Smyth, Automatic - Tracing the personal in intimate images and writing, 2022
Embracing Emotion, Hero Magazine, 2022
Iheartwomen, Laura Hensser, In conversation with Natasha Caruana, 2019
Mover and Shaker, Marguerite London, September, 2018
What’s On, Time Out London, September, 2018
British Council, Julie Freeman and Hannah Redler Hawes, In conversation with Natasha Caruana, 2018
Wedding Special, Financial Times Weekend Magazine, August , 2018
Hyperallergic ‘A quiet and painful meditation on human illness through VR’, by Mark Sheerin, October, 2017
Kollektiv gallery, Natasha Caruana on the NHS, Age of Excess and the Internet, by Sophie Giblin, October, 2017
This is Tomorrow, Natasha Caruana: Timely Tale, by Fiorella Lanni, 2017
Photomonitor, Timely Tale, by Gemma Padley, October, 2017
Aesthetica, Women in Photography Panel at the Photography Show, Birmingham, March, 2016
BJP, Look and Learn, by Simon Bainbridge, September, 2016
Feature Shoot, New Photo Exhibition Pushes the Boundaries of Femininity and Gender Roles, by Effrem Zelony-Mindell, February, 2016
DNA Magazine, The Real Thing. Girl Power exposition, by Pilar Alvardo, February, 2016
Huffington Post, Female Photographers Discuss The Real Anxieties of Being Women, by Priscilla Frank, February, 2016
PDN Photo of The Day, Constructing and Deconstructing Romance, February, 2016
Musee Magazine, The Real Thing at Flowers Gallery, January, 2016
Aperture, 5 Exhibitions to see in January, January, 2016
OAI13*, Natasha Caruana and the Thunderbolt, by Bruno Dubreuil, July, 2016
Dazed and Confused, The upcoming photographers analyzing your relationships, by Aimee Mclaughlin, January, 2016
Photoworks, Ouch Ha Ouch: Women and Wit in Photography, by Max Houghton, November, 2016
Photoworks, by Mariama Attah, Redeye, Eight leading photographers share their advice for a successful 2016, January, 2016
Publications
Lovers Discourse, 2022
Home Sweet Home, Isabelle Bonnet, TEXTUEL, 2019, ISBN: 978-2845977662
Seaside Photographed, Val Williams and Karen Shepherdson, Thames & Hudson, 2019, ISBN:978-0500022061
Why Exhibit? Positions on Exhibiting Photographies. Edited by Anna-Kaisa Rastenberger and Iris Sikking, Books, Amsterdam, 2018, ISBN: 978-94-90119-72-0
Firecrackers: Female Photographers Now, Thames & Hudson, 2018, ISBN: 9780500544747
Raw View, Women Looking at Women, Lithuania, 2016
Riga Photo Biennial 2016, Rigas Fotografijas biennale, 2016 ISBN: 978-9934-14-861-3
Lens, I Love You, CITIC Society Te, Issue: 005, 2015, ISBN: 978-7-5086-5217-7
Archivo Zine, A Photography Love Story, Issue 13, 2015, ISBN: 9-772183-216004
Coup de Foudre, Trocedero Editions / BMW Art and Culture, Paris, 2015, ISBN: 979-10-94965-01-6
Married Man, Here Press, London, 2015, ISBN: 978-0-9574724-9-5
Paris Photo, Catalogue, Reed Expositions, 2015
Photoworks Annual, Issue 22, Women, Ha Ouch, Ha Ouch, Ha Ouch, Women and Wit in Photography, 2015, ISBN: 9781903796527
Power and Illusion, Encontros da Imagem, Braga, Portugal, 2015, ISBN: 978-972-98537-7-7
Oltre L'immagine, inconscio e fotografia, PostCart, 2015, ISBN: 978-88-98391-51-6
de l'air, le magazine qui donne voir, Special Beaux Livres, C Arles, Les Recontres De Arles, 2015, 2015, ISBN: 978-2-330-05057
Foudre A Chalon-Sur-Soane, Issue 61, 2015
FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby, Evidence, FORMAT, QUAD/FORMAT on occasion of the seventh, 2015
Lianzhou Foto, China, 2012, ISBN: 9-78988-205264
ONO, Here Press, First edition signed, Spring, 2012
Flash Forward 2012, The Magenta Foundation, First Edition, 2012, ISBN: 978-1-926856-03-2
Hijacked III, Kehrer Verlag, Big City Press, 2012, ISBN: 978-0- 9897878-49
Behind the Image - Research in Photography, co-authored Anna Fox, AVA Press, 2012, ISBN: 9782940411665
Michael Langford’s Basic Photography Handbook, ed. 9, Elsevier, Focal Press, 2010, ISBN: 978-0240521684
Photography Department, Royal College of Art, 2008
The Show, Royal College of Art, 2008
Michael Langford’s Basic Photography Handbook, ed. 8, Elsevier, Focal Press, 2007
ACQUISITIONS, PUBLIC AND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
Love in 90 Minutes, Les Arts au Mur Artothèque de Pessac, France
Fairytale for Sale, The Hyman Collection, UK
James Hyman Collection, UK
BMW Art & Culture, France
Nicéphore Niépce Museum, France
Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, UK
The Women’s Library, UK
The British Library, UK
Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, USA