Cristina Nuñez
Born in 1962, Cristina Nuñez is a self-taught artist-photographer, whose work has been exhibited and published internationally, and she is a facilitator of the creative process with her method The Self-Portrait Experience (SPEX). In 2020 Nuñez obtained her PhD by Publications at the College of Arts, University of Derby, on her artistic practice and her SPEX method. Nuñez obtained the Diamond Phototherapy Award 2020 of the Royal Photographic Society in Bristol, in recognition of her long term practice with therapeutic photography using her method The Self-Portrait Experience in her autobiographical work since 1988 and in her work with over 3700 people around the world since 2004. The award was given during the Photo-Therapy Day online Symposium on May 22, 2020. Nuñez lives in Northern France and works in Luxembourg.
After an adolescence as a drug addict, Cristina Nuñez takes self-portraits since 1988 as a sort of self-therapy, to explore and stimulate her creative identity, and to increase self-esteem in moments of crisis. In 2004 she realizes that this practice can be useful for others and creates The Self-Portrait Experience (SPEX), a dispositive to explore one’s inner life using the photo self-portrait, including directions for the choice and perception of images and for the construction of autobiographical projects.
Since 2004 Nuñez holds SPEX workshops in prisons, mental health facilities, rehab centers, youth centers, high schools, art academies, universities, museums, galleries and companies, in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, France, UK, Norway, Finland, Luxemburg, Germany, USA, Canada, South Korea, Bangladesh and Australia.
In 2007 Nuñez starts working on her autobiographical project SOMEONE TO LOVE, using self-portraits, family pictures, text and video, exhibited at the Mois de la Photo in Montreal in 2011. Her autobiographical video SOMEONE TO LOVE obtains the Celeste Prize 2012 and her project But Beautiful, the Prix de la Critique 2013, Voies Off, Arles.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Nuñez has been working on the Emotional (R)Evolution project, composed of:
- her autobiographical and “artivist” videos in four languages on her Youtube channel and Instagram profile.
- the self-portraits and autobiographical projects of SPEX workshop participants, which will be published in a permanent online exhibition in 2021. If you want to participate, click here.
- the collaborative self-portraits of the Higher Self project.
Nuñez has held SPEX workshops in the following institutions:
European Capital of Culture 2011 – Turku, Finland
European Capital of Culture 2022 – Esch, Luxemburg
MUFOCO, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Cinisello Balsamo, Italy
SKOL, Centre des Arts Actuels, Mois de la Photo de Montreal 2011
Casino of Luxemburg, Contemporary Art Center
The Private Space Gallery, Barcelona
Consarc Galleria, Chiasso, Switzerland
Maison de l’Image, Grenoble
Oslo Fotokunstskole, Oslo
Forma, Centro Internazionale di Fotografia, Milan
Pathsala Photography Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Luova gallery, Helsinki
MC2 gallery, Milan
MS gallery, Madrid
H2O gallery, Barcelona
Hangar.org, Barcelona
Brians 1 prison, Barcelona
Wad Ras prison, Barcelona
Lledoners prison, Barcellona
Quatre Camins prison, Barcellona
San Vittore prison, Milan
Bredtveit prison, Oslo
Ila prison, Oslo
Ullersmo prison, Oslo
University of Roehampton, London
Manchester Metropolitan University
University of Northampton
University of Luxemburg
University of New York
University of Turku, Finland
University of Barcelona
University Complutense of Madrid
University of Girona, Spain
University of Milan Bicocca
Catholic University of Milan
University of Bologna, DAMS
Turku Arts Academy, Finland
Domus Academy of Fashion and Design, Milan
Tampere University Hospital, Child Psychiatry Department, Finland
ASL Mental Health Center, Lucca, Italy
Impro Gentianes, AFIPAEIM, Grenoble
Mental Health Day Hospital (for adolescents) Nou Barris , Barcelona
Centro Maria Letizia Verga, for adolescents with onco-hematologic cancer
SERT, Service for Addictions, Palermo, Italy
Association for the Unemployed, Turku
Housing Works, Women’s Health Center, Brooklyn, New York
Institute for the Arts in Psychotherapy, New York
Finnish Phototherapy Association, Turku, Finland
Ariele, Psychotherapy Association, Milan
Philo, School of Philosophical Practices, Milan
Ispa, Art therapy Institute, Barcelona
Institute of Family Therapy, Florence
Institute of Family Therapy, Bologna
Erich Fromm Institute, Bologna
Institute of Body-Mind Phototherapy, Bologna
Sistema Counseling, Milan
Corso High School, Correggio, Italy
Kastu School, Turku, Finland
Raunistula School, Turku
Hansa Shopping Center, Turku
Rudolf Steiner School, Milan
Scuola pubblica elementare, Gorgonzola
SDA Bocconi, formazione aziendale, Milano
Marketing Forum, formazione aziendale, Milano
Mida, formazione aziendale, Milano
Watson Wyatt, formazione aziendale, Milano
Future Concept Lab, Milano
Saatchi & Saatchi, formazione aziendale, Milano
Hotel Diana Majestic, Milano
Cosmos gathering, Toscana, Italy
Muksumanki, business training, Turku, Finland
Italfondiario, business training, Milano e Rome
Danone, business training, Milan
Banca del Mezzogiorno, business training, Milano
Spazio Labò, Bologna
Spazio Lambrate, Milano
Centro Culturale Candiani, Venice
Citilab, Cornellà, Spain
Biblioteca Pubblica di Gorgonzola, Italy
Bottega Immagine, Milan
Perugia Social Photo Fest, Italy
Sponge Arte Contemporanea, Pergola, Italy
Associazione Coreana di Fototerapia, Seoul, South Corea
Awards and job grants
2020 – Diamond Phototherapy Award, Royal Photographic Society, Bristol, UK.
2015-16 – EEA Grants for the project “We Exist”, self-portraits in Norwegian prisons.
2015 – OSIC, Support Office for Cultural Initiative, Catalan Government, for the project La Vie en Rose, the dialogue.
2015 – La Caixa Obra Social, for the project Self-portraits in the Penitentiary Center Quatre Camins.
2014 – OSIC, Support Office for Cultural Initiative, Catalan Government, for the project Her/Story, Women Behind the Camera.
2013 – the video La Vie en Rose#2 receives the honorable mention of the Visual Arts Award Ciutat de Palma.
2013 – EEA Grants Norway, “Cultural diversity and Cultural Exchange” for the project Her/Story, Two Women Behind the Camera.
2013 – OSIC, Support Office for Cultural Initiative, Catalan Government, for the project La Vie en Rose and the exhibition But Beautiful at Sponge Arte Contemporanea.
2013 – The project But Beautiful receives the Prix de la Critique 2013, Festival Voies Off, Arles.
2013 – Nuñez receives the Ora Prize, with the gallery Sponge Arte Contemporanea, Pergola, Italy.
2012 – La Caixa Obra Social, for the project Self-portraits in the Penitentiary Center Lledoners.
2012 – The video Someone to Love wins Celeste Prize 2012, video-art section.
2012 – OSIC, Support Office for Cultural Initiative, Catalan Government, for the exhibition Someone to Love at H2O gallery in Barcellona and Luova Gallery in Helsinki and for the book But Beautiful – Higher Self.
2011 – CONCA, Council for Arts and Culture, Catalan Government, for the exhibition Someone to Love at Mois de la Photo of Montreal 2011.
2010 – La Caixa Obra Social, for the project Self-portraits at the Penitentiary Center of Brians 1 and Wad Ras in Barcelona.
2010 – Finalist and honorable mention at Interim N.1 of New York Photo Awards.
1996 – Mosaique, CNA Luxemburgo, for the project Heaven on Earth.
1994 – Fondazione Studio Marangoni, Florence, for the project Body & Soul.
One person exhibitions
2016 – Higher Self, Maif Social Club, Paris.
2015 – But Beautiful, Chobi Mela Festival, Dakha, Bangladesh.
2014 – Someone to Love, The Boiler Room, Oslo.
2013 – But Beautiful, Sponge Arte Contemporanea, Pergola, Italy.
2013 – La Vie en Rose and Someone to Love, video projection, Galería La Zúa, Festival Proyector, Madrid.
2013 – La Vie en Rose and Someone to Love, video and performance, Encontros da Imagem, Braga, Portugal.
2013 – La Vie en Rose and Someone to Love, video and performance, Editions Limités, Galerie du 4 Septembre, Arles.
2013 – La Vie En Rose, video première and performance, Effearte Gallery, Milan.
2012 – Someone to Love, Luova Gallery, Helsinki.
2012 – Someone to Love, H2O Gallery, Barcelona.
2012 – Someone to Love, MS Gallery, Madrid.
2011 – Someone to Love, video preview, H2O Gallery, Barcelona.
2011 – Someone to Love, Skol Centre des Arts Actuels, Mois de la Photo de Montreal 2011.
2010 – Higher Self, The Private Space Gallery, Barcellona.
2008 – Sono adolescente, Polifemo, La Fabrica del Vapore, Milan (curator).
2007 – Young Italian Gentle Men, Spazio Private Larusmiani, Milan.
2000 – I am, Franca Speranza Gallery, Milan.
1998 – Homebirth, La Lunanuova, Milan.
1998 –To Hell and Back – Risiera di San Sabba, Trieste, Italy.
1997 – All’inferno e ritorno:
Palazzo Vecchio, Florence
Biblioteca Nazionale, Turin
Museo Monumento al Deportato, Carpi, Italy
Palazzo Reale, Milan
Encontros de Fotografia, Coimbra, Portugal
1995 – Body & Soul, Fondazione Studio Marangoni, Florence
Group exhibitions (selection)
2015 – Money, Les Nuits Photographiques, Pavillon Carré de Baudoin, Paris.
2015 – Self-timer Stories, MUSAC, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea of Castilla y León, Spain.
2014 – I AM, Memoirs of Addiction Recovery, Manchester Metropolitan University.
2014 – “2004-2014. Opere e progetti del Museo di Fotografia Contemporanea”, Triennale, Milan.
2014 – Her/Story, Women Behind the Camera, H2O Gallery, Barcelona.
2013 – video Someone to Love, Videomedeja Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia.
2013 – But Beautiful, proiezione, Voies Off Festival, Arles.
2013 – video Someone to Love and the book But Beautiful, The Flood Wall II, Berlin.
2012 – video Someone to Love, Celeste Prize 2012, Centrale Montemartini, Rome.
2012 – video Someone to Love, Social Photo Fest, Perugia, Italy.
2012 – video Someone to Love, Social Photo Fest, Piombino, Italy.
2012 – video Someone to Love, Les Nuits Photographiques, Rencontres d’Arles.
2012 – video Someone to Love, Les Nuits Photographiques, Paris.
2011 – 2000 & 11 Self-Portraits, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki.
2011 – 2000 & 11 Self-Portraits, Capitale Europea della Cultura 2011, Turku. Peri Photography Centre.
2011 – Higher Self, “Second Lives: Jeux Masqués et Autres Je”, Casino of Luxemburg.
2010-11 – Grandi e Piccole, Museo di Fotografia Contemporanea, Cinisello Balsamo, Italy.
2010 – Io mi vedo così: Autoritratti Fotografici, Centro Italiano Fotografia d’Autore, Bibbiena, Italy.
2010 – Autoritratto al Femminile, Polifemo, Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan.
2010- Foto d’Autrice, Galleria Bel Vedere, Milan.
2009- The Self-Portrait Experience, Festival FotoGrafia, Rome.
2008 – De L’Europe, CNA Luxemburg.
2006-2007 – Il Sole nelle Mani, Bariphotocamera, Bari.
2006 – Tales from a Globalized World, Nazioni Unite, New York.
2005 – Tales from a Globalized World, Krakow, Vienna, Dhaka.
2005 – Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent, Jardins du Luxembourg, Paris.
2004 – Tales from a Globalized World, Zurich, Chiasso, Italy.
2003- Quotidiano al Femminile, Galleria del Credito Valtellinese, Milan.
2003 – Tales from a Globalized World, Geneva.
2002- The Spirit of Religion, Photocenter Skopelos, Skopelos, Grece.
1999- Papa, Maman, Chateau de Nyon, France.
1999- Philip Morris Gallery, Giò Marconi Gallery, Milan.
1998 – Images du Monde Interieur, Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie, Arles.
1996-Il Ritratto, un’Evoluzione, Breracult, Milan, curated by Photology, Milan.
Monographic books
2012 – But Beautiful, Le Caillou Bleu, Bruxelles.
2012 – Higher Self, Le Caillou Bleu, Bruxelles.
2010 – Someone to Love, The Private Space Books, Barcelona.
2006- Young Italian Gentle Men, Valentina Edizioni, Milan.
2000 – Io Sono, Dianova, Milan.
1997 – All’Inferno e Ritorno, Art&, Udine, Italy.
Collective books
2015 – Money, Les Nuits Photographiques, Paris.
2015 – Self-Timer Stories, Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein, MUSAC.
2014 – L’Arte è utile, comunque bella, Adina Pugliese, Meta Edizioni.
2013 – Phototherapy and Therapeutic Photography in a Digital Age, Del Loewenthal, Routledge, London.
2012 – Il corpo solitario. L’autoscatto nella fotografia contemporanea, Rubettino, Soveria Mannelli.
2011 – 2000&11 Self-Portraits, European Capital of Culture 2011 Turku, Finland.
2011 – Lucidity, Inward Views, Mois de la Photo de Montreal.
2010 – Autofocus, Stefano Ferrari – Chiara Tartarini, Ed. Clueb, Bologna.
2008 – De L’Europe, CNA Luxemburg, Dudelange.
2007 – Il Sole nelle Mani, Bariphotocamera, Motta Editore, Milan.
2005- Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent, Editions du Chène, Paris.
2003- Tales from a Globalized World, Thames & Hudson, London.
2003- Quotidiano al Femminile, Peliti Associati, Rome.
2001 – The Spirit of Religion, Skopelos, Greece.
1999 – Paradise, ed. Steidl.
1997 – Europa, Encontros de Fotografia de Coimbra, Portugal.
1996 – Vita da Bambino, Art&, Udine, Italy.
Collections
Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris
Centre Nationale de l’Audiovisuel, Dudelande, Luxemburg.
Museo di Fotografia Contemporanea, Cinisello Balsamo, Italy.
SDC, Ministero d’Affari Esteri, Switzerland.
Camera di Commercio di Bari.
H2O Gallery, Barcelona.
The Private Space Gallery, Barcelona.
Encontros de Fotografia, Coimbra, Portugal.
Sponge Arte Contemporanea, Pergola, Italy.
National Collection of Photography of Catalonia, MNAC National Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona.
Degree thesis with extensive mentions of The Self Portrait Experience
1. Adela Miencilova
De Monfort University, Leicester, UK.
MA in photography
“The Self as a Photographic Metaphor in Mental Health” , 2010
2. Giuliana Lioce
Fine Arts Achademy, DAMS, Bologna
COBASLID: Biennial Second Level Courses with Didactic Address – Art Education
“Autoritratto, tra Indice e Identità”, 2009
3. Giada Carraro
University of Bologna – Faculty of Letters
MA in History of Art
“Attraverso l’obiettivo: il potere terapeutico della fotografia, tra arte e psicologia”, 2010
4. Alexandra Hoffman
Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California
Master Science in Photography
“Messages from the Unconscious: Self-Portrait Photography as a Discovery of Being”, 2009
5. Valentina Brivio
Università Cattolica in Milan
Faculty of Psychology – Master in clinical psychology
“The body image of teenagers: the photographic self-portrait as definition of the self”, 2011
6. Carla Visone
University Suor Orsola Benincasa, Naples.
Faculty of Communication Sciences and Multimedia Productions
”Ignoto a me stesso: autoritratti fotografici d’artista” 2011
7. Federica Valvassori
University Ca’ Foscari, Venice
Faculty of Philosophy – Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage
First level master in communication and non-verbal languages: psychomotor skills, music-therapy, and performance languages
“Il processo educativo nell’autoritratto fotografico. Identità tra ricerca e trasformazione”, 2012.
8. Leena Koulu
University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology
MBA Executive
“The self-portrait of a leader : new tools for personal coaching”, 2012.
9. Erica Pasinato
Fine Arts Achademy, Venice
Master in Visual Arts
“L’autoritratto fotografico”, 2010.
10. Ester Roig Luque
Institut Daina Isard of Olesa de Montserrat
“The Self-Portrait Experience” 2012.
11. Luciana Vasques Barbosa
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University – Faculty of Media and Communication
MA thesis : “Self-Portraiture and future : an examination of a photographer’s creative identity” 2011
12. Federica Nardese
University of Milan Bicocca
Faculty of Educational Sciences
“Abilità narrative: quali competenze sviluppare per utilizzare strategie narrative, nel lavoro e nella vita”
13. Erika Di Sano
University of l’Aquila
Master in Applied Psychology
“La dimensione emotiva umana: psicologia dell’autoritratto e The Self-Portrait Experience” 2011-2012
14. Elisa Scala
University La Sapienza, Roma
Faculty of Literature and Philosophy
“Fuori della camera oscura: le immagini che guariscono”, 2012-2013