Almudena Romero (b. in Madrid in 1986) is a visual artist based in London working with a wide range of photographic processes. Her practice uses photographic processes to reflect on issues relating to identity, representation and ideology; such as the role of photography in the construction of national identities. Romero’s works focus on how photography affects the notions of public, private, memory and, in general, the concept of the individual, looking at how perception affects existence and how photography contributes to organising perception.
Romero's works promote a broad understanding of photographic forms and materials and of photography as an art form encompassing multiple disciplines including sculpture, installation, video and performance, and that expands into scientific and technological realms. Most recent research focuses on the use of entire plants as photographic canvases to create image-objects and site-specific installations.
Romero has shown and explained her practice at the Victoria and Albert Museum, National Portrait Gallery, TATE Modern, TATE Britain, The Photographers’ Gallery, Tsinghua Art Museum, Le Cent-Quatre Paris, University of the Arts London, Unseen Amsterdam and Fundacion Mapfre. She has received various awards and bursaries including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Creative Europe Fund, Arts Council England (2018, 2020), and a-n Bursaries (2019, 2018). She has also been awarded prestigious international residencies at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute (China), Penumbra Foundation (USA), ISCP New York( USA), BMW -Gobelins (France), Lucy Art Residency (Greece), the Whitechapel Gallery(UK) and National Portrait Gallery (UK).
Romero has received public artwork commissions from Team London Bridge, Southwark Council, Emergency Exit Artist, Wellcome Trust + University College London, and Bow Arts Trust for the London Festival of Architecture. Her work has been featured in BBC Four, BBC Two, FOAM Magazine, Photomonitor, Radio France Internationale, TimeOut, DUST magazine, EXTRA magazine (FOMU, Foto Museum) and other media.
Romero holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communication and an MA Photography from the University of the Arts London. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has delivered courses, lectures and artist talks at universities and museums internationally.
Education
- 2015 Pg Cert Academic Practice in Art,Design & Communication, UAL. (University teaching qualifications)
- 2012 MA Photography, London College of Communication, UAL.
- 2011 Photojournalism, documentary photography & studio lighting, University of Montreal, UdeM.
Commissions
- 2020.BBC Four. Portrait of Lucy Worsley for BBC Four Lucy Worsley Royal Photo Album Episode.
- 2019. BBC Four. Portrait of Philippa Perry for Victorian Sensations BBC Four episode.
- 2018. Victoria and Albert Museum. Video on permanent display at New Photography Centre.
- 2018. Tsinghua Art Museum. Video for Visions and Reflections exhibition .
- 2018. National Portrait Gallery. Video for Victorian Giants exhibition.
- 2018. Bow Arts for London Festival of Architecture. Mural artwork.
- 2017. The Photographers' Gallery. Camera scanner installation.
- 2017. University of the Arts London. Pop up Wet Plate Collodion studio & darkroom.
- 2016. Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum. Cameraless photography.
- 2016. Fundación Mapfre Cultura. Pop up Wet Plate Collodion Studio & Darkroom.
- 2016. Team London Bridge & Fantasy High Street Festival. Public artwork installation.
- 2015. Victoria and Albert Museum. Pop up Wet Plate Collodion studio & darkroom
- 2015. Victoria and Albert Museum . Video for Julia Margaret Cameron exhibition.
- 2015. Emergency Exit Artist.Public artwork installation.
Selected residencies
- 2022. International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), New York, USA.
- 2020. BMW Residency, Paris, France.
- 2020.Guest Projects (Yinka Shonibare Studio),London, UK
- 2019. Penumbra Foundation, New York, USA.
- 2019. Lucy Art Residency, Kavala, Greece.
- 2018. Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing, China.
- 2018. Bow Arts. Royal Albert Wharf, London, UK.
- 2018. National Portrait Gallery. Victorian Giants exhibition residency.London, UK.
- 2017. Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK.
Works in archives and collections
- Stephan Loewentheil Collection, USA.
- Penumbra Foundation, USA.
- Gabriela Cendoya-Bergareche Collection, France.
- Jerome Kohler, The Philanthropic Lab, France.
- Photography Archive and Research Centre. University of the Arts London, UK.
- Bow Arts Trust, UK.
- Lucy Art Residency, Greece.
- BBC Four, UK.
Awards, Grants and Funding
- 2020 BMW Residency Award
- 2020 Arts Council England.
- 2020 The Richard and Siobhán Coward Foundation.
- 2020 ACAVA studio Fund.
- 2020 The Eaton Fund.
- 2020 Royal Society of Chemistry Outreach Fund.
- 2020 The Harnisch Foundation.
- 2019 National Lottery Heritage Fund.
- 2019 i-Portunus. Creative Europe Fund.
- 2019 Bow Arts Thamesmead Artists Fund.
- 2019 SPAIN arts & culture. Cultural Office. Embassy of Spain in USA. Penumbra residency support grant.
- 2019 London Community Foundation.
- 2019. a-n mentoring bursaries.
- 2018 Arts Council England. National Lottery Project Grants.
- 2018 a-n Artist Bursaries , UK.
- 2018 New Ham Council Artists Fund.
- 2016 Recipient, London Creative Network, professional development programme, London
- 2015 Finalist, The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards.
- 2014 Winner, Ideas Tap , Night Contact, Brighton Photo Biennial.
- 2012 Shortlisted, Novel Authors Grant. PHOTON Festival, Valencia, Spain.
Solo exhibitions
- 2021. The Pigment Change. Les Rencontres d'Arles , France.
- 2021. The Pigment Change. Paris Photo, France.
- 2018. Growing Concerns. RAW Labs. Bow Arts. London, UK.
- 2018. Growing Concerns. Photofusion. London, UK.
- 2018. Portraits From the Elephant. Photography Archive and Research Centre. University of the Arts London.
Selected group exhibitions
- 2020. London Art Fair,Nunnery Gallery, UK.
- 2020. Grenze Festival, Verona, Italy.
- 2019. Belfast Photo Festival with Golden Thread Gallery, UK.
- 2019. Bow Arts Nunnery Gallery group show curated by Carey Young. London, UK.
- 2019. Contemporary London Art. Curated by Anna Dorofeeva. Fundacja Polsko Ormiańska, Warsaw, Poland.
- 2019. Menier Gallery. Curated by Francesca Wilson.
- 2019. Obsolete and Discontinued. Curated by Mike Crawford. Magazzini Fotografici Gallery, Italy.
- 2018. Tsinghua Art Museum. Vision and Reflection. Curated by Phillip Prodger. Beijing, China.
- 2018. UNSEEN Festival. CO-OP space. Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 2018. Centquatre-Paris. Festival Circulation(s). France.
- 2018. Pic.London photo festival
- 2017. HYPERANALOGUE. The Photographers' Gallery. London, UK.
- 2017. Studio Bong Gallery. Florence. Italy. Curated by Chiara Salvi.
- 2017. Techniques anciennes utilisées par les jeunes photographes. Festival Circulation(s). France.
- 2017. Making a Photograph. The Photographers' Gallery. London, UK.
- 2017. TATE Exchange-TATE Modern. With Digital makers Collective.London, UK.
- 2017. New Approaches in Photography. Four Corners Gallery. London, UK.
- 2017. Venice Biennale 2017. Diaspora Pavilion. Tintypes produced in collaboration with artist Khadija Saye. Venice, Italy.
- 2017. Four Corners Gallery. London Pinhole Festival. UK.
- 2017. Revela-T Festival. Artistic Exchange. Cataluña, Spain.
- 2016. MozEx. Curated by V&A and Tate Digital Learning teams.
- 2016. Victoria and Albert Museum. Wet plate collodion tintype display. London, UK.
- 2016. Fundación MAPFRE Cultura. Pop up collodion darkroom tintypes display. Madrid, Spain.
- 2016. Brighton Photo Fringe with the London Alternative Photography Collective. Brighton, Uk.
- 2016. Process. Dreamspace Gallery. London, Uk
- 2016. Chasing Shadows. Lake District Arts Centre. Kendal. UK
- 2016. Obsolete and Discontinued. Revela-T. Cataluña. Spain
- 2016. Obsolete and Discontinued. Photokina. Cologne. Germany.
- 2016. Process. Scene Art Gallery. London, UK.
- 2015. Revela-T Festival, Cataluña, Spain.
- 2015. ACTINIC Festival, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2015. Analogue Mania Festival, Timisoara, Romania
- 2015. Gallery X, Dublin ,Photoireland, Ireland.
- 2015. The Arts Pavilion. Photomonth. London, UK.
- 2015. The Fitzrovia Gallery, London, UK.
- 2014. Open Peckham Platform, London, UK.
- 2014. Night Contact, Brighton Photo Biennial, UK.
- 2014. The Polaroid show, Doomed Gallery, London, UK.
- 2014. London Analogue Festival, OXO Tower Wharf, London, UK.
- 2013. Print it, UAL Showroom, London, UK.
- 2012. A Forming State, London College of Communication, London, UK.
- 2012. PHOTON Festival, Valencia, Spain.
Publications
- 2021. The Pigment Change. Monograph. De L'Air Editions.
- 2018. Portraits From the Elephant.Monograph. Published by Photography Archive and Research Centre. University of the Arts London.
- 2018. Obsolete and discontinued. Book. Published by Brovira Press.
- 2018. The Physics and Art of Photography. Book. Published by Morgan & Claypool.
- 2017. Beneath the Salt. Book. Published by YONA Editions.
- 2017. Photocatalysis. Photo Zine. Published by Revolv Collective.
Press & Media
- 2021. FishEye Magazine
- 2021. France Fine Arts. Podcast
- 2021. Design Boom.Online Magazine
- 2021. Mashable. Online platform
- 2021. The Eyes. Online Magazine
- 2020. BBC Four. Lucy Worsley Royal Photo Album
- 2020. FOAM Magazine
- 2020. Le Quotidien de l'Art.
- 2020. FishEye magazine
- 2020. Artvisions
- 2020. Reponses Photo
- 2020. Polka magazine
- 2019. BBC Four. Victorian Sensations
- 2019. Blog interview with The Auction Collective.
- 2018. Photomonitor. Interviewed by Francesca Marcaccio. Online magazine.
- 2018. Radio France Internationale. Interviewed by Siegfried Forster.
- 2018. Unseen Festival Radio.
- 2018. EXTRA magazine. Published by FOMU, Foto Museum.
- 2018. Yogurt Magazine. Online publication.
- 2018. L'Oeil de La Photographie Online magazine.
- 2018. Interviewed by Unseen Amsterdam.
- 2018. Le Quotidien de l'Art. Print magazine.
- 2018. Art Visions. Online magazine.
- 2016. Culture Trip. Media platform. Video interview.
- 2015. Time Out. Press.
- 2015. Photomonitor. Online magazine.
- 2015. Uncertain States.Print magazine.
- 2015. She Shoots Film.Online magazine.
Selected Teaching, Lectures, Seminars & Symposia
2021
- Visiting Lecturer. Falmouth University. BA Photography.
- Artist Talk. LandArt Collective.
2020
- Professor of Photography. Stanford University Florence campus.
- Visiting Lecturer. GOBELINS. Ecole de l'image.
- Visiting Lecturer. IESA. L'école internationale des métiers de la culture et du marché de l'art.
- Royal Society of Chemistry Outreach Fund. Online talks and workshop programme.
- Guest Projects (Yinka Shonibare studio) digital residency programme of talks and workshops.
2019
- Visiting Lecturer. University for the Creative Arts. BA Photography.
- Visiting Lecturer. School of Visual Arts New York. BA Photography.
- Artist talk. Science Museum Late night.
- Artist talk. Penumbra Foundation.
- Artist talk. PhotoForum FORMAT Festival.
- Artist talk. Nunnery Gallery, Bow Arts.
- Workshop Leader. South London Gallery.
- Workshop Leader. Lucy Art Residency.
- Workshop Leader. National Portrait Gallery
- Workshop Leader. Golden Thread Gallery. Belfast Photo Festival.
2018
- Visiting Lecturer. University of Westminster. BA Photography.
- Visiting Lecturer. Sotheby's Institute of Art, London
- Visiting Lecturer. Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. China.
- Tutor, Victoria and Albert Museum, Photographic Processes, UK.
- Tutor, Victoria and Albert Museum. Cyanotype and Photographic Emulsion.
- Tutor. Photography. International Summer School. Camberwell College of Arts. University of the Arts London
- Tutor. Bow Arts Trust. The Canaan Project.
- Artist talk with Marin Barnes, Senior Curator of Photographs at V & A Museum, and Brandei Estes, Head of the Department of Photographs at Sotheby’s.
- Artist talk with Karin Bareman, Curatorial Project Manager at Autohgraph ABP.
- Artist talk. East London Printmakers.
- Workshop Leader. Whitechapel Gallery.
- Workshop Leader. Royal Society.
- Workshop Leader. Estorick Collection. Cyanotype photography.
- Workshop leader, Photofusion
- Workshop leader, RAW Labs, London, UK.
2017
- Artist talk. TATE Modern, TATE Exchange with Digital Makers Collective, UK.
- Artist talk. The Photographers' Gallery, UK.
- Artist talk.Material Matters.London Art Fair, UK.
- Artist talk. University of the Arts London (UAL). In conversation with Garry Fabian Miller. Moose On The Loose biennial of research, UK.
- Artist talk. [ SPACE ] . London, UK.
- Visiting lecturer. Kingston School of Art - Kingston University , UK
- Visiting Lecturer. Sotheby's Institute of Art, London, UK.
- Visiting Practitioner. TOMA Metal Art School, UK.
- Visiting Practitioner. BA Photography. University of Westminster. London, UK.
- Visiting Practitioner. BA Photography. Camberwell College of Arts. University of the Arts London,UAL, UK.
- Tutor, National Portrait Gallery, UK.
- Tutor, Victoria and Albert Museum, UK.
- Tutor, London College of Communication (UAL). Darkroom Techniques. London, UK.
- Tutor, London College of Communication (UAL). Analogue Processes. London, UK.
- Tutor, Salt printing. Photofusion, UK.
- Workshop Leader. Whitechapel Gallery. Teachers' workshops. London, UK.
- Workshop Leader. Whitechapel Gallery. Schools' workshops. London, UK.
- Workshop Leader. The Photographers' Gallery. London, UK.
- Workshop leader. University of the Arts London (UAL) biennial of research, UK.
- Workshop leader. Bow Arts Trust & Spotlight. Cyanotype Printing Process. London, UK.
- Workshop Leader. Four Corners Gallery. Salt Print Process. London, UK
- Workshop Leader. Four Corners Gallery. Wet Plate Collodion. London, UK
2016
- Artist talk. TATE Britain. London, UK.
- Visiting Lecturer. Sothebys' Institute of Art, London, UK.
- Visiting practitioner. BA Photography Students. London College of Communication (UAL) . London, UK.
- Visiting practitioner. BA Photography Students. University of Westminster.. London, UK.
- Tutor, staff development courses. London College of Communication (UAL) .Chemigrams. London, UK.
- Tutor, staff development courses. London College of Communication (UAL) Wet Plate Collodion. London, UK.
- Tutor, staff development courses. Southampton Solent University. Wet Plate Collodion. London, UK.
- Tutor, London College of Communication (UAL). Analogue Processes. London, UK.
- Tutor, London College of Communication (UAL). Darkroom Techniques. London, UK.
- Workshop Leader, National Portrait Gallery, Wet Plate Collodion, London, UK.
- Workshop Leader. Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum,Camera-less photography series of workshops, Tokyo, JP.
- Workshop Leader. Fundación MAPFRE Cultura. Camera-Less Photography workshop, Madrid, ES.
- Workshop Leader. Victoria & Albert Museum. Camera-less photography series of workshops for secondary schools, London.
- Workshop Leader. Scene Art Process. Collaborative cyanotype workshop. London, UK..
- Workshop Leader. Four Corners Gallery. Salt Print Process. London, UK
- Workshop Leader. Four Corners Gallery. Wet Plate Collodion. London, UK
- Workshop Leader. Photofusion. London, UK.
2015
- Visiting Lecturer. Sotheby's Institute of Art, London
- Associate Lecturer. BA Photography. Camberwell College of Arts. (UAL)
- Tutor. International Summer School. Chelsea College of Arts.(UAL)
- Tutor. Alternative Photographic Printing, Camberwell College of Arts.(UAL)
- Speaker. William Whiffin's East End. Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives
- Guest Speaker.University of the Arts London (UAL) biennial of research, UK.
- Guest Speaker. London College of Communication. BA Photography students.
- Guest Speaker. Underway. Photography Archive and Research Centre. UAL
- Workshop leader. V&A Museum. Wet Plate Collodion.
- Workshop leader.Four Corners .Wet Plate Collodion.
- Workshop leader. Camberwell College of Arts. Open House.
- Workshop leader. On Light. Wellcome Trust & UCL.
2014
- Tutor. Alternative Photographic Printing, Camberwell College of Arts. UAL
- Tutor.International Summer School, Camberwell College of Arts. UAL
- Tutor. Digital Photography,Camberwell College of Arts. UAL
- Workshop Facilitator. Open House.Camberwell College of Arts. UAL