Francesca Brunetti
Teaching Fellow in Design Foundations
Institute of Creativity and Innovation, Xiamen University
300 Nanbin Avenue
China Merchants Economic and Technological Development Zone,
Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363105 P.R. China
https://www.francescabrunetti.net
Education and qualifications
Degrees
2021 PhD Visual and Performing Arts, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
2015 Master’s Degree Communication Design (focus on Illustration), Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, United Kingdom
2011 Master’s Degree in Philosophy, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
2007 Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
Additional Education
2022 Bazadur Simplexity Training. Bazadur, online.
2019 Rosi Braidotti Summer School, Posthuman Knowledge(s), Utrecht University, Netherland
2019 Italian Society of Women Historians Summer School, CISL Studies Centre, Florence, Italy
2015 TOEFL Certificate. Glasgow University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
2013 Certificate of Higher Education in Art and Design, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
2012 Certificate in Graphic Design, Romeur Academy, Rome, Italy
Teaching experiences
Teaching Fellow in Design Foundations. Institute of Creativity and Innovation. Xiamen University. Fall 2023. Analogue Design Skills.
Teaching Fellow in Design Foundations. Institute of Creativity and Innovation. Xiamen University. Spring 2023. Digital Design Skills.
Teaching Fellow in Design Foundations. Institute of Creativity and Innovation. Xiamen University. Fall 2022. Analogue Design Skills.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. Franklin University of Switzerland and Notre Dame University of Rome. Summer 2019. Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Spring 2019. Understanding Art.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Fall 2018. Contemporary Art.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. Franklin University of Switzerland. Summer 2018. Italian Baroque Art and Architecture.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Spring 2018. Understanding Art.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Fall 2017. Renaissance Art and Architecture.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. Franklin University of Switzerland. Summer 2017. Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Spring 2017. Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Fall 2016. Survey on Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Spring 2016. Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern.
Teaching Assistant. Art History. University of Texas at Dallas, USA. Fall 2015. Survey on Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval.
Publications
Articles in Peer-reviewed Journals
Brunetti, Francesca. “Delicious Bodies, Beautiful Food, Powerful Pleasure”. Exchanges: The Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 9(2), 2022. DOI: 10.31273/eirj.v9i2.924 (https://exchanges.warwick.ac.uk/index.php/exchanges/article/view/924 )
Brunetti, Francesca. “Drawing as a Strategy to Deconstruct Gender Stereotypes. The Case of the Southern Italian Woman”. Visual Culture & Gender, volume 17, Fall 2022 (http://vcg.emitto.net/index.php/vcg/article/view/175 )
Brunetti, Francesca. “Marbles”. Art Journal, Volume 81, Issue 4. DOI: 10.1080/00043249.2022.2133311 (https://doi.org/10.1080/00043249.2022.2133311 )
Brunetti, Francesca. “Raging Women and Green Energies. The Southern Italian Woman’s Ecological Fury”. Cogent Arts & Humanities (in review).
Brunetti, Francesca. “Post-terrona”. Camera Obscura (in review).
Chapter in an edited book
Brunetti, Francesca. "Eco-imagination as a strategy to deconstruct Italian gender stereotypes". Italian Feminist Thought Today and Tomorrow, edited by Graziella Parati and Juliet Guzzetta (in review).
Artistic Collaborations in Academic Paper
Warren, Shilyh & Balanta, Beatriz. Revolution is another Climax. Women and Language, Issue 44.2, Fall 2021.
Artwork published on Peer-reviewed Journal’s Cover
Brunetti, Francesca. Mommy is Pissed Off. Art Journal’s cover. Volume 81, Issue 4. DOI: 10.1080/00043249.2022.2133311 (https://doi.org/10.1080/00043249.2022.2133311 ). Ink on Paper, 210mm x 297mm, 2016.
Other Publications
Brunetti, Francesca. Home, Tradition, and the Mediterranean Landscape: The Uncanniness of the Italian Woman. Athenaeum Review, Issue 3, Fall 2019 (https://athenaeumreview.org/essay/home-tradition-and-the-mediterranean-landscape-the-uncanniness-of-the-italian-woman/ ).
Brunetti, Francesca. Photography as Presentation and Representation. Athenaeum Review, Issue 3, Fall 2019 (https://athenaeumreview.org/essay/photography-as-representation-and-presentation/).
Podcast
Johnson, Gareth. “In Conversation with Francesca Brunetti”. The Exchanges Discourse – A Podcast About Early Career Publishing in Academia, 22 June, 2022. https://anchor.fm/exchangesias/episodes/In-Conversation-with-Francesca-Brunetti-e1k9v63
Artwork published on Art Magazine
Brunetti, Francesca. Waves. Artistonish, July 2021, issue 12, p.71 (https://issuu.com/biafarinart/docs/artistonish_-_july_2021_-_discover_the_artist_medi?fr=sMTY1YjQwODA0NjA )
Reviews about my exhibitions
Avram, Danielle. Central Figures. Dallas Morning News, March 6, 2022, p.62.
Drake, Abigail. Francesca Brunetti: Home, Un-homey Home. Athenaeum Review, Issue 2, Summer 2019 (https://athenaeumreview.org/review/francesca-brunetti-home-un-homey-home/ ).
Exhibitions
Solo exhibitions
Raging Women and Green Energies. The Southern Italian Woman’s Ecological Fury. The Chinese European Art Centre, Xiamen, China, Fall 2023.
Hail Mary. February 16th-March 16th, 2022. Liliana Bloch Gallery, Dallas, TX, USA
Super Bisteccona. Corpi, paesaggi e lo sguardo del macho. November 21st, 2021. Casa Internazionale delle Donne, Rome, Italy
Post-terrona. A drawing project about an imaginative reconfiguration of the southern Italian woman. October 2nd-October 31st, 2020. University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
Strange Rooms. Saatchi & Saatchi, 24 January – 24 February 2019. Dallas, TX, USA
Home Un-Homey Home. 500X, September 8 - October 7, 2018. Dallas, TX, USA
Group Exhibitions
Femina 2022. March 08-April 08, 2022. Gallerium, online.
Exhibizone 5th International online Group Exhibition. September 12 - October 12, 2021, online.
IMMIX - 2021. September 4th -October 4, 2021, online.
TRAHC's 33rd Annual Juried Exhibition. August 6th-September 25th, 2021. Regional Arts Center, Texarkana, TX, USA
Frame/re-Frame. March 2021. Naramachi Nigiwai-no-le. Nara, Japan.
Fall Festival: All Together Now Art Exhibition. Friday, December 18, 2020 – Friday, January 15, 2021. University of Texas at Dallas. Dallas, TX, USA
Clip. An International Exhibition of Works on Paper. Friday, September 6-September 30, 2019. 5&J Gallery - Charles Adams Studio Project, Lubbock, TX, USA
ART Off the Wall, April 28-May 12, 2018. Brookline Arts Centre, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
Art214, April 12-May25, 2018. Latino Cultural Centre, Dallas, USA
Fall Festival, December 17, 2018. Spin Gallery, Dallas, USA
AnFiArt, June 10-11, 2017. Lungolago Anguillara Sabazia, Italy
Temporary Collectives, April 5, 2017. 500 Singleton Blvd, Dallas, Texas, USA
Up/Rooted, March 17-April 21, 2017. Brookline Arts Centre, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
Through the Lens: found object/readymade, January 21-February 25, 2017. CentralTrak, Dallas, USA
Hi to Hibi to Hito, December 16 - December 18, 2016, Tengaibou, Nara, Japan
New Texas Talent XXIII, August 6 - September 2, 2016, Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, Texas, USA
Hanarart Art Festival, October 24 – November 3, 2015, Nara, Japan
Biennale di Viterbo, May 5- July 5, 2016, Palazzo dei Papi, Viterbo, Italy
WIP, February 11-13, 2015, Drygate, Glasgow, UK
WAF, December 22/January 6, 2012, Fruttiere di Palazzo Te, Mantova, Italy
Curated Exhibitions:
Brunetti, Francesca. Stories From Other Places. September 4th – 22nd, 2023. Herbert Read Gallery, Canterbury, UK.
Brunetti, Francesca. Photography as Presentation and Representation. February 1st- March 1st, 2019. SP/N Gallery, Dallas, USA.
Conferences
The 6th International Conference on Future of Women. 23rd – 24th February 2023, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Women, Fungi and Other Dirty Beings.
3rd Canadian International Conference on Gender & Women's Studies 2023. April 29,2022, Toronto, Canada. She goes underground. An ecofeminist art project about an inverted myth of the cave.
American Association for Italian Studies Conference 2022. May 29th -June 2nd, 2022, Bologna, Italy. Eco-imagination as a strategy to deconstruct Italian gender stereotypes.
American Association for Italian Studies Conference 2021. March 28-June 6, 2021 (virtual). Post-terrona. A Drawing Project about an Imaginative Reconfiguration of the Southern Italian Woman.
108th College of Art Association Annual Conference 2020. February 12-15, 2020, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The Incursions of the Southern Italian Woman into the Discourse of Man. A Collage Project about Language and Geography.
51st Meeting of the North Texas Philosophical Association. March 29-30, 2019, University of Dallas, TX, USA. The Missing Language and the Future Woman.
RAW Symposium 2019. February 22-23, 2019, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas, USA. Photography as Presentation and Representation.
50th Meeting of the North Texas Philosophical Association. March 30 - 31, 2018, University of Dallas, TX, USA. The Myth of Dionysus and Ariadne in Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
RAW Symposium 2018. February 23-24, 2018, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas, USA. The Relationship Between Unconsciousness and Photography in Walter Benjamin and Rosalind Krauss.
Society for the Study of American Women Writers Triennial Conference 2018. November 7-11, The Westin Denver Downtown, Colorado, USA. Choice Cuts. An Artistic Workshop about Collage and Feminism.
RAW Symposium 2017. February 24-25, 2017, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas, USA. The Anti-Anthropocentric Art of Eduardo Kac.
49th Meeting of the North Texas Philosophical Association. March 31- April 1, 2017, University of Dallas, TX, USA. Conflictual Intimacy and Appropriating Event. Achilles Meets Priam.
Home (Alone). An Interrogation of the Familiar, Transitory Space, and the Contours of the Self. April 1-2, 2016, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Being in the World as Not Being at Home. The Uncanny Dasein.
Experience as Principal Investigator of University of Creative Arts’ internally funded projects:
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Project title: Applying British academic design curricula to Chinese academic environment: challenges and potentials.
Funding scheme: Early Career Funding Support 2023/24, University of Creative Arts (UK)
Project cost: £ 1,996.64
Project timescales: 04/09/23-05/12/23
Project’s abstract: This project investigates the challenges and potentials of applying UCA design curricula to Chinese academic context. To do this, I adopt the case study of the Institute of Creativity and Innovation at Xiamen University. ICI is a partnership between Xiamen University (XMU), China and the University for the Creative Arts (UCA). At ICI I am the unit leader of Analogue Design Skills and Digital Design Skills. In this project I organize an exhibition called ‘Stories from Other Places’ which brings together 3 academic years of work created by ICI students enrolled in Analogue Design Skills and Digital Design Skills units. This exhibition’s location is Herbert Read gallery at UCA Canterbury campus. This event creates the opportunity of initiating a dialogue between UCA and ICI student and faculty populations about pedagogical aspects related to applying UCA creative foundations curricula to a Chinese academic context.
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Project Title: Collaborative Creative Practices to address and deconstruct gender stereotypes. A transnational dialogue between Italian and Chinese cultures.
Funding scheme: Research Funding Support 2023/24, University of Creative Arts (UK)
Project cost: £ 1658.04
Project timescales: 30/09/23 - 04/11/23
Project’s abstract: My project aims to establish collaborative creative practices and generate a transnational dialogue between Italian and Chinese cultures. This dialogue seeks to use visual art to address and deconstruct Chinese gender stereotypes. In this project I organize a solo exhibition at the Chinese European Art Centre (CEAC) in Xiamen, China. This exhibition is about my practice-led research related to the stereotype of the southern Italian woman. The exhibition is comprised of drawings that describe the marginalizing stereotype of the southern Italian woman and communicate fantastic imaginary narratives through which I transform this stereotype into representations that promote woman’s agency and empowerment. During my exhibition’s opening I deliver a talk to the Chinese audience explaining the theoretical research that informed my practice and my research methodology about using imagination and creativity to address and deconstruct Italian gender stereotypes. This talk functions as an introduction to a workshop organized and supervised by myself, also taking place at the CEAC after the opening talk. Audiences are invited to participate at the workshop, during which they use drawing, painting, and collage to address and deconstruct Chinese gender stereotypes. The audience refers to my project and research practice to develop their own reflections and artistic creations related to Chinese culture.
Relevant work experiences
Teaching Fellow in Design Foundations
Institute of Creativity and Innovation. Xiamen University. 300 Nanbin Avenue China Merchants Economic and Technological Development Zone, Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363105 P.R. China.
August 2022 to present.
As a Teaching Fellow in Design Foundations at Xiamen University I am a member of the academic team of the Institute of Creativity and Innovation (ICI). I lead teaching, learning and assessment of ICI courses, while developing and applying innovative and appropriate teaching techniques that develop the knowledge, skills and successful career journeys of students to the required level. I carry out on-going curriculum development and review, including module content and materials, I contribute to learning and teaching strategy and I undertake a range of administrative responsibilities.
Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History Research Fellow
The University of Texas at Dallas. 800 W Campbell, Richardson, TX, 75080, United States.
August 2019/June 2021.
The Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History is a center for research and graduate education in the Art History division at the University of Texas at Dallas. It is composed of a community of art historians, curators, and practicing artists. As a fellow, my duties consisted of completing my PhD dissertation and working on exhibitions and publications. I actively participated in the intellectual life of the Institute by coordinating lectures, symposia, and talks and by giving a seminar-style presentation of my work for the institute’s students and scholars.
Teaching Assistant
The University of Texas at Dallas. 800 W Campbell, Richardson, TX, 75080, United States.
Franklin University Lugano. Via Ponte Tresa 29, 6924 Sorengo, Switzerland.
University of Notre Dame Global Gateway. Via Annia, 44, 00184 Roma RM, Italy.
August 2015/May 2019.
As a Teaching Assistant I supervised undergraduate students enrolled in Visual and Performing Arts courses. The subjects covered in these classes were: art history, history of design, art theory, arts and technology, virtual reality, and curatorial practices. As a TA I was in charge of helping my senior supervisors with the preparation of the material delivered during the courses, grading students’ assignments, lecturing, and of providing students with mentoring for the completion of their projects.
Study Abroad Program Assistant
The University of Texas at Dallas. 800 W Campbell, Richardson, TX, 75080, United States.
Franklin University Lugano. Via Ponte Tresa 29, 6924 Sorengo, Switzerland.
University of Notre Dame Global Gateway. Via Annia, 44, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
May 2017/July 2019.
During the summer semesters 2017, 2018, and 2019 I worked as Summer Studies Abroad Program Assistant for the University of Texas at Dallas. I coordinated University of Texas at Dallas students’ academic activities in Europe at Franklin University of Switzerland in Lugano and at the Notre Dame University of Rome. I organized student field trips in museums and archaeological sites in Rome, Milan, Lugano, and Varese, and I worked on the creation of an engaging academic environment that encouraged students to explore new cultural experiences.
Curator
Stories From Other Places. Herbert Art Gallery. University of Creative Arts. New Dover Road, Canterbury CT1 3AN, UK. September 2023/December 2023.
This exhibition features a variety of artifacts from 800 different students enrolled in Analogue Design Skills and Digital Design Skills at the Institute of Creativity and Innovation at Xiamen University. Students have collectively produced 800 Travelogues, 800 Stop-motion animations and 2,400 GIFS. In ADS and DDS units, students imagine a fictional world that have characteristics and dynamics created by them. This creative exercise represents an opportunity for students to explore their ideas and points of view about broader pressing global issues such as ecology, animal rights, social injustice, class, identity, mental and physical health, depression, and isolation. The artifacts produced by ICI students are representative of their generation’s way of experiencing shared vulnerabilities; they show how students reflect on creative solutions about problems that affect their societies as well as imagining dystopic futures that reflect their fears and anxieties. This exhibition constitutes a dialogical space where students and faculties discuss about how Chinese students adopt creativity to address pressing societal issues related their cultural context. It also represents the opportunity of reflecting on the artistic and design skills required to address these subjects in the creative fields.
Comer Collection of Photography at The University of Texas at Dallas. 800 W Campbell, Richardson, TX, 75080, United States. August 2018/May 2019.
During the academic year 2018-2019, I curated the exhibition Presentation and Representation in Photography that was constituted by photographs that I selected from the Comer Collection of Photography at University of Texas at Dallas. The exhibition was at the SP/N gallery from January to February 2019. In conjunction with the show, I invited Letha Wilson, one of the artists represented at the exhibition, to deliver an artist talk and I have collaborated with the photography collection’s donors, Mrs. and Mr. Comer, for the purchase of additional Wilson’s artworks for the Comer Collection.
Art Resident and Gallery Assistant
CentralTrak Gallery. 800 Exposition Ave, Dallas, TX 75226, United States.
August 2016/August 2017.
From August 2016 to June 2017, I was awarded an art residency at CentralTrak gallery in Dallas. During the art residency at CentralTrak I also performed the job of gallery assistant. As an art resident I had the opportunity of interacting with local and international artists as well as local art community. I showed the work I made during my art residency at the group show Through the Lens: found object/readymade in winter 2017, and I organized and participated with the other artists represented in the exhibition at the panel discussion about the show. As a gallery assistant I performed tasks related to administration, communication, and customer service. I helped in setting up and breaking down exhibits and coordinating events. I managed correspondence, I monitored visitors and I answered customer inquiries via phone and email.
Freelance Communication and Graphic Designer
Private and non-profit companies in Italy and United Kingdom.
September 2011/May 2015.
As a freelance communication and graphic designer, I worked for several businesses in Italy and in the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2015. Among my clients there were magazines (LabCreativity), management consulting companies (HSPI), Nightclubs (The Wee Red Bar and Bar Bloc), non-profit institutions (Union Solidarity International) and independent record labels (No Unicorn Production and Clarity Recording). I created promotional and communicational material such as posters, brochures, logotypes, illustrations and animations by using Adobe software (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and After Effects).
Founder and Creative Director of SUGO
Wee Red Bar. Lauriston Architecture Building, 74 Lauriston Pl, Edinburgh EH3 9DF, United Kingdom.
Bar Bloc. 117 Bath St, Glasgow G2 2SZ, United Kingdom
February 2013/May 2015.
SUGO was a monthly music event about Italian disco music involving multimedia elements such as performances and video art. SUGO was hosted from 2013 to 2015 in Edinburgh and Glasgow (UK) in nightclubs such as Wee Red Bar and Bar Bloc. As the organizer of the event, I was responsible of DJing, selecting the video installations and coordinating the performances. I also ideated SUGO’s logotype, and I produced promotional material for the event such as posters, flyers and social media advertisements.
Art Residencies
August 2016-June 2017, CentralTrak Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Additional Awards
Executive programme towards the agreement between the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Government of the Italian Republic in the field of culture. Technical University of Košice TUKE, 2022.
Edith O’Donnell Graduate Fellowship. Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History at the University of Texas at Dallas, 2019-21.
Teaching Assistantship. The University of Texas at Dallas, 2015-19.
Graduate Travel Reimbursement Grant, University of Texas at Dallas, Spring 2018.
Graduate Travel Reimbursement Grant, University of Texas at Dallas, Spring 2016.
Presentations
The Mushrooms of Plato’s Cave. ICI, Xiamen University. July 7th, 2023.
Drawing As a Device to Deconstruct Gender Stereotypes. The Case Studies of the Southern Italian Woman. China Academy of Art. June 9th, 2023.
Pasta-Fed. Bodies, Landscapes and the Macho-Gaze. Research Institute for Social Innovation. Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. December 15th, 2021.
Post-terrona. A drawing project about a creative reconfiguration of the southern Italian woman. Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History, University of Texas at Dallas, November 20th, 2020.
The Incursions of the Southern Italian Woman into the Discourse of Man: A Drawing, Printmaking, and Video Project about Gender, Language, and Geography. University of Texas at Dallas, April 19th, 2019.
Photography as Presentation and Representation. January 31, 2019, SP/N Gallery, Dallas.
Through the Lens: found object/readymade panel discussion. February 9, 2017. CentralTrak Art Gallery, Dallas, USA
Consultancies
Graduate Student Representative in the Search Committee to hire an Assistant Professor in Philosophy. University of Texas at Dallas. Spring 2018.
Graduate Student Representative in the Search Committee to hire an Assistant Professor in Visual and Performing Arts. University of Texas at Dallas. Spring 2017.
Travel/Foreign Languages
Fluent in Italian (writing and speech) and English (writing and speech).
Lived, worked, and studied in Rome (Italy), Edinburgh (Scotland), Glasgow (Scotland), Dallas (USA), Lugano (Switzerland) and Xiamen (China).
Job-related skills
Communication skills: good communication skills gained through my experience as academic writer and presenter.
Organizational/managerial skills. Project management: I successfully organized and delivered five solo shows.
Teamwork: I have experience at collaborating with other researchers and artists at organizing conferences, talks, symposia, and exhibitions. I have experience as unit leader supervising the work of other teachers and TAs.
Managing appointments: I have experience as curator and gallery assistant.
Problem solving: As a study abroad program assistant I provided support to students that during their studies abroad experienced emergencies related to, among others, food allergies, injuries and robberies.
Computer skills: good command of Microsoft Office™ tools and Adobe Suite.
Artist Competencies
Adobe Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, After Effects.
Digital Photography
Illustration: drawing (hand-drawn and digital), collage, mixed media
Painting: acrylics, watercolors, India ink
Printmaking: screen-printing, risograph, mono-printing, lino-print, jelly press
Bookbinding
Pop-ups
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