monica dengo classe

I believe in writing by hand as a powerful means of expression of our humanity and see the act of writing as an act of marking our existence, a gesture that has deep meaning in itself and not only in connection with the verbal message that it carries. "

freehandwriting.net - scritturacorsiva.it

MONICA DENGO lives and works in Italy.

 

She is an artist and teacher working with handwriting, lettering, calligraphy. She has taught in Japan, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, France, Canada, Russia and United States. Currently she teaches at ISIA Urbino and in a three years long course on historical calligraphy in Venice -Italy, for CIAC - Centro Internazionale Arti Calligrafiche.


After a formal training in calligraphy and bookbinding Monica stepped out of the historical framework to begin an investigation of the contemporary connection that people have with their own handwriting. Her studies were particularly influenced by her students: during intensive workshops in which she guides students to break all the rules of legibility she realized how deeply people’s minds are framed by the forms and structures of the text. Further studies of scientific discoveries in the importance of handwriting for the brain, has lead her to investigate writing by hand as a form of expression independent from the rules of legibility and deeply connected with the wholeness of body and mind.


Her artworks have been exhibited in many parts of the world Her work can be found at the San Francisco Public Library Special Collection, the Berlin’s Akademie der Kunste Calligraphy Collection and in private collections. In 2014 she was awarded best international artist at the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial.



EXPERIENCE:

Collaborations:
Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia
In 2010 she curated the exhibition The Poetics of Written Space
www.correr.visitmuve.it/archivio-mostre-en/2010
(correr.visitmuve.it - exhibitions archive - The Poetics of Written Space).
From 2009 to present time she has organized international calligraphy workshops, with a focus on experimentation, at the Ca’ Pesaro Modern Art Museum and Correr Museum.

Collaborations:
FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano
In 2015 Monica has organized the FAI event A Mano Libera, the Art of Cursive, at Villa Necchi Campiglio, sponsored by Montblanc and curated the FAI competition on handwriting in the public schools:
https://youtu.be/ZdrhJmtl6Wo

Collaborations:
Istituto Comprensivo di Terranuova Bracciolini (Arezzo)
2009-2015 - Project for the introduction of a new cursive model in the public schools. Go to www.scritturacorsiva.it

Teachings:
Centro Internazionale Arti Calligrafiche - www.articalligrafiche.it
Since 2013 Monica teaches a three years long program on the foundations of Western calligraphy in Venice Italy. Each year long program consists of 9 weekend meetings spread over the whole year.

Teachings:
Academy of Art University - San Francisco, California -  www.academyart.edu
From 2000 to 2003 she has taught several classes on calligraphy and experimental typography for Undergraduate and Graduate programs.

Other teachings:
Libera Università di Bolzano, ISIA in Faenza, Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, Italy.


ISIA - Urbino
Since 2017 she is a tutor at the High Institute for Applied Arts, Urbino


SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2022 - Rosy Boa Gallery, Arezzo, Italy
The Earth is a Living System

September through December.2010 - Museo Correr, Venezia
Installation within the exhibition The Poetics of Written Space:I Invite You to Make the Text Your Own. Monica Dengo was the co-curator, together with Monica Viero, of the group exhibition The Poetics of Written Space with her own installation and a space dedicated to her student's work.
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s08hQnAwnmk

2008 - Espace Terres d’écritures - Grignan, France
Calligraphic Metamorphosis.  July - August.

2005 - Oakland, California Usa - Gallery Café 817.
Has she fallen into silence? July - August.

2004 - Carpi Modena, Italy, Palazzo Comunale.
May - June.

2002 - San Francisco, California Usa.
Installation at the Academy of Art University.

2001 - Ostmalle Belgium, Installation at the Calligraphy Conference.
(insegnanti: Monica Dengo e Gottfried Pott)

2000 - San Francisco, California, International Calligraphy Conference - Performance.

1998 - Cittadella, Padova, Italy - Scritture, Palazzo Pretorio.
May - June.

1996 - Mountain View, California - Public Art, Permanent installation at the Mountain View Public Library, periodical reading room. Silent Shapes in Space and Time. Monica Dengo and Thomas Ingmire collaboration.

1995 - Oakland, California Usa- Galerie Café 817.
The Arabian Nights. December - February.



GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2023 - East/West Calligraphy, Correr Museum, Venice Italy
Two artists show with Monica Dengo and Kazuaki Tanahashi

2017 - Istituto Italiano di Cultura Il Cairo, Egypt.
The Shape of Accents
Guided by calligrapher/artist Monica Dengo,
a group of 24 calligraphers, all Monica students, becomes part of
‘Writing the Divine Comedy …. in the languages of the world’.
https://leformedegliaccenti.wordpress.com/project-english/

2015 - Met Andere Woorden. Exhibition at the TRANSFO - Zwevegem, Belgium. Curated by Brody Neuenschwander

2014 - Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, Emirati Arabi Uniti.
Invited artist, winner of a Sharjah Calligraphy Award and Prize.

2009 - PIP Biennale, Life & Dream, China PingYao International Photography Festival.
Body as Book, represented by Charlet-photographies, Parigi.

2009 - Chateau de Vogüé - Vogüé, France.
Le Geste Suspendu, curated by historian Christine Macé.
June - September
www.legestesuspendu.com

2008 - Louisville, KY, Usa - University of Louisville - Hite Gallery
Five from Four, curated by Steven Skaggs, University of Louisville.
September - October

2007 - Chicago, ILL, Usa - Newberry Library, Chicago Calligraphy Collective.
Exploration 2007, Annual Juried Exhibition.

2007 - Milano, Italia - Bel Art Gallery.
Body as Dream, collaboration project with Marco Ambrosi.

2007 - Kaunas Lituania, Kaunas photo festival.
Honorable mention for Body as Dream, collaboration with  poet Tsering W.Dhompa and photographer Marco Ambrosi.

2006- Lahore, Pakistan
Pakistan Calligraph-artists Guild

2006 -  Guilford Art Center, Guilford CT, USA
Responding to our World. Juried exhibition. First prize winner.

2005 - Helsinki, Finland. Calligraphy Society of Finland.
Kirjainten voi ma (Power of Letters) Collective Juried Exhibition.
1999 - Iowa City, Usa. Iowa University. Iowa calligraphy association.
Collective Exhibition.

1997 - Cittadella, Padova, Italy - Belle Lettere
Collective Juried Exibition. www.bellelettere.it


PUBLIC and PRIVATE COLLECTIONS:

San Francisco Public Library, Special Collections.
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco CA 94102-4733

Akademie der Künste, Archiv - Berlino, Germania.

Mountain View Public Library. Public Art in the city of Mountain View.
The Visual Arts Committee
585 Franklin St
Mountain View, CA 94041

The Ian and Susan Wilson Collection of Chinese Stones, Paintings, and Related Scholars’ Objects.
The Rock Book, by Monica Dengo.


AWARDS and PRIZES:

2014 - Sharjah, Emirati Arabi Uniti
Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial. International artist Prize and Award.

2012 - Parents Choice Award for her manual Pick Up Your Pen, published by Owl Kids.

2007 - Kaunas Lituania, Kaunas photo festival.
Honorable mention for Body as Dream, collaboration with  poet Tsering W. Dhompa and photographer Marco Ambrosi.

2006 -  Guilford Art Center, Guilford CT, USA
Responding to our World. Juried exhibition. First prize.
Letter Arts Review, Vol.22 nr. 1, entirely dedicated to the exhibition.

PUBLISHED BOOKS

- Le Penne in Pugno, Giannino Stoppani Edizioni, Italia
- Crayons en main, Éditions Milan, Francia
- Pick Up Your Pen, Owlkids Publishers, Canada/Usa.
  This manual won the Parent’s Choice Award in 2012.

- Lascia il Segno, Terre di Mezzo Editore, Italia

Three other manuals, Scrivere a Mano Libera, Il Corsivo Naturale and Scrittura Corsiva are available in her web site www.scritturacorsiva.it


VIDEOS:
search for Monica Dengo on YouTube.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS:

Servizio su Rai3: La calligrafia in una scuola pubblica della Toscana
www.freehandwriting.net/educational.html

Lensculture web magazine, Body as Dream a collaborative work. Monica Dengo designer and calligrapher, M.Ambrosi photographer, Tsering W. Dhompa, poet.
www.lensculture.com

The Poetics of Written Space catalogue
Fondazione Musei Civici Veneziani, 2010

Progetto Grafico - Rivista dell’AIAP n.18, 2010
Insegnare il corsivo - Per un pensiero che fluisca
con armonia dalla mente al foglio

La Repubblica, 28 Luglio 2009.
Addio alla Scrittura. Intervento sull’articolo di
Maria Novella de Luca.

ELLE magazine, april 2009.

Alphabet Journal, The Friends of Calligraphy Publication.
Volume 24, nr.1, Fall 1998.
Marking the Moment, an interview by Brooke Holve.

Alphabet Journal, The Friends of Calligraphy Publication.
Volume 21, nr.3, Spring 1996.
Monica Dengo: The Arabian Nights, reviewed by Arne Wolf.

Letter Arts Review Vol.13, nr.1.
The Arabian Nights, story of an exhibition.
by Monica Dengo

Other collaborations:

AGENCIES:

Landor, McCann Ercsson Italiana, ONDesign, CFNAPA, Deutch Design, Primo Angeli inc., Public Media Center, Tarcher/Putnam, Algida, Blimpie, Time Magazine, Findus, Harcourt Trade, Harper Collins Publishers, Harper One, Heineken Italia, Klutz Press, Marchel Schurman, Mountain View Public Library, Pepsi Cola, Safeway, Fondo Ambiente italiano.

ART DIRECTORS:

Laura Beers, Chris Besett, Lisa Brussell, Carlo Buffa, Kathryne Ettinger, Marilyn Green, Kate Greene, Lorena Jones, Maria Keehan, Gary McDonald, Gina Orlando, Jonathan Padfield, Kevin Plottner, Mary Ellen Podgorski, Jim Warner, Michele Wetherbee, Lindsay Whiting.