Monica Silva

"Chi l'èl ch'el voeur conoss i grandoeur de Milan?" (Who wants to see the greatness of Milan) 
("De Magnalibus Urbi Mediolani " by Bonvesin Da La Riva AD. 1288)

I always wondered how it would look like to be in the great Milan in mid-August. Italy can be of rare beauty from season to season. Prompted by this curiosity, I imagined how it would be to go around to photograph Milan without haste, without expectations, with the sole desire to receive what the moment would have given me in unknown paths. At that point I decided to stay in town, stroll around like a curious tourist, walking, cycling and discovering my city in a new light. 

Milan is generous, welcomes you in its bosom of wonders, it grants you in its secrets,  in order to get it all, you have to be bare of any kind of criticism, light heart, dreamy look to see its eternal beauty. 

Many books were written about Milan, every text written with the beholder's heart, in their own private vision. In my side I have discovered a new town, with corners that I have, probably, passed by a thousand times but too busy to see its true poetry. I got caught away by the hand of invisible spirits, who have made me dream through their stories whispered by flowered balconies or windows ajar. I walked into a deserted metropolis, calm and peaceful, bathed by just a small and delicate light of dawn or a lazy summer afternoon sunset. 

I invite you to look at what my eyes have seen and let yourself be  carried away into a new journey, in search of new aromas, flavors and other boundless wonders. 
My searched solitude was gratified by a thousand visions and is now full of sweet memories.  

(Please also see the elderly portraits shot in Milan which complete ?Milano Lonesome' http://www.msilva.photography/romantic-memories

All the images were shot from 14-19 August, 2016 - Monica Silva,

Monica Silva is a self taught photographer. Her first steps into photography happened in a very young age, shooting with polaroids and instamatics cameras. Keen of experiments in photography and specially on staged psychology portraiture, she creates complex projects on how the conflict between the existential and cultural daily life has a grip on the contemporary psyche of today's society.

Monica is a descendant of Tupi Guarani indigenous tribe and was raised in Sao Paulo in Brazil untill 1986 year in which she moved to London to complete english studies. A curious spirit and thirsty of learning, she moved on to Italy where she has been living for 29 years. For many years she worked on commercial projects, creating album covers for international music labels and a series of portraits of movie stars, musicians, corporate managers and politics published on international editorial magazines and newspapers as Max, Corriere della Sera, Vanity Fair, Style, El Pais Sette, Io Donna, Panorama.

Monica's works inspires to Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Caravaggio, Horst P. Horst, Man Ray, Jeanloup Sieff, Gilbert Garcin, Peter Witkin, Andy Warhol.

Monica Silva has taken part in many important group and solo exhibitions: Life Above All, Mazzoleni Art Gallery (Milan 2008), Suggestions of Spoon River, Stefano Forni, Codigoro City Hall, (Bologna, Italy 2009), GEMLUC, Mazzoleni Art, (Montecarlo, France 2009),  On My Skin, Arte Fiera Off, (Bologna, Italy 2010), My Hidden Ego, (Sansepolcro, Italy 2013), The Butterfly's Fall "“ Postcards from Tokyo, Nuova Galleria Morone, (Milan 2013), Lux Et Filum A Contemporary Vision of Caravaggio, Instituto di Cultura Italia (Sao Paulo, Brazil 2014/2015), MIA Photography Fair 2015, Still Gallery (Milan 2015), Banana Pop Art, Affordable Art Fair, Gaudì Gallery (Hamburg 2015), Lux Et Filum A Contemporary Vision of Caravaggio MIA Photography Fair 2016, Bianconi Gallery (Milan 20165)

Nationality: Brazilian

Education: Campus Sales College, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Oxford House College, London UK

Awards: Biennale International of Art 2011, Venice, Italy Best Picture "Dorfles infinito e lo sguardo a Ghirri"

Monica Silva lives and works in Milan, Italy

MONICA SILVA IS AMBASSADOR FOR MANFROTTO AND NIKON ITALIA