Francesca Menghini (b.1987) is an Italian social documentary photographer.
She embraced photography later in life and, after a few of years as an autodidact, she decided to pursue formal education and earned a BA (Hons) in Photography from Falmouth University in 2024.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in group and solo exhibitions, including the Fujifilm House of Photography in London, the Morean Arts Center in Florida, and the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney. She was a Finalist in the AOP Emerging Talent Award and a semi-finalist in the Head on Portrait Award. Additionally, her projects have been featured in printed and online publications such as the book Arte Queer published by Rizzoli.
Guided mostly by research-based projects and favouring the interplay between natural light and the people she portrays, Francesca’s approach involves using various visual narratives to delve into themes centred around identity and social issues, using portraiture as the main visual language.
Through her work, she seeks to encourage dialogue and invite the audience to reflect on how we perceive and engage within our society.
Awards
2023: Head On Portrait Award (Semi-Finalist)
2022: BarTur Photo Award Student/Faces of Humanity Award (Shortlisted)
2022: AOP Emerging Talent Award 2021/22 (Finalist)
Competitions
2024: Royal Photographic Society International Photography Exhibition 166 (Shortlisted)
Solo Exhibitions
2022: Faces Of Fearless, Soursop Agency, Amsterdam, NL
Collective Exhibitions
2024: BOOMing Contemporary Art Show, Guest Artist, Bologna, IT
2023: BookCity Milano, BABS Art Gallery, Milan, Italy
2023: Head On Photo Festival, Sydney, Australia
2022: Chrysalid Gallery, Rotterdam, NL
2022: FujiFilm House of Photography, London
2022: Bistrot del Teatro, Viterbo, IT
2022: AOP Photography Awards Showcase, Village Underground Shoreditch London
2022: BROAD Magazine, Home Issue, 560 Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2022: Loosenart Magazine/Gallery, Spazio Millepiani, Rome, IT
2021: Float Photo Magazine, Online
2021: Foley Gallery, New York City, US
2021: De Balie, Amsterdam, NL
2021: The Holy Art Gallery, London
2020: Bargehouse Gallery, OXO Tower Wharf, London
2020: Morean Arts Center, St. Petersburg, Florida
Events
2022: She Takes Over Campaign
2021: HagueTalks, Museon Den Haag, NL
Selected Publications/Features
2024: “Corpi e Identità”, Thesis by Antea Ferraro, Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze; interview
2024: Source Magazine; The Center Of The World
2024: Viole di Marzo; interview
2023: Henry+Magazine, Red Cross Netherlands; Selected Photographs
2023: Arte Queer, Rizzoli Editore; Unbounded
2022: Gay. it; interview
2022: Curated by Girls; Unbounded
2022: Brainto; interview
2022: The 37th AOP Awards, Book; Unbounded
2022: BROAD Magazine, Home Issue; My Square Mile
2020: Zizo Magazine; Unbounded