Collection of FERNANDA CORTES in a gallery layout

FERNANDA CORTES

Fernanda Cortes is a Mexican-Italian artist based in the UK, where she has developed her creative practice over the past nine years. With a background in Product Design from UNAM, she has a deep appreciation for materiality and form. Her studies in Paris and Canada led her to ceramics, a medium through which she explores the emotional layers of human experience.

Her work combines sculpture and storytelling, using anthropomorphic forms to examine vulnerability, resilience, and dehumanisation. Short stories accompany her sculptures, adding depth to the interplay of light and shadow in each piece.

Cortes was selected for residencies at Guldagergaard in Denmark and La Meridiana in Italy, supported by the Arts Council’s ‘Developing Your Creative Practice’ Grant. She has also received the Ciudad de Vénissieux Award at the Manises Biennial in Spain.

Currently working from her studio at the Sculpture Lounge in Holmfirth, Cortes is focused on her project Emotional Flow in the Era of Microaggressions, supported by the Bruckner Foundation’s Bursary for the Encouragement of Ceramics Creation. This project reflects her commitment to connecting personal and societal narratives.

Artworks


Exhibitions


CV


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ARTWORKS

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Fernanda Cortes - My Adult Incubo
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Fernanda Cortes - (A)wake
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Fernanda Cortes - Untitled
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EXHIBITIONS

A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM: GROUP EXHIBITION

1 February - 22 March 2025

CV

Education:
2014-16 MA Ceramics & Glass: Royal College of Art (England)
2014 BA Industrial Design: National Autonomous University of Mexico, Centre of Investigation
for Industrial Design (Mexico)
2013 Student Exchange: Université de Moncton Faculté de Arts Visuels (Canada)
2012 Student Exchange: École National Supérieure de Création Industrielle (France)

Awards & Grants:
2022 Ciudad de Vénissieux Award (for artist under the age of 35), ‘XV Bienal Internacional de
Cerámica de Manises’ (Spain)
2022 The Color Network Scholarship, A-B projects (USA)
2022 AA2A Artists Support Fund (England)
2021 Arts Council, ‘Developing Your Creative Practice’ Grant (England)
2021 Site Gallery, ‘Freelance Art & Culture Worker Fund’ Grant (England)
2020 Arts Council, SEISS Grant (England)
2014 Royal College of Art, Innovation Scholarship (England)
2013 UNAM, DGECI Scholarship (Mexico)

Residencies:
2026 - Bursary for the Encouragement of Ceramics Creation, The Bruckner Foundation,
Carouge (Suisse)
2022 Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Skælskør (Denmark)
2022 ‘The Domestic & the Wild’ w/Beth Cavener, La Meridiana Ceramic School, Certaldo (Italy)
2022 Artist in Residence, Huddersfield University, Huddersfield (England)
2019-22 Yorkshire Artspace, Programme for Ceramicists, Sheffield (England)
2018 Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh (Scotland)

Selected Exhibitions:
2025 ‘Ceramic Art Andenne Triennal’, Andenne (Belgium)
2023 ‘XVI International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics of Aveiro’, Aveiro (Portugal)
2023 ‘Salon ACME no.10’, Mexico City (Mexico)
2022 ‘Artist Display at Millennium Gallery’ by Sheffield Museums, Sheffield (England)
2022 ‘Summer Exhibition’ by Sculpture Lounge, Holmfirth (England)
2022 ‘XV Bienal Internacional de Cerámica de Manises’, Manises (Spain)
2022 ‘Common Disquiet’, Yorkshire Artspace, Sheffield (England)
2022 ‘Sculpture Network’, by Yorkshire Sculpture International
2021 ‘Tzompantli: Reflexión artística: Consulado General de México, Austin (USA)
2021 ‘Accessible Art Fair 2021: Online Auction’, curated by Stephanie Manasseh
2020 ‘Secret Postcard Show’, Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield (England)
2020 ‘Concurso de Pieza Única N.A.C.E.’, Navarrete (Spain)
2019 ‘XIV Bienal Internacional de Cerámica de Manises’, Manises (Spain)
2019 ‘Young European Ceramic Contest Exhibition’, Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie (France)
2019 ‘39 Concurso Internacional de Cerámica de l’Alcora’, L'Alcora (Spain)
2019 ‘Camaradas, UK/Mexico Art Exhibition’ in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy, Menier
Gallery, London (England)
2018 ‘House of Mexico’ in collaboration with Mexican Embassy, London (England)
2018 ‘Sculpture at Doddington’ Doddington Hall Gardens, Doddignton (England)
2017 ‘MITLA: Place of the dead’ Solo Show, 67 York Street Gallery, London (England)
2017 ‘Making Meaning’: how death and burial inform the creation of meaning in life, Regents
University, London (England)
2017 ‘Camaradas, UK/Mexico Art Exhibition’ in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy, Menier
Gallery, London (England)
2017 ‘COLLECT, The International Art Fair for Contemporary Objects’, Saatchi
Gallery, London (England)
2016 ‘ING Discerning Eye Exhibition’, The Mall Galleries, London (England)
2016 ‘Fragmentos de duelo’ Solo show, Espacio Centro Gallery, Oaxaca (Mexico)
2016 ‘Young Masters Exhibition 2016’, Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, London (England)
2016 ‘Graduate Show 2016’, Royal College of Art, London (England)
2016 ‘London Craft Week’ at Sarah Griffins’ Home, London (England)
2016 ‘Paper, Publication and Performance’, Lychee One Gallery, London (England)
2016 ‘Bienal UNAM Artes Visuales’, Galería Antonio Ramírez, Mexico City (Mexico)
2016 ‘In Context’, at Preston Fitzgerald’s Home, London (England)
2015 ‘The Emerging and the Established’, Christie’s South Kensington, London (England)

Selected Publications:
2024 Ceramics Now,‘Fernanda Cortes’, Ceramics Magazine
2023 Holmes, Melissa, ‘Team Insights: Interview with Fernanda Cortes’, Sunken Studio
2021 Rabimov, Stephan, ‘Get you glazed. Manises Ceramics Biennial’, Post Paris
2019 Museo Manises, ‘Fernanda Cortés’, Museo Manises
2017 Ross, Calum. ‘Q&A with Fernanda Cortés’, Arts Thread
2017 Schnuppe, von Gwinner, ‘London: COLLECT 2017 – Nachlese’, craft2eu,
2016 Williams, Tarryn, ‘Fernanda Cortés: Objects as Prosthesis for the soul’, 1 Granary
2016 ‘Why the International Art Fair for Contemporary Objects is relaunching in style’, Crafts,
The magazine for contemporary crafts. Print, Nov/Dec, No 263, p. 116

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