Carolina Belinelli Donoso is a Brazilian American multimedia artist, whose artwork seeks to explore the question of “what makes a human experience?”. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Carolina unintentionally began her journey to explore this question when her father’s job relocated her family of five around the world: Brazil, Argentina, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, and the United States.
Carolina graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a Bachelor of Arts in Business of Creative Enterprises in 2021. At Emerson, Carolina was a published photographer for two magazines. In 2019, she went abroad with the School for International Training’s Honor Program, to study social innovation in Kampala, Uganda, New Delhi, India, and São Paulo, Brazil. In 2018, she spent her summer at Parsons School of Design studying graphic design, and in 2015 learned film and video production, drawing, and design at Rhode Island School of Design.
Carolina is currently based in Midland, MI, where she has worked with the Arc of Midland and Barb Smith’s Suicide Resources and Response to give the community a space for expression.
Carolina’s experiences have expanded her perception of how humans interact, both through literal and unspoken languages. Her artwork reflects what connects people on a personal level. Carolina believes that art creates change when it is used as a tool for personal observation. In leading interactive art experiences she poses questions that spark reflection encouraging people to express their truths.
Artist Statement
I am driven to learn how to best live out the human experience. My art is an exploration of emotions— finding what drives us, pushes us to evolve, and overall feel the most alive.
Art, to me, is a means of reflecting on my life’s research. It is and has always been my language: dance, photography, painting, sculpting, drawing. It is a direct impression of how I feel at the time and my most sincere way of processing experiences. Living around the world has given me the understanding that my vulnerability has the power of connecting.
In my art, I explore the relationship with the self, the importance of passion, connection, love, intimacy, pleasure, the values of play, faith, the unknown, discomfort, communication, and more.
From my reflections, I create one version of an answer: a painting, sculpture, drawing. My message dictates what medium I will use. I don’t make art for myself; I make art to communicate to others what I have learned in hopes of inciting thought.
This current exhibition is a series of lessons centered around choosing personal growth when facing life obstacles. I began this series in 2022 when I had just moved back to Midland, after living in Los Angeles for a year and in Boston for three years. By the end of 2021, I made the choice to dedicate my next year to taking care of my mind and body, and to reconnecting with my passions. Each piece was like an angel on my shoulder reminding me to listen, care, and do the uncomfortable – forgiveness, accountability, and trust.
