Valeria Cherchi (b. 1986, Sassari, Italy) is a visual artist, photographer, and independent educator currently working between Milan and Sardinia. Raised on the Mediterranean island, she later studied fashion photography at the University of the Arts London, where she developed a disciplined eye for composition and narrative. Her practice, however, moves beyond the commercial genre, engaging with complex social and emotional territories through a documentary-inflected, conceptually driven approach. Cherchi describes her photographic process as a form of ‘rational catharsis,’ a way of ordering and making sense of personal and collective experience.

Cherchi’s visual language is characterized by a quiet, investigative sensitivity. She often photographs interiors, domestic spaces, and intimate human gestures, building narratives through accumulation and restraint rather than spectacle. Her work frequently addresses themes of memory, loss, violence, and the unsaid, using light and atmosphere to convey psychological weight. Unlike peers who might pursue overt political statement, Cherchi favors a more elliptical, sensual storytelling that invites viewers to sit with ambiguity. Her images are often described as deeply investigative yet tender, probing how histories lodge themselves in rooms, landscapes, and bodies.

Among her notable bodies of work is the long-term project Some of You Killed Luisa, which examines the aftermath of femicide through the lives and landscapes connected to a victim. The project interweaves archival material, photographs of places, and portraiture to question how communities process gendered violence. Another significant work, 3centro34, is an early photobook made in collaboration with AAlphabet Libri; the book presents a short, dark narrative centered on a house, revealing Cherchi’s longstanding interest in place as a repository of emotional residue. These projects demonstrate her commitment to sustained, reflective inquiry over single images.

Her career has been recognized through nominations such as Britain’s British Journal of Photography Futures Talent, and she has been featured in platforms including Photovoice and Pellicola Magazine. Her participation in the Futures Talent program reflects a professional trajectory that bridges independent art practice and educational work. She has also taught and mentored emerging photographers, aligning with her belief that photography serves both personal understanding and social reflection. Over the years, her projects have been presented through exhibitions, photobook fairs, and online showcases, building a modest but dedicated following.

For photobook collectors, Cherchi’s editions are notable for their thoughtful sequencing and material qualities. Her collaboration with small presses like AAlphabet Libri signals a careful consideration of book as object, where design and printing articulate the narrative’s pace and depth. An entry point such as 3centro34 offers an accessible but evocative early work, while later publications deepen her explorations of memory and grief. Collectors with an interest in contemporary Italian photography, feminist visual discourse, and emotionally nuanced documentary will find Cherchi’s output both compelling and increasingly relevant.

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