Carla Borel is a London based artist, working with photography and collage. A self taught photographer, using analogue and digital methods, she also utilises archive items to explore themes of memory, nostalgia, and family.
Borel is most well known for her Stillsoho series, a multidisciplinary project encompassing black and white portraits and ephemera, documenting a generation of artists, writers, friends and lovers, and the landscape of a disappearing London.
Born in Paris, raised in Las Vegas and a Hampshire village, she was formerly a croupier in Mayfair casinos; a bartender at the French House in Soho; production assistant to legendary advertising photographer John Claridge; a gallery girl in London’s art world, working with influential curator Emma Dexter; and assistant to Beat Generation expert, Barry Miles.
Her work has been published in Harper’s Bazaar, German Vogue, AnOther Man, Elephant, Daily Telegraph, and the Guardian.
She is included in art collections through Europe and the US, including Seamus McGarvey, Jessica and James Purefoy, and Dolly Alderton.
Solo shows
2023
Collected Portraits, French House, London, 2nd to 29th April
2020
Homme Libre, curated by Isolde Nash, Le Roi Fou, Edinburgh
2017
Homme Libre, A22 Gallery, London
2016
Stillsoho, Blacks Club, London
The animals were beautiful, selected by Brian Griffin, Magic Gallery, Royal Photographic Society, London
2012
Stillsoho, The Society Club, London
2009
Stillsoho, The French House, London
2008
Stillsoho, The Colony Room, London
Group shows
2024
ePhemeral?, Museum of Soho, De Lane Lea, London, UK
Unfolded Chapters: Paper Graveyards, book exhibition curated by Sylvia Sachini, Athens Photo Festival, Benaki Pireos 138, Athens, Greece
2022
Despatch, New Forest Heritage Centre, Lyndhurst, collaborative exhibition with 62 WorkShowGrow artists via an in person/virtual residency
2021
The Photocopy Club 10 year anniversary, Bateman's Row, London
UCA Stretched, curated by Kate Street, University of Farnham
The Waiting Place, curated by Ann-Marie James, The Art Station, Saxmundham
2020
The Edge, end of residency show at Hotel Columbia with Roman Road gallery, London
Artists from The Colony Room, Dellasposa Gallery, London
International Women’s Day Art on a Postcard, Allbright, London
2019
Love, Actually, curated by Jon Feinstein, Humble Arts Foundation (online exhibition)
Table Top Museum, Art Workers' Guild, London
Club Culture, Fabric London
2018
209 Women, Portcullis House, Houses of Parliament, London, December 2018 - February 2019; traveling to Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, March-April 2019
The Old Bank Vault 1 year anniversary show, London
LONDON CALLING, The Photocopy Club at V3, London
2017
Salon 17, Four Corners, London
Photography on a Postcard 2017, The Printspace, judged by Dougie Wallace
Conceal/Reveal, Photo Oxford
2016
Repro Show, Hanover Project, curated by Café Royal Books, University of Central Lancashire
Summer exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
2013
Trolleyology: Ten Years of Trolley Books, La Serra Dei Giardini, Venice
2012
Situation Gigi, auction exhibition curated by Polly Morgan and Mat Collishaw, raising funds for Gigi Giannuzzi cancer treatment, Situation (Sarah Lucas pop up space with Sadie Coles HQ), London
2011
Anatomy, curated by Guts for Garters, Cob Gallery, London
2009
The Mountain of Fire and Miracles, Main Yard Gallery, London
Awards
Recipient, London Creative Network, professional development programme, Four Corners, London, 2017-2019
Shortlisted - Photographer in Residence at Harrow School, 2016
Shortlisted - Kolga Tbilisi Photo Awards in Georgia, 2016
Finalist - Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards, 2016
Finalist - StreetFoto San Francisco, 2016
Top 100 Photographers in the LensCulture Street Photography Awards 2016