What country are you from and where do you live?

I’m originally from Italy, but I’ve spent most of my career working in London, with a one-year stint in Berlin in 2018.

Education background (Hair school, art school, no school)?

I studied Graphic Design at Politecnico di Milano in Italy.

What is your signature style/artistic expression and how did you come up with it?

My work is based on a collage approach, applied in different ways to handmade analog pieces, digital and video.  I like combining clashing images and using techniques like animation and 3D in unexpected ways. I also enjoy making fun of advertising industry stereotypes.  I find that incorporating stock imagery in my pieces is a great way to achieve interesting effects.

I first started working with paper collage to find something creative to do that didn’t involve a computer screen.  I still find that physically cutting out and combining images has a refreshing creative effect, as it forces me to work with more restrictions and to look at my source material in a different way.

Do you have a career turning point/your big break?

Leaving my full-time job in advertising and starting working as freelance is what really changed things for me.  It gave me more freedom to choose which client projects to focus on, as well as more time to work on personal ones.

What is next for your career goals?

I want to build on my software skills to find new ways to bring my style to life.  I am really interested in AR and how this creates a sort of real-time collage with reality.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in your business?

Be super selective with your portfolio, and only show the work you are proud of.  Work on personal projects as much as you can. They’re key to developing new skills and find the type of projects you’ll actually enjoy working on.

Instagram @mokkapresti 

Website: www.monicapresti.com