A young woman is dreamily looking into the future. Or is she looking into the past? Maria Semmer’s photographs are connected by one common topic: The characters in the photographs all look - lost in thought - into a world that is unknown to the observer. With a hidden smile, they sit in deteriorated ruins or self-absorbedly stand in the middle of idyllic and untouched nature. The artist’s central motif is transcendence: the mystic moment between consciousness and sleeping, the submersion into an invisible world between observer and character. Each of her characters finds themselves on a dreamful journey.
Maria Semmer, like her art, is constantly on a journey. Born in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, she has been involved in photography and painting from an early age. During her studies of graphic design at the Georg Simon Ohm University in Nuremberg, she discovered performing art and street photography. During this period, she developed a fascination for the variety of expressions in human faces. In 2003, she worked as an assistant of the artist Younis Al Azzawy in Berlin. The following year, she continued her studies at the Academy of Art and Design in St. Petersburg. From 2007 until 2011, she lived in Rome. Amongst other pieces of art, she created her photo-series „”Dreamers“ I and II and „”The House of Tomorrow“. During these years, Maria Semmer consistently travelled to Germany and continued her involvement with the motif of transcendence in nature where the photo series „”Secret Garden“ was born. Her journey led her back to her hometown Rothenburg o.d.T. in 2012. Inside of an abandoned house, she created the photo-series „”The Transition“. Her current project „”Dream Ballads“ is also connected by the location: all photographs originated in a secluded place inside of a lake.

Solo Exhibitions
2025   "Open the Door", Galleria Andrea Ingenito, Naples
2024    "Am Rand von Zeit und Welten", Kunstmühle Flachslanden, Germany
            "Roots", Alea Contemporary Art, Rome
2023    "Heimkommen", Kreativlabor Erlangen, Germany
2020    "Le ballate dei sogni", Galleria Gallerati, Rome, Italy
2017    "Secret Garden", Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
2012   "Crepuscular" MUSPAC Museo Sperimentale d'Arte contemporanea, L'Aquila, Italy
            "Crepuscular" Studio Claudio Abate, Rome
            "Sanctuary" Galleria Gallerati, Rome
2010    "Mondo vergine“ Stamperia del Tevere, Rome
2009    "Dreamers" Hybrida contemporanea gallery, Rome
2007    "heimelig" Villa Mirafiori, Rome
            "heimelig“ Isola Tiberina, Rome
2006    "heimelig" Kulturbrauerei Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Group Exhibitions
2026    "BBK on tour", Kunsthaus R3, Ansbach, Germany
​            "Nostalgia", Dusk Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico / USA
            Art Fair Schwäbisch Gmünd, Prediger Museum
2025    "I wonder if you can", Siena Awards winners exhibition, Siena
​            THE PHAIR Photo Art Fair Turin with Galleria Andrea Ingenito
​            "Everything you have", Galleria Andrea Ingenito, Naples
​            "The World behind", Kunsthalle Hilsbach, Germany
            "Il punto di fuga", Statuto 32, Rome
​            "All in all", Stadtmuseum Schwabach, Germany
            "Das Menschenbild", Galerie BBK View, Nürnberg
2024    "Museo della pace", MU.SP.A.C. Museum of contemporary Art, L'Aquila, Italy
            "Habitat", Momart Gallery, Matera, Italy
            Art Fair Schwäbisch Gmünd, Museum im Prediger, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany
2023    "Feat 2023", Edicola 51, Turin, Italy
            "NatAlea", Alea Contemporary Art, Rome, Italy
2022    "La via del sangue", MU.SP.A.C. Museum of contemporary Art, L'Aquila, Italy
            "Changes/Chances", Stamperia Ripa69, Rome, Italy
2019    "14 Köstlichkeiten auf einer Spiegelplatte", Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
            "Blut und Wasser", Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
            "...und hätte der Liebe nicht... 1.13", Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
            "Periferie a confronto", Galleria Il Mitreo Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Italy
2018    "NatAlea", Alea Contemporary Art, Rome, Italy
            "Presente", Stamperia Ripa69, Rome, Italy
2017    "Castelnuovo Fotografia 2017", Rocca Colonna, Castelnuovo di Porto, Italy
            "Particolari dal vero", Ex Chiesa di San Leonardo, Fano, Italy
​            "I AM / WE ARE behind the dreams", Stamperia del Tevere, Rome
            "5 Ways Beyond", Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
2016    "Nature Diverse" Visionarea Art Space, Rome 
            "Il sogno verde" Real Orto Botanico, Naples / Anywhere Art Company, Naples, Italy
​            "I AM / WE ARE behind the dreams", Ex Chiesa di S. Leonardo, Fano, Italy
​            "Il sogno verde" Villa Gregoriana, Tivoli, Italy
2015    "Tradition trifft Tradition“ Kunst Kultur Korn, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
            "Der grüne Traum“, Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
2014    „Rom in Rothenburg“ Johanniterscheune des Kriminalmuseums Rothenburg ob der Tauber
            "Ritratti di donna" MUSPAC Museo Sperimentale d'Arte contemporanea, L'Aquila, Italy
            "Il sogno verde" Villa Gregoriana, Tivoli, Italy
2012​    "Affordable Art Fair“ with Marie Claire and Oxfam, Macro Testaccio, Rome
            "Fuori 5" Galleria Gallerati, Rome
            "Lontano" Ex Confraternita dei Battuti Neri, Vicoforte, Italy
            "Dentro di te cosa tua" Torre bruciata, Teramo, Italy
            "Il sogno verde" Cooperativa Agricoltura Nuova, Rome
            "Para_dies_noia" Rathausgewoelbe Rothenburg ob der Tauber
            "Alexander Fabi & Maria Semmer“ Galerie im Burggarten, Rothenburg o.d.T.
2010    "Naturae" Galleria Miralli, Viterbo, Italy
            "L'Arte Grafica - dalla tradizione all'innovazione" Castel dell'Ovo, Naples, Italy
            "Photosensibilité" Hybrida contemporanea gallery, Rome
            "Venus in eco furs" Esposta gallery, Verona, Italy
2009    "Occhi Rossi" Festival indipendente di fotografia, Forte Prenestino, Rome
            "Venus in eco furs" cell63 gallery, Berlin
            "Mater Terra" Stamperia del Tevere, Rome
2008    "Beata Remix" Palazzo d'Avalos, Vasto, Italy
            "Refugium 2.2" Galerie Weisser Elefant, Berlin
2006    Photokina Cologne with Georg Simon Ohm FH, Cologne, Germany
Awards
ND Awards 2024: 1st place and gold star
​Siena Awards / Creative Photo Awards 2025: Highly commended
„Just The Woman I Am“ Premio, THE PHAIR Photo Art Phair Turin 2025: Finalist
Refocus Awards 2025: Honorable Mention
Life Framer Photography Award 2025: Editor’s Pic
Fine Art Photography Awards 2024: Nominee
Publications
Il Segno Magazine
​Docu Magazine, Special Edition
​ArtDoc Magazine
Image in Progress Magazine
​Edge of Humanity Magazine
Il corpo solitario Vol. 2, Rubbettino Editore
Rap-10 - An International Photographic Survey, Jeffrey Crussell, Crussell Fine Arts