Studio Grant holder in Stockholm 1 November 2021 – 31 January 2022

Luigi Coppola is an artist and promoter of participative projects and politically-motivated actions working in between Belgium and Italy. His artistic practice is connected with the process of social re-appropriation of the commons that starts with an analysis of specific social, political, and cultural contexts. He trained both as a scientist as well as in the field of art. Luigi is involved within Casa delle Agriculture (house of cultures and agricultures), a project in Castiglione d’Otranto, south Italy, which seeks to revive abandoned land, repopulate the countryside, generate a sustainable economy and strengthen community cohesion.

Photo: Luigi Coppola

In his investigative practice, Luigi aims at constructing a process of unveiling the mechanisms of artistic production within commoning processes. He’s experimenting with an approach that seeks to intervene at all levels in the construction of the commons: starting from the first revelation from the latent state, through the activation of a shared social imaginary, to the symbolic translation of processes into visual and narrative and the activation of the fundamental rituals and celebrations.

He’s using this practice-led strategy in a series of actions aimed at promoting climate change adaptation and the resilience of rural communities with a strong depopulation rate. Another line of research and practice is connected with the idea of monetary commoning as a possible strategy to expand economic autonomy and politics of solidarity.

Luigi Coppola is senior researcher at the Center for Arts Design and Social Science of Boston (US). He has developed projects, performances, installations and exhibitions in international contexts, including at: 5th Istanbul Design Biennale, 2020; Gardentopia, Matera European Capital of Culture, 2019; Fondazione Merz Turin, 2018; BAK Utrecht, 2018; Kunsthaus Graz, 2017; Quadriennale Roma, 2017; Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, 2017; Teatro Continuo, Milan, 2016; Parckdesign, Brussels, 2016; Athens Biennale, Athens, 2015; Kadist Art Foundation, Paris, 2012; Steirischer Herbst, Graz, 2012 and Democracy Biennale, Turin, 2009. Luigi was joint Artistic Director with Michelangelo Pistoletto of the Urban Art Biennale in Bordeaux – Evento 2011, art for an urban re-evolution, and part of the research group Art in Society at the Fontys Academy of Tilburg, Netherlands. In 2017/2018 he was a fellow at BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht, NL.