Giovanni Cocco

Giovanni Cocco (born in Sulmona in 1973) is an Italian visual artist and photographer whose multidisciplinary practice spans photography, visual journalism, and conceptual projects. His work explores complex themes such as identity, memory, urban transformation, and social dynamics, with an approach that blends visual storytelling and anthropological research.

After a long-standing collaboration with leading Italian and international publications, including L'Espresso, La Repubblica, Internazionale, Newsweek, Le Monde, National Geographic, Bloomberg Business, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, Io Donna, and CNN World, while continuing to work in publishing he has progressively steered his research toward a more personal and conceptual dimension, delving into social and anthropological themes.

Between 2016 and 2022 he published four monographs: Monia (2016, self-published), Burladies (2018, self-published), Displacement (2021, Postcart edizioni), and Naples (2022, MareVerlagh).

His work has been exhibited at festivals, galleries, and museums internationally, including Art Basel Scope Miami, ZonaMaco Foto in Mexico City, MART – Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, and MACRO – Museo di Arte Contemporanea di Roma.

Since 2013, he has been examining the phenomenon of displacement affecting the inhabitants of several historic European cities, increasingly emptied out and depopulated due to capitalism. This approach is now evolving into a reflection on the beauty of these very places, their people, and their architecture: an ephemeral, elusive beauty that the artist translates photographically into profound conceptual forms.

Professional experience

ULILEARN – www.ulilearn.com
2018 – present
Founder, instructor, and curator

IED – Istituto Europeo di Design, Roma
2022 – present
Documentary photography instructor

Nikon School Italia
2022 – 2023
Instructor

VII PHOTO – www.viiphoto.com
2010 – 2012
Photographer, Mentor Program

10B PHOTOGRAPHY – www.10bphotography.com
2008 – 2010
Studio manager for fine art printing

NAZCA PICTURES – www.nazcapictures.com
2006 – 2010
Content production for Italian and international magazines and newspapers