Francesco Monico (born Venice, February 27, 1968) is a teacher, researcher, pedagogist in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Previous activities

Monico worked for ten years as a director, screenwriter and program chief in Italian broadcast, sperimentale and interactive TV, is both a Technoetic researcher and artist. He was director and author for Rai3, Mediaset, Rai2, France 2, and channel manager for Tele+3, SeiMilano. Monico did research at Studium S3, at Fabrica, at the

McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology The McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology started in 1963 as the Centre for Culture and Technology, initially a card pinned to the door of Marshall McLuhan's office in the English department at the University of Toronto. In 1965, McLuhan draft ...

at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

. Former member of the Scientific Committee of Milano in Digitale with Antonio Caronia, Paolo Rosa,

Pier Luigi Capucci Pier Luigi Capucci is an Italian educator, theorist and writer in the fields of media (both in communication and art realms) and of the relationships among culture, sciences and technologies, as well as an active contributor to the internationa ...

, and Franco Torrani. Former member of the Scientific Committee of the Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum in Milan, with Giulio Giorello, Emanuele Severino, and Enrico Bellone.In the past in the style of the new left media theorist

Raymond Williams Raymond Henry Williams (31 August 1921 – 26 January 1988) was a Welsh socialist writer, academic, novelist and critic influential within the New Left and in wider culture. His writings on politics, culture, the media and literature contribu ...

he was a regular media commentator for the ''

International Herald Tribune The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France, for international English-speaking readers. It published under the name ''International Herald Tribune'' starting in 1967, but its ...

''s Italian news section.

Current activities

Today Monico is Dean at Accademia di Belle Arti Unidee at the Fondazione Pistoletto in Biella and Director of the School of Media Design & Multimedia Arts at the Accademia Costume e Moda in Rome and both working on research and development in education, technology and arts. Former director of the Media Design and Multimedia Arts Department he founded at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano in Milan. Former professor of Theory and Method of Mass Media at the same institution, as well as founder director of the PhD program ''M-Node'',

Planetary Collegium The Planetary Collegium (a.k.a. CAiiA / Centre for Advanced Inquiry in Integrative Arts) is an international transcultural and transdisciplinary new media art educational research platform that promotes on the doctorate level the integration of ar ...

, today known as T-node and a Senior Fellow of the

in Toronto, Canada. He is an alumnus of Derrick de Kerckhove. As a Scholar of

Marshall McLuhan Herbert Marshall McLuhan (, ; July 21, 1911 – December 31, 1980) was a Canadian philosopher whose work is among the cornerstones of the study of media studies, media theory. Raised in Winnipeg, McLuhan studied at the University of Manitoba a ...

Monico became more focused on how technology shapes human communication, behaviour, and thought and is currently researching with

Roy Ascott Roy Ascott FRSA (born 26 October 1934) is a British artist, who works with cybernetics and telematics on an art he calls technoetics by focusing on the impact of digital and telecommunications networks on consciousness. Since the 1960s, Ascott ...

as member of the board of the international PhD program Planetary Collegium.Member of the Programme Committee of the Isea 2011. Monico writes in online and print publications, and did New Media art commentary for ''

Wired Wired may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Wired'' (Jeff Beck album), 1976 * ''Wired'' (Hugh Cornwell album), 1993 * ''Wired'' (Mallory Knox album), 2017 * "Wired", a song by Prism from their album '' Beat Street'' * "Wired ...

'' Italian edition. As Director of the Planetary Collegium's M-Node he was part, with Roy Ascott, of the 2011 World Universities Forum Award for Best Practice in Higher Education. As Director of Research & Development project he settled up in 2013, with IOCOSE, the Transmodal Research between Art & Technology of STMICROELECTRONICS STINNOVATIONCUP 2013. In 2013, he is invited by European Commission President José Barroso to join New Narrative for Europe, a working network of European artists, creators, scientists and intellectuals to strengthen the contours of European unity. He was selected for the 2015 Italian edition of '' TED'', as keen thinker about Higher Education, Cultural Management & Entrepreneurships at TEDxRoncade. Monico was Professor of Social Digital Innovation at the Faculty of Scienze Matematiche, Informatiche, Multimediali of the Università of Udine, and Professor of Archetype of Imagery at Accademia Belle Arti di Milano Brera.Today is Professor of Sociology of Media at the Consorzio Universitario Pordenone ISIA Roma and Professor of Artchetype of Imaginery at the Accademia Costume e Moda in Rome.

Methodology

After a research stint at the McLuhan Program he changed his expression channel from video to art, with a penchant for interactive installations,

telematic art Telematic art is a descriptive of art projects using computer-mediated telecommunications networks as their medium. Telematic art challenges the traditional relationship between active viewing subjects and passive art objects by creating interactiv ...

, BioArt, and various art-science combinations. Deeply influenced by Roy Ascott, Monico believes science and art can contribute to expanding global consciousness, but only with the help of alternative systems of knowledge. His modus operandi is based on a combination of science, art, philosophy, and esoteric knowledge in which the artist recognizes the paradoxical nature of knowledge and the contradictions inherent in formal epistemologies, and in his deep speculation his dealing with an hermeneutical approach. His methodology is a syncretic, mixing critical theory and a pragmatic art approach that he applied as founder of the School of Media design & New Media Art at NABA.

Art career

Monico has changed his expression channel from video to art, with a penchant for interactive installations,

, BioArt, and various art-science combinations. Among his artworks is ''The Artist Formerly Known as Vanda'' (Tafkav - 2007/10) and ''Is there Love in the Technoetic Narcissus?'' In 2009 he was curator for the first Italian solo show of bioartist Brandon Ballengée, ''Monstre Sacré'' . In fall 2011 Monico presented the tryptic ''The Hybrid Constitution'' at the Istanbul International Art Festival Amber.

Exhibitions

*AMBER07: Body process arts festival. Istanbul, 9–17 November 2007. TAFKAV. *DARS: Milan, 14–21 October 2008. TAFKAV. *Premio Libero Ferretti: Ancona, 17–24 January 2009. TAFKAV. *Festival Feedback Inter-acto Ergo Sum: San Casciano Val di Pesa, Florence, 26–28 June 2009. *Palazzo della Permanente: Premio Libero Ferretti, Milan, 6–12 July 2009. *StreamFest 2009, Mostra Wet & Dry Relazioni tra arte e natura nel contemporaneo tecnologico. Galatina, Italy, 2–12 August 2009. TAFKAV. *Mya Lurgo Gallery - ''Germinazioni'' curated by Martina Cavallarin: Lugano, Switzerland, 11 November 2009. TAFKAV. *PAV Parco d'Arte Vivente - ''Diverse Forme Bellisme'' with Piero Gilardi, curated by Claudio Cravero: Turin, Italy, 5 February 2010 to 11 April 2010. Is There Love in The Technoetic Narcissus? and TAFKAV. *Nowhere Gallery - ''Il Ciclo Dell'Alterità: The Artist Formerly Known As Vanda'', and ''C'è amore nel Narciso technoetico?'' ("Is There Love In The Technoetic Narcissus?"), Milan, 11 June to 17 July 2010. *The Merchant of Venice, - ''Biennale Vegetale''. Doppia con Caroline Bougoreau. Venezia, Italy, 1–12 June 2011. TAFKAV, Studio Monitor. *AMBER11: NEXT ECOLOGY. Istanbul, 4–13 November 2011. The HYBRID CONSTITUTION.

Art Curacy

* Monico, F. (2009). ''Monstre Sacré - Brandon Ballengée'', Nowhere Gallery, Via del Caravaggio 12, Milano, 18 September 2009, Special Start Milano.

Conferences & Symposium Curacy

PUBLIC!
30 june 2022, Accademia Unidee

curated by Francesco Monico, Paolo Naldini, Michele Cerruti But;
+ETICA +MODA
22 june 2021, Fondazione Pistoletto
Accademia UnideeFondazione Pistoletto
curated by Francesco Monico;
Future Firm, Past Innovation, Present Labour. A Trinamic View On Contemporary Enterprise
14 may 2021
Accademia Unidee

Fondazione Pistoletto
- Polidesign Milano, curated by Francesco Monico, Marina Parente, Michele Cerruti But;
''Most Post Human IV''
April 9, 2014
MUSE
Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3. Trento. Curated by Francesco Monico, Massimiliano Viel, Gianna Angelini;
Post Human II''
July 22, 2013
NABA
Via Carlo darwin 20, Milano. Curated by Francesco Monico, Giovanni Leghissa;
Post Human I''
April 30, 2013

Via Carlo darwin 20, Milano. Curated by Francesco Monico, Giovanni Leghissa;

November 18 – 19, 2011, ttp://www.Naba.it/index/ NABA Via Carlo darwin 20, Milano. Curated by Francesco Monico,

;
as Media as Display, Biennals as Platform for Social Change: ISEA 2011 & Biennal of Art Istanbul''
September 17, 2011
Nederlands Consulaat General
, Istiklal Caddesi 197, 34433 Beyoglu, Istanbul. Curated by Francesco Monico, Maurizio Bortolotti, Marieke Van Hal. Speakers: Hedwig Fijen, Katarina Gregos, Nazim Dikbaş, Martha Rosler, Yongwoo Lee, Lanfranco Aceti;
Media Art Education & Research 3: Always Already New - Thinking Media, Subversing Feeling, Scaffolding Knowledge: Art and Education in the Praxis of Transformation''
December 16 – 18, 2010
MEDIATECA SANTA TERESA
Via della Moscova 28, Milano. Curated by Francesco Monico,

;
Media Art Education & Research 2009- 2 Topics''
14 April 2008 �
FONDAZIONE FORMA PER LA FOTOGRAFIA
, - Sala delle Capriate, Piazza Tito Lucrezio Caro, Milan – ITALY Mercoledì, 4 marzo 2009. Curated by Francesco Monico;

14 APRIL 2008 �
FONDAZIONE FORMA PER LA FOTOGRAFIA
– ITALY, Piazza Tito Lucrezio Caro 1, 20136 Milano, curated by Francesco Monico & Luca Galli.

, ttp://www.centropecci.it// CENTRO PER L'ARTE CONTEMPORANEA LUIGI PECCI, PRATO December 7-8-9, 2007, curated by Francesco Monico & Roy Ascott.
the Future: art and design in transmodal transition 2006 ''
Milano

February 8–9, 2006, curated by Francesco Monico.

Bibliography

* Monico, F. (2006). ''Il Dramma Televisivo: l'Autore e l'Estetica del Mezzo''. Meltemi.edu, 58. Roma: Meltemi. . * Monico, F. (2006). ''Il Dramma televisivo: lexicon''. m-node, Lulù, . * Monico, F. (2006). ''White Rabbit On The Moon'' in Technoetic Arts, July-06,Vol.4,Issue:2:Intellect. Print * Monico, F. (2007). ''TV 2.0. Il pubblico come autore''. Meltemi, Le melusine, 192, . * Monico, F. (2008). ''La Variazione Technoetica'' in "Le variazioni Grandi" Quaderno di Comunicazione 8. Roma: Meltemi. * Monico, F. (2008). ''Is There Love in The Technoetic Narcissus?'' in "New Realities: Being Syncretic" Edition Angewandte, Springer-Verlag. Edited by Ascott, R.; Bast, G.; Fiel, W.,. * Monico, F. (2008). Introduzione a: Derrick De Kerckhove ''Dall'alfabeto a Internet. L'Homme "Litteré": Alfabetizzazione, Tecnologia, Cultura'' Traduzione di Antonio Caronia. Mimesis Edizioni. . * Monico, F. (2009). ''TAFKAV a Technoetic Installation'' in Technoetic Arts, December-09,Vol.7,Issue:3:Intellect. Print * Monico, F. (2010).''Introduzione'' and ''Uno di Uno - esiste una New Italian (media) Epic? Da una narrazione letteraria a una narrazione mediatica'' in ''LIMINA'' n.1/2010, Vol.1, January 2010, edited by Amos Bianchi, M-Node per NABA LIBRI, Print * Monico, F. (2010).''Learning Machine - Il Manuale'', 2010, edited by Elisabetta Galasso & Marco Scotini, in collaborazione con Alessandro Guerriero, NABA LIBRI. * Monico, F. (2012).''Dei Precrimini e del Pensarsi'', pag 249-260, in Anja Puntari, ''FEAR'', Percorsi di Ricerca e Pratica Artistica, * Monico, F. (2012).''An Experience on Higher Education'' in ''LIMINA 2'' n.2/2012, Vol.2, July 2012, edited by Gabriela Galati, M-Node per NABA LIBRI, Print * Monico, F. (2013)."Lexicon'' in ''Expanded Cinema'', by Gene Youngblood (First italian edition), November 2013, italian edition by

and Simonetta Fadda, CLUEB, pp. 389, '' * Monico, F. (2014). ''Premesse per una costituzione ibrida: la macchina, la bambina automatica e il bosco'' in "La condizione postumana" AUT AUT 361. Milano: Saggiatore. * Monico, F. (2015).''Lo que se podrìa y deberìa decir: de los "objectors narrativos no identificados" a la New Italian Epic (de los media)''/"What one Could and Should Say: from Unidentified narrative Objects to New Italian (Media) Epic" in ''Beyond Darwin. La senda coevolutiva del arte, la tecnologìa y la consciencia.''/ "The Co-Evolutionary Path of Art, Technology and Consciousness", Edited by Roy Ascott y Angela Molina F. (Eds), Col-leccìo Formes Plastiques, Istituto Alfons el Magnànim, Print * Monico, F. (2016).''L’eterodossia accademica come pratica controambientale della libertà dell'essere al condizionamento tecnico. Una postfazione su Antonio Caronia'' in ''Mondi altri. Processi di soggettivazione nell'era postumana a partire dal pensiero di Antonio Caronia'', Edited by Giovanni Leghissa e Amos Bianchi, Mimesis Edizioni, Collana Postumani, Print * Monico, F. (2017).'' Cyber-sorveglianza, guerra e religione, il mondo a una dimensione" Conversazione tra Francesco Monico e Derrick De Kerckhove in Azimuth 7/2016'' ''Human and Digital Traces'', Edited by Simone Guidi and Alberto Romele, * Monico, F. (2020). ''Fragile - Un nuovo immaginario del progresso'', foreword by Simone Guidi, Meltemi Editore, * Monico, F. (2023). in S. Bellucci, D. Castagno, A. di Russo ''Il tempo di Kairos - Intorno a un tavolo tra memoria e futuro'', Heraion Editore, * Monico, F. (2023). ''Invulnerabile - L'immaginario magico e il rigore razionale.'' foreword by Derrick de Kerckhove, Heraion Editore. * Monico, F. (2025) (a cura di ). ''Spiritualità'', Michelangelo Pistoletto, Antonio Spadaro, Marsilio Editore. * Monico, F. Naldini P., Cerruti But M., (2025) (a cura di ). ''L’arte della ricerca La cura dei nuovi saperi nei dottorati accademici, Mimesis Editore.

Narrative

* Monico, F. (2019). ''Le somiglianze del vero''. L'erudita - Giulio Perrone Editore, Roma, Gennaio 2019. .

Articles

* Monico, F. (2009). ''La soglia tra arte ed essere''. D'ARS, N.198. June 2009, page 29-31 Special 53° Biennale di Venezia, Milano, .