Elena is Associate Professor of Contemporary Art and Critical Practice. She develops dialogic and situated artistic strategies for observing, recording and stimulating an awareness of experiences of the everyday.
Within this context she creates instruments to facilitate the sharing of insights, the location of situated knowledges and arising of new questions from within our relations with one another, place and the environment.
This is done through an interdisciplinary approach where artistic research intersects with environmental psychology, care ethics, philosophy, and gender studies, resulting in dialogic sculptures, public interventions, performance scores, and drawings.
Elena is also:
Elena’s intertwined academic and artistic background includes:
Elena leads on the modules 'Care Ethics and Art: Place, Environment, and Community' and 'Care Practices' within the MA Art, Health and Wellbeing course.
Elena gained a BA in Fine Art from Accademia di Belle Arti Brera in Milan, an MA in Sculpture from Bretton Hall College, Leeds University and a PhD in Fine Art and Philosophy (The Artist’s Performative Practice within the Anti-Ocularcentric Discourse) from University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design, 2004.
Memberships
Editorial Boards
Elena regularly provides educational activities in collaboration with art galleries and museums, for example with: for the Circuit project (funded by Tate and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, at Wysing Arts Centre and Kettles Yard, Cambridge) and Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts, Norwich, among others. Cologni also collaborated with the NHS Foundation Trust (Peterborough and Cambridge) to devise a pilot project of creative interventions in schools.
Elena Cologni: Pratiche di Cura o Del Cur(v)are, (2021) exhibition guide, text by Gabi Scardi, at Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice
Keene, Melanie and Held, Virginia and Cunningham, Peter and Scardi, Gabi and Cologni, Elena (2020) CARE: from periphery to centre. Homerton College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Cologni, E. (2020). Caring-With Dialogic Sculptures. A Post-Disciplinary Investigation into Forms of Attachment. PsicoArt – Rivista Di Arte E Psicologia, 10(10), 19–64.
Cologni, Elena (2021) Figura/Sfondo. Un dialogo | Foreground/Background. A dialogue. In: Università di Pisa : Obiettivo 5 : il Polo della Memoria SR1938. Pisa University Press, pp. 33-36. ISBN 978-88-3339-613-2
Cologni, Elena (2021) Pilastri invisibili. Il ruolo delle donne ebree nella storia dell'emancipazione della condizione della donna italia | Invisible pillars. The role of jewish women in the history of the women emancipation of Italy. In: Università di Pisa: Obiettivo 5 : il Polo della Memoria SR1938. Pisa University Press, pp. 137-143.
Cologni, E. 2018. 'Locating Oneself', in Capucci, Copolletta (Eds) The New and History – art*science 2017/Leonardo 50 Proceedings.Noema Media and Publishing (ISBN 978-88-909189-7-1)
Cologni, E. 2016. 'A Dialogic Approach For The Artist As An Interface In An Intercultural Society'. In Burnard, Mackinlay, Powell, The Routledge International Handbook of Intercultural Arts Research New York, London: Routledge
Cologni E. (2015) 'Spa(e)cious, in context', in The Future of Cognitive Humanities Conference Proceedings, Oxford University
Cologni, E. (2014) 'Where others will take me'. In Where do you see yourself in twenty five years? Gareth Bell-Jones (Ed) Wysing Arts Centre, p 9.
Cologni, E. (2012) 'Dynamics of collective and individual experiences of space and duration within specious present. while producing forms of documentation'. In Minors, H.J. (Ed) How Performance Thinks Conference Proceedings, Kingston University Practice Research Unit and the PSi performance & Philosophy working group.
Cologni, E. and Santomauro, A. (2012) 'Public Space and Memory' in Green Days (European Cultural Foundation, neoncampobase (Bologna), AAA - Audiovisual Artists Anonymous (Brussels), Radar (Loughborough), Fabrica de Pensule (Cluj-Napoca) pp 45-48
Cologni, E. (2010) 'That spot in the 'moving picture' is you, (perception in time-based art), in Blood, Sweat & Theory: Research through Practice in Performance. John Freeman (Ed), Libri Publishing, London
Cologni, E, (2009) (ed), Mnemonic Present, Shifting Meaning, Mercurio Edizioni, Vercelli, including texts from Amelia Jones, Kelina Gotman, Andrea Lissoni, Helena Blaker, Giacinto di Pietrantonio, Lib Taylor, Philip Auslander
Cologni, E. (2009) 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding', in Allegue Fuschini, L, Jones, S., Kershaw, B and Piccini, A (eds), Practice-As-Research In The Performing And Screen Arts, London: Palgrave Macmillan
Cologni, E. (2006) 'Present-Memory: Liveness Versus Documentation And The Audience's Memory Archive in Performance Art', International Conference Consciousness, Literature and the Arts, Cambridge Scholars Press
Cologni, E., (2005) 'Fruition: perceptual time 'gap' as location for knowledge - Mnemonic Present Un-folding' in Perspective section of Body, Space & Technology, ISSN 1470-9120, School of Arts, Brunel University
Cologni, E., (2002) Public Private Perceptions, including texts by Wallace, M., Le Grice, M., Grazioli, E. published by Galleria Neon, Bologna, Italy, March 2002 (funded London Underground Ltd and Neon)
Cologni, E., (2002) Ancora Cerca in OUTLOOK sguardi dell’arte sull’arte, Corsini, P. and De Pascale, E., Edizioni AAB n. 90 Spazi Aperti – 1, abb ed., Brescia , March 2002, p. 5
Cologni, E., (2000) ‘Institutions in Great Britain: Artist as Researcher. Diagrams’, Oreste at the Venice Biennale, AAVV, Charta, Milan
2023 416 at RS1938, public art, Universita’ di Pisa, Italy
2023 where others will take me, in Winter Sculpture Park, London, UK
2021 Pratiche di Cura o Del Cur(v)are, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice, curator Gabi Scardi
2021 The body of/at work, experiential exercises, city of Venice, and Resilient Communities, Italian Pavilion, Biennale of Architecture, La Biennale di Venezia, curator Alessandro Melis, organiser Daniele Menichini;
2021 Placing Interconnectivity, experiential exercises, Parco Sempione, Milan, curator Gabi Scardi, and in conversation with Elke Krasny and Francesca Picchi.
2020 ‘Affordances of spaces’, remote experiential exercises, Ars Electronica, Garden of … Knowledge for Humanity, Austria
2018/19 'Care: from periphery to centre', Homerton College, Cambridge
2017/18 '...And Encounter', New Hall Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge
2017/18 'Dialogues Without Words', Freud Museum, London
2016 'Lived Dialectics Movement And Rest', Q21/museumsquartier, Vienna, Austria (Gulsen Bal, Walter Seidl)
2016 'Structures of Support', the Nunnery, London (curators Tessa Garland, Cinzia Cremona)
2015 'Gropius' Offcuts', screening, Open Space Kunst Zentrum, Vienna
2015 'Gropius' Offcuts', Cambridge Festival of Ideas, Impington Village College
2015 'Lo Scarto', Castelvetrano, Sicily Italy
2015 'Lo Scarto, Touch, Critical Practice #Transacting: A Market Of Values, Chelsea College of Arts, curator M Bradfield
2014 'Balancing', Doppelganger Gallery, Bari, Italy
2008 'Il Soffio, at the back of mind', Tournai Cathedral, Tournai, Belgium, June-September
2013 'Navigation Diagrams', MK Gallery, Milton Keynes (curator Simon Wright)
2013 'Spac(e)cious', Bergamo Scienza, Bergamo, Italy
2012 'Spac(e)cious', Wysing Arts Centre (curator Ellie Morgan)
2012 'Spac(e)cious', Milton Keynes Gallery (curator Simon Wright)
2012 'Views From Above', Northumberland Telescope, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, curators Elinor Morgan and Bronac Ferran, Anglia Ruskin University
2009 'Geomemos', Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Yorkshire
2009 'Re-Moved', Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow, (Glasgow international 08), curator Francis McKee, Scotland
2006 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #9', Tapra, Centre for Speech and Drama, London
2006 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #8', in Wonderful, Trieste, curator Maria Campitelli
2006 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #7', Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, curator Joel Cahen
2005 ''Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #6', Transversalities, University of Reading, intro by Lid Taylor
2005 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #5', Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, Italy, curator Boart
2005 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #4', Performance As Research In Practice, Leeds University
2005 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #3', gamec, Bergamo, Italy (Curators di Pietrantonio)
2005 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #2', International Conference Consciousness, Theatre, Literature and the Arts, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK
2005 'Mnemonic Present, Un-Folding #1', Performance Studies international # 11, Brown University, RI (USA)
1999 'Diagrammi', Venice Biennale (Oreste project)
1999 'Ancora Cerca', National Portrait Gallery London
2022 'To Handle Detachment (in action and at rest)’ in “Here. Between Not-yet and No-more”, Galleria Milano (9 May-30 June 2022), Italy
2020 Cologni, E., Eidotypes of difference as cure. From the series of experiential exercises: a) measurement of attachment to a place, in autoprogettazione, Curators: Merola, T., Pellegrini, N., Trevisan, B. Galleria Milano, Italy
2019 'Parallel Lines, Drawing and Sculpture', Royal Society of Sculptors and Ingram Collection, Woking Gallery, UK
2019 'The Shape of the Public's Health', prize shortlist, Royal Society of Public Health, London
2019 Art Initiative: 'Open Space, Parallel', Vienna, Austria, curators Gulsen Bal and Walter Seidl
2016 'Visions', at The Nunnery, London
2016 'Art, Language, Location', Ruskin Gallery and various locations, Cambridge UK
2013 'Radio Materiality', Athens Biennale curators Vessel (Viviana Checchia, Anna Santomauro)
2013 'MK Calling', MK Gallery, Milton Keynes, UK
2012 'Games Artists Play', Ruskin Gallery Cambridge, curator Bronac Ferran
2012 'Limits of Seeing (II)', Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, curators B Ferran, E Morgan
2012 'Cose Cosmiche', Artra Gallery, Milan, Italy curators Helga Franza and Silvia Hell
2012 'Re-Collect', Wysing Arts Centre, Bourn Cambridge, curator Eleanor Morgan
2011 'Action Field Kodra', Tessaloniki, Greece, curator A. Avgitidou
2009 'Performed', Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge, UK
2008 'Inside-Out', Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge UK
2008 'Triennial of Contemporary Fiber Art', Italia la Fibra Sottile, Tournai Belgium
2008 'Re-Opening', Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge UK
2008 'Glasgow International 08 Biannual', various venues, Glasgow, Director Francis McKee
2006 'Disertare Dissertare', Centro Internazionale di Arte Contemporanea, Genazzano, Rome, curators Start Wonderful, performance program Serra di Villa Revoltella, Trieste, curator Maria Campitelli
2006 'Territories of Duration...', Karþý Sanat Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, curator Gulsen Bal
2006 'Semionauti (Border Crossing)', Careof, Milan and Neoncampobase, Bologna, Italy
2004 'Tur Re Tur (Border Crossing)', Oslo Kunstforening, Oslo, Norway
2004 'Definitely Provisional', Appendiks, London UK, Copenhagen, Denmark, curator Cecilia Canziani
2004 'La Polvere Nell'Arte', Assabone, Milan, Italy, curator Elio Grazioli
2003 'Fra Autoritratto E Percezione Di Sé', Galleria Neon, Italy, curator G Gianuizzi
2003 'Tra-Monti', Rome, Italy (curator Luca Lo Pinto), funded City Council
2002 'Sguardi Dell'Arte Sull'Arte', Pinacoteca 'Tosio Martinengo', Brescia, Italy curator Enrico De Pascale
1999 'Venice Biennale', Director Harold Szeeman
Cologni E, and Visse M., (Drew University), organisers, Art & Care talks series (2020/) including: Art&Care, study day, at the Cambridge Festival (2021 and 2022)
'The journey from home to work through the experience of the Venice Weaving Factory’s workers', 14-15 December 2021, City, Public Space & Body conference, Goldsmiths, University of London
Cologni, E., Scardi, G., Krasny, E., Rudd, N., Facchin. V., Vanore, M., Melis. A., Visse, M. Elena Cologni. The Body of/at Work, 9 November 2021, in Resilient Communities, Italian Pavilion, La Biennale di Venezia
Cologni, E. (2020). ‘Prendersi cura (con) e distanziamento fisico’. In Scali Urbani conference, Livorno, Italy
Panel contribution: Elian Carsenat (FR), Erik Champion (AU), Paolo Ciuccarelli (IT/US), Elena Cologni (IT/UK), Sara Colombo (US), Markus Nordberg (CH), Melissa Terras (UK), Eveline Wandl-Vogt (AT), (2020) ‘Creating a New Normal: Arts, Design, Humanities and Social Sciences 4 Emergency?’ Ars Electronica Garden of … Knowledge for Humanity, Austria
Cologni, E., (2019) ‘Intraplaces: Ecofeminism, Care, and Spatialized Art’, in Spatial Dialogues in Feminism panel with Guillen, Melinda, and Villarroel, Fernanda Isobel. 107TH CAA Annual Conference, New York
Cologni, E., On Care, And Finding The Cur(V)E. A Geography of Difference Through Caring, performance, in Ecologies of Care: Feminist Activism panel curator Basia Sliwinska, 108TH CAA Annual Conference, Chicago, 12–15 February, 2020
Cologni, E., Gropius' Off-Cuts in 'Thinking Through... Design: Between Urban And Rural', De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill On Sea, convened by UCL Urban Laboratory, 2019
Cologni, E., On Care, and Finding the Cur(v)e. A Geometry of Difference Through Caring, two-part workshop in The Paradox European Fine Art biennial forum Art Future / Future Signs The future of contemporary fine art research and education 2019 in Riga, Latvia (programme)
Cologni, E., Buckingham, S., Bavidge J., chaired by Gluckman, E., Nomadic and Diologic: Art and Ecofeminism, New Hall Art Collection of the Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge
Cologni, E., Buckingham, S., Intraplaces: Dialogues Without Words, Freud Museum, London, London 2018
Cologni, E., Attachment & Intraplaces: Discussing a Nomadic and Dialogic Approach in Spatialized Art Practice, Artist Talk, Freud Museum, London 2018
Cologni, E., Indisciplined, London LASER (a project of Leonardo® /ISAST, the International Society for Art, Science and Technology), organised by Heather Barnett , University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins and University of Westminster (CREAM)
Cologni, E., Jones, R., 'Seeds of Attachment' in Indialogue Biannual conference 2016, Nottingham Contemporary (invited speaker)
Cologni, E., Connerton, P., Lo Scarto (touch) in Building Interdisciplinary Bridges Across Cultures, Conference, Cambridge University 2016
Cologni, E. Lo Scarto, A Dialogic Approach For The Artist As an Interface in an Intercultural Society, CARU (Contemporary Arts Research Unit) Oxford Brookes, 2015
Cologni, E., Research as Art Practice: Dialogic and In-disciplinary approach in Rockfluid, in Arts and Research, convegno Accademia di Belle Arti Catania, Miur e C.N.R., 2015
Cologni, E., Artistic Research: Practice and Research redefining each other, chaired by Prof Pam Burnard, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education, Graduate School, 2015
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS, in context, The Future of Cognitive Humanities, Oxford University, 2015
Cologni, E. ‘Research as Art Practice. A Phenomenology of Participation Based on Trust’ in Re-framing Interdisciplinary perspectives CIAN Faculty of Education (cam.ac.uk), 2013
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS, Performance Studies international (PSi)# 19, on time, Stanford University, USA
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS, on trust, Radical Space Conference, UEL, London 2013
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS, on trust, Consciousness Literature and the Arts International Conference, Lincoln University 2013
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS, Exhibiting Performance conference Westminster University, 01/03 March 2013
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS Present, Dynamics of collective and individual experiences of space and duration within specious present, adopting technologies for enhancing audience engagement, while producing forms of documentation at How Performance Thinks PSi Performance and Philosophy working group and Kingston University’s practice.research.unit, 2012
Cologni, E., SPA(E)CIOUS Present, Dynamics of collective and individual experiences of space and duration, Artra Gallery, October 2012
Cologni, E., and Saksida, L., chaired by Dr Caterina Albano (Artakt, University of the Arts London), Rockfluid, Interfacing With Memory, Science Festival, Department of Experimental Psychology Cambridge University (2012), Cambridge Science Festival 2012
Cologni, E., Rockfluid, shaping memory in transit, Performance Studies international #17, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2011
Cologni, E., Saksida, L, Rockfluid, shaping memory in transit, Science Festival, Department of Experimental Psychology Cambridge University 2011
Cologni, E. convener, 'Performed', Wysings Arts Centre, Cambridge, with Amelia Jones, Gavin Butt, Kathy Noble, Mel Brimfield, 2009
Cologni, E., Creative Practice, Creative Research, in Materiality Process Performativity, York Saint John University, 15-17 April 2009
Cologni, E., 'That spot in the 'moving picture' is you' workshop, in Performing Presence: from the live to the simulated, Centre for Intermedia, University of Exeter, UK, 28 March 2009
Cologni, E., ‘Erasure And Replacement in the present’, The Performance Studies Focus Group (PSFG) of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) USA, New Orleans, July 27-29 2007
Cologni, E., 'Scotoma', Intimacy: Across Visceral & Digital Performance, Goldsmiths College, Laban & The Albany, 7-9 December 2007, London
Cologni, E., 'Apnea', performance, Performing Heritage International Conference, The Manchester Museum and The University of Manchester, 2008
Cologni, E., ‘Tracing’, performative video live installation Performance As Research In Practice Conference, University of Bristol, 11-14 September 2003