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Annalaura di Luggo

Annalaura di Luggo (born 1970, Naples) is an Italian multimedia artist, film director and filmmaker known for combining photography, video installations, and digital media in works addressing social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and human perception. Her practice often centers on the symbolism of the eye and vision, using interactive installations to explore identity, diversity, and human connection.

Early life and education

Di Luggo was born in Naples, Italy, where she continues to live and work. Originally trained in painting, she expanded her artistic practice to include photography and new media, developing a visual language that integrates technology with social commentary.

Career

Her artistic journey spans multimedia research, photography, video, and film direction. Her works and installations merge technology with craftsmanship, transforming viewers into active participants and inviting them to reflect on social and environmental issues. Most of her artistic research centers on the human and animal eye. Her Intro-Spectio series constitutes a cycle of works that investigates the relationship between vision and interiority, articulated through both static and dynamic multimedia installations. Over the years, the artist has explored themes such as human rights (for the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation), incarceration (Never Give Up for the Juvenile Penitentiary of Nisida), blindness (Blind Vision), presented at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2018, and disability (Oculus-Spei, commissioned by the Pantheon, Rome, in 2024). She has also focused on youth issues including bullying and addiction (Collòculi, presented at the Museo Nazionale Romano and at the Parco Archeologico di Pompei). Her research has further extended to the animal world, nature, and biodiversity, notably within the context of the 58th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale (Dominican Republic Pavilion, 2019), where she exhibited Genesis and the video Narratur. Her work has been discussed by art critics and cultural scholars including Her work has been the subject of essays by prominent art critics and cultural figures, including Paco Barragán, Raisa Clavijo, Hap Erstein, Timothy Hardfield, Stephen Knudsen, Paul Laster, Ivan D’Alberto, Stefano Biolchini, Francesco Gallo, Irene Galuppo, Demetrio Paparoni Aldo Gerbino, Giulia Gueci, Angelo Mistrangelo, Marcello Palminteri, Gabriele Perretta, Nicoletta Provenzano, Antonello Tolve, Vincenzo Trione, and Andrea Viliani. Monographs and exhibition catalogues on her work have been published by Artium Publishing (Miami), Silvana Editoriale, JUS Museum Edizioni, Sala Editori, and Artem. Her works are regularly showcased in major national and international art fairs and are included in public and private collections worldwide.

Intro-Spectio

Intro-Spectio is a cycle of artworks by Annalaura di Luggo dedicated to exploring the relationship between vision and interiority through both static and dynamic formats. The works employ photographic images, plexiglass, aluminum (dibond), and video projections to create multilayered compositions that unfold across shifting visual planes. Centered on the recurring motif of the iris—often placed in correspondence with the heart area—the series reflects on the gaze as a means of awareness, empathy, and connection.

The series has been presented in several major institutional venues, including the Museo Nazionale Romano – Terme di Diocleziano in Rome, the Complesso Monumentale dello Steri – Palazzo Chiaramonte in Palermo, and the PAN – Palazzo delle Arti Napoli, among others.

Oculus-Spei

In 2022, the artist created Oculus-Spei, curated by Ivan D'Alberto.

Oculus-Spei is an interactive multimedia installation, first presented inside the Pantheon in Rome from December 2024 to March 2025. The work is inspired by the symbolism of the Holy Doors traditionally opened during the Jubilee year.

Commissioned by the Pantheon for the 2025 Jubilee, the installation takes the form of five virtual doors. The first four engage people with disabilities from different parts of the world, who become protagonists of a luminous and participatory dialogue. The fifth door employs gesture-recognition cameras to project the visitor's own image behind virtual bars. A beam of light breaks the barrier, symbolically transforming the experience into one of liberation, forgiveness, and spiritual awakening.

Presented under the patronage of the 2025 Jubilee and the Italian Ministries of Culture, Foreign Affairs, and Justice, Oculus-Spei was experienced by more than two million visitors during its exhibition at the Pantheon.

di Luggo also directed the short film Oculus-Spei, which blends the installation's visual elements with personal testimonies on hope and shared spirituality. The film qualified "for consideration" for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best Documentary Short category.

Oculus-Spei Exhibitions

  • Rome, Pantheon — December 2024 to March 2025
  • Florence, Museo de’ Medici, Rotonda Brunelleschi — April 2025
  • Turin, Chapel of the Holy Shroud, Royal Museums — June 2025 to October 2025
  • Naples, Museo del Tesoro di San Gennaro — November 2025 - February 2026 (promoted by Neapolis 2500 and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Oculus-Spei Fragmenta

  • Sulmona, 52nd Sulmona Prize — October 2025 to November 2025

Colloculi > We Are Art

In 2022, the artist created Colloculi > We Are Art curated by Gabriele Perretta, with critic texts by Demetrio Paparoni and Antonello Tolve

“Colloculi” is an immersive, multi-media, interactive art installation constructed in the shape of a Giant Eye made of recycled aluminum, symbolizing environmental rebirth and recycling.

Through the pupil is projected the Multimedia installation "We Are Art". The starting point are the eyes of four young adults, who reveal through the languages of video art, sound design and immersive reality, how they overcame adversities such as bullying, racial discrimination, blindness, alcohol and crime allowing the viewer in the gallery, through virtual technology, to interact and become part of the installation.

The creative process is narrated in the documentary We Are Art Through the Eyes of Annalaura directed by the same artist.

Colloculi/We Are Art Exhibitions

  • Naples Banco di Napoli Foundation preview 2022.
  • Naples MANN – National Archaeological Museum of Naples, 2022-2023
  • Chieti Palazzo De’ Mayo Museum, 2024
  • Rome National Roman Museum – Baths of Diocletian, 2024-2025
  • Pompeii Pompeii Archaeological Park, 2024–2025

Blind Vision

In 2017, the artist created Blind Vision, curated by Raisa Clavijo.

Blind Vision arises from di Luggo's interest in exploring the universe of people who perceive the world with senses other than sight. The multimedia installation (permanently displayed at the Museum of the P. Colosimo Institute in Naples). It showed the eyes of a group of 20 totally or partially blind people. It was reviewed by Paul Laster, Paco Barragan, and Timothy Hadfield.

Blind Vision Exhibitions

  • Basel Art Fair,
  • New York Italian Consulate,
  • New York - United Nations.
  • Cortina d’Ampezzo,
  • Naples at the Colosimo Museum and in Piazza dei Martiri,

Napoli Eden

Napoli Eden is a set of four site-specific monumental installations open to the public held across four squares (Triumphus - Piazza Municipio, Pyramid Galleria Umberto I, Geminus Largo Baracche, Harmonia Largo Santa Caterina), in the city of Naples, Italy. This project inspired the creation of the feature docu-film “Napoli Eden”, based on a concept by di Luggo, directed by Bruno Colella with music by Eugenio Bennato, cinematography by Blasco Giurato, creative consultancy by Stanley Isaacs. It was inspired by the true story of the artist when she decided to install her artworks and to involve some troubled young people from the Spanish Quarters of Naples in the construction of Pyramid, a metallic tree of 10 meters, made by aluminum scraps to stimulate new life prospects and "a journey towards the light."

Napoli Eden premiered in Rome at the Arena Adriano studios and was qualified as “Film d’essai”. The film won various awards at international festivals, including: Impact DOCS Awards California; Hollywood Gold Awards 2020; L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival 2020; Venice Film Awards 2020 and a special mention of the critical jury at Social World Film Festival 2020.

Napoli Eden passed the admission selection to the 93rd Academy Awards and qualified for consideration for documentary feature.

Napoli Eden Exhibitions

  • Naples 2018-2019
  • Milan Citylife Ad Lumen 2020

Permanent expositions

  • Milan via Manzoni, 38 Geminus
  • Naples via Brin, 63 Harmonia

Selected exhibitions

Solo exhibitions

  • 2025-2026 – Oculus-Spei, Museum of the Treasury of San Gennaro, Naples Cathedral. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto. (Catalogue: Jus Museum; texts by Ivan D’Alberto, Mons Vincenzo Dr Gregorio et al.)
  • 2025 – Oculus-Spei, Chapel of the Holy Shroud, Royal Museums, Turin. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto. (Catalogue: Artem; texts by Ivan D’Alberto, Don Alessio Geretti et al.)
  • 2025 – Oculus-Spei, Medici Museum, Florence. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto.
  • 2024-2025 – Oculus-Spei, Pantheon, Rome. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto. (Catalogue: Sala Editori; texts by Ivan D’Alberto, Gabriella Musto et al.)
  • 2024-2025 – Collòculi@Pompei, Pompeii Archaeological Park, Forum Baths, Pompeii. Curated by Antonello Tolve. (Catalogue: Artem; texts by Antonello Tolve, Gabriele Perretta et al.)
  • 2024 – Collòculi / Intro-Spectio, National Roman Museum, Baths of Diocletian, Rome. Curated by Gabriele Perretta. (Catalogue: Silvana Editoriale; texts by Gabriele Perretta, Demetrio Paparoni, Marcello Palminteri et al.)
  • 2024 – Collòculi, Fondazione Banco Napoli, Palazzo de’ Mayo, Chieti.
  • 2023 – Oscurità e Sommersione, Complesso Monumentale dello Steri, Palazzo Chiaramonte, Palermo. Curated by Aldo Gerbino. (Catalogue: JUS Museum Edizioni & Accademia di Scienze Mediche “F. Ingrassia”; texts by Aldo Gerbino et al.)
  • 2023 – Multum Animo Vidit, PAN – Palazzo delle Arti Napoli. Curated by Filomena Maria Sardella. (Catalogue: JUS Museum Edizioni; texts by Filomena Maria Sardella and Aldo Gerbino.)
  • 2023 – Intro-Spectio, Global Fine Art, New York.
  • 2022 – Collòculi > We Are Art, MANN – Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Curated by Gabriele Perretta. (Catalogue: JUS Museum Edizioni; texts by Gabriele Perretta, Marcello Palminteri et al.)
  • 2022 – Collòculi > We Are Art (preview), Fondazione Banco Napoli, Naples. Curated by Gabriele Perretta.
  • 2022 – Innesti (with Lucia Gangheri), Millenium Gallery, Bologna. Curated by Rita Alessandra Fusco and Marcello Palminteri.
  • 2021 – Iride, Ex Museo Paleontologico, within the exhibition +Divenire (LVII Agosto Corcianese), Corciano (PG). Curated by Gabriele Perretta.
  • 2020 – Ad Lumen (from Napoli Eden), three installations for Natale degli Alberi, CityLife Shopping District, Milan.
  • 2019 – Traiettorie d’incanto. Per Farinelli, Palazzo Nunziante, Naples. Curated by Marcello Palminteri.
  • 2019 – Annalaura di Luggo, Consolato Generale d’Italia, New York.
  • 2019 – Napoli Eden, dispersed site-specific installations across Naples. Curated by Francesco Gallo Mazzeo.
  • 2018 – Blind Vision, United Nations Headquarters, New York (11th World Conference on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). Curated by Raisa Clavijo.
  • 2017 – Human Rights Vision, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence. Curated by Fabrizio Moretti.
  • 2017 – Blind Vision, Istituto Paolo Colosimo, Naples. Curated by Raisa Clavijo. (Catalogue: Artium Publishing; texts by Raisa Clavijo, Luigi Caramiello, Stephen Knudsen, Andrea Viliani et al.)
  • 2016 – An Triebe im Wandel (with Falk Kastel), 28 Heidelberger Symposium, Neue Universität, Heidelberg.
  • 2016 – Never Give Up, European Center for the Study of Deviance and Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Penitentiary Institute, Nisida (Naples). Curated by Guido Cabib.
  • 2016 – Sea Vision, seven installations, Genoa International Boat Show, Genoa. Curated by Luigi Caramiello.
  • 2016 – Occh-IO / Eye-I, Sporting Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Curated by Guido Cabib.
  • 2016 – Occh-IO / Eye-I, White Dot Gallery, Miami. Curated by Giada Baselice.
  • 2015 – Occh-IO / Eye-I, The Format Contemporary Culture Gallery, Milan. Curated by Guido Cabib.
  • 2015 – Occh-IO, Specchio dell’anima, Fondazione Le Stelline, Milan.

Group exhibitions

  • 2025 – Per via del tutto eccezionale #2, Fondazione Bianca e Filiberto Menna, Rome. Curated by Antonello Tolve.
  • 2025 – 52° Premio Sulmona, Sulmona (AQ). Curated by Ivan D’Alberto.
  • 2023 – The Flow of the Future, Nhow, Milan. Curated by Alessia Bennani.
  • 2023 – Incarta/Incanta, JUS Museum | Galleria d’Arte, Naples.
  • 2022 – In-pressionem, JUS Museum | Galleria d’Arte, Naples.
  • 2020 – Medialismi 2.0, various locations, Corciano (PG). Curated by Gabriele Perretta.
  • 2020 – AlphaBeta, Spoleto Arte Incontro Art Gallery, Spoleto (PG). Curated by Francesco Gallo Mazzeo.
  • 2020 – AlphaBeta, Alessandro Vitiello Home Gallery, Rome. Curated by Francesco Gallo Mazzeo.
  • 2020 – AlphaBeta, JUS Museum, Naples. Curated by Francesco Gallo Mazzeo.
  • 2019 – Genesis, 58th Venice Biennale, Dominican Republic Pavilion, Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, Venice.
  • 2016 – Questa casa non è un albergo, Officine Miramare, Reggio Calabria. Curated by Giuseppe Capparelli.

Filmography

Oculus-Spei (2025)

  • Documentary, 20 minutes
  • Written and directed by Annalaura di Luggo

The short film Oculus-Spei qualified "for consideration" for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best Documentary Short category.

Qualifications

  • 2026 Academy Awards: In consideration for Best Documentary Short

Awards – Best Documentary

  • Hollywood Gold Awards - Silver award

Nominations

  • The Impact DOCS Awards
  • International Art Film Festival
  • Miami Beach Film Festival

We Are Art. Through the Eyes of Annalaura (2023)

  • Documentary, 69 minutes
  • Written and directed by Annalaura di Luggo

We Are Art. Through the Eyes of Annalaura was qualified "for consideration" for the 2022 Academy Awards in the categories Best Documentary Feature and Best Original Song.

Qualifications

  • Listed as Film d’essai
  • 2022 Academy Awards: In consideration for Best Documentary Feature and Best Original Song

Nominations

Blind Vision (2022)

  • Documentary, 23 minutes
  • From an idea by Annalaura di Luggo
  • Directed by Annalaura di Luggo and Nanni Zedda

Awards – Best Documentary

  • Niagara Falls International Film Festival, New York (2018)
  • Fort Myers International Film Festival, Miami (2019)

Napoli Eden (2021)

  • Film-documentary, 74 minutes
  • Directed by Bruno Colella
  • written by Annalaura di Luggo

Qualifications

  • Listed as Film d’essai
  • 2021 Academy Awards: In consideration for Best Documentary Feature
  • Selected by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) for international cultural promotion

Awards – Best Documentary

  • Impact DOCS Awards, La Jolla (2020)
  • Hollywood Gold awards (2020)
  • Venice Film Awards, Venice (2020)
  • Social World Film Festival, Vico Equense (2020) — *Special Jury Mention for Annalaura di Luggo*
  • Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival, Gainesville (2021)

Nominations

  • On Art Film Festival (Varsavia – Polland) (2020)
  • The New Fest -True Stories (Los Angeles) (2020)
  • The Scene Festival (Washington) (2020)
  • International Art Festival (London)(2020)

Narratur (2019)

  • Short film presented at the 58th Venice Biennale (Dominican Republic Pavilion)
  • Written and directed by Annalaura di Luggo

Never Give Up (2016)

  • Short film
  • Written and directed by Annalaura di Luggo

Bibliography

  • Annalaura di Luggo, Oculus-Spei. Exhibition catalogue for the Museum of the Treasury of San Gennaro, Naples Cathedral. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto. Jus Museum, Naples, 2025.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Oculus-Spei. Exhibition catalogue for the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, Royal Museums, Turin. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto. Artem, Naples, 2025. ISBN 978-88-569-1031-5.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Oculus-Spei. Exhibition catalogue for the Pantheon, Rome. Curated by Ivan D’Alberto. Sala Editori, Pescara, 2024. ISBN 978-88-32196-41-2.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Collòculi @Pompei. Exhibition catalogue for the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Curated by Antonello Tolve. Texts by Antonello Tolve and Gabriele Perretta. Artem, Naples, 2024. ISBN 978-88-569-1016-2.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Collòculi | Intro-Spectio. Exhibition catalogue for the National Roman Museum, Baths of Diocletian, Rome. Curated by Gabriele Perretta. Texts by Gabriele Perretta and Demetrio Paparoni. Silvana Editoriale, 2024. ISBN 978-88-366592-7-2.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Intro-Spectio. Exhibition catalogue for the Complesso Monumentale dello Steri, Palazzo Chiaramonte, Palermo. Curated by Aldo Gerbino. JUS Museum Edizioni & Accademia di Scienze Mediche di Palermo G.F. Ingrassia, 2023. ISBN 978-89-4457087-7-0.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Multum Animo Vidit. Exhibition catalogue for PAN – Palazzo delle Arti di Napoli. Curated by Filomena Maria Sardella. Texts by Aldo Gerbino and Filomena Maria Sardella. JUS Museum Edizioni, 2023.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Collòculi > We Are Art. Exhibition catalogue for the MANN – Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Curated by Gabriele Perretta. Texts by Paolo Giulierini, Ludovico Solima, Marcello Palminteri, Stanley Isaacs, and Greg Ferris. JUS Museum Edizioni, 2022. ISBN 978-88-944587-2-5.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Blind Vision. Curated by Raisa Clavijo. Texts by Raisa Clavijo, Luigi Caramiello, Stephen Knudsen, Paul Laster, and Andrea Viliani. Artium Publishing, Miami. ISBN 978-0-9960288-2-0.
  • Annalaura di Luggo, Genesis. Catalogue for the Pavilion of the Dominican Republic, 58th Venice Biennale. JUS Museum Edizioni, 2019. ISBN 978-88-944587-1-8.

External links

References