b. 1979, Turin, Italy

Paolo Cirio’s practice confronts the complexities and contradictions of our data-driven society through critical lenses. His work provocatively examines the impact of technology, economics, and politics while advocating for human rights and social justice. Cirio’s research-based artworks and interventions are presented across various mediums, both offline and online, employing diverse formats, such as installations and documentary practices. 

Cirio’s work frequently addresses themes such as mass surveillance, hacking, and the commodification of personal data. Notable projects include Obscurity (2016), which features blurred online mugshots to contest digital privacy, and Capture (2020), which utilized facial recognition software to collect thousands of publicly available images of police officers. By reversing surveillance mechanisms onto those in power, Ciro’s practice has ignited legal and political controversy, provoking critical debates on privacy, consent, and the asymmetry of power.

Paolo Cirio has exhibited at major international institutions including Kunsthalle Wien; Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin; Tate Modern, London; BOZAR, Brussels; Vancouver Art Gallery; MIT Museum, Boston; SMAK, Ghent; C/O Berlin; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Somerset House, London; MoCA Sydney; ZKM, Karlsruhe; MAK, Vienna; MoCA Taipei; and NTT ICC, Tokyo. His work has received prestigious awards and honorary mentions including the Golden Nica at Ars Electronica (2014) and the Hamburg University City Science Lab Award (2022).