En | Simone Mannino (Palermo, 1981) is a contemporary visual artist, set designer and theatre director, working between Palermo, Paris and Tunis. His work blends painting, sculpture, performance and scenography, creating visionary experiences where aesthetics, emotion, and concept converge.
After graduating from art school, he studied Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Palermo, later continuing his training outside traditional academic paths. In 1999, at just eighteen years old, he started his career as a set designer and assistant at the Teatro Garibaldi in Palermo – Union des Théâtres d’Europe, collaborating alongside internationally renowned directors and personalities such as Carlo Cecchi, Matteo Bavera, Titina Maselli, Wilfred Minks, George Lavaudant, Peter Brook, Krzysztof Warlikowski, and Antonio Latella.
In 2011, he founded Atelier Nostra Signora, a multidisciplinary collective based in Palermo and Istanbul, known for experimental productions that merge visual arts, cinema, and theatre. His works have been presented in public and private institutions in Italy and abroad, often in unconventional venues such as the MEAT/ING Art exhibition in a former butcher shop in Venice (2011) and the HOTEL ITALIA installation at Mixer Art during the 13th International Istanbul Biennial (2013).
Since 2012, his scenography and multidisciplinary performances have been staged in major theaters and festivals in Switzerland, Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and Tunisia. In 2018, he made his opera debut at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, designing sets for Falstaff by Verdi and Lucia di Lammermoor (2019) by Donizetti, productions conducted by Valery Gergiev, still in repertoire today.
Mannino’s work, has received multiple awards and nominations, including the National E.T.I. Gli Olimpici Le Maschere del Teatro Award (Best Set Designer and Best Costume Designer, 2012), a UBU Award nomination for Best Set Design (C’è del Pianto in queste Lacrime 2013), the Afife National Theatre Award nomination for Best Set Designer in Turkey (Kalp Düğümü 2015), and the ANCT Critics’ Award for Best Show of the Year (Fedra 2016).
His directing credits include Womb Tomb inspired by Jean Cocteau’s The Infernal Machine (Istanbul, 2013), Bluebeard Never Dies (Sofia, 2015), Hard to Be Pinocchio (Milan and Palermo, 2018), Prometheus the Blue Kangaroo (Bremen, Tunis, Palermo, 2022) and EL from Il Sole Invincible by Claudia Salvatori and Heliogabale by Antonin Artaud (Tunis, 2023).
From 2020 to 2023, he was an artist-in-residence in Paris at the Centre International d’Accueil et d’Échanges des Récollets, where he developed the exhibition and performance Incarner la Bête (Paris 2022). In 2019, he returned to Palermo and began restoring a 17th-century deconsecrated church, now the new home of Atelier Nostra Signora, scheduled to open in 2025.
He is currently working on the Mediterranean Theatre Ensemble, fostering artistic collaboration between Europe, the Maghreb, and North Africa, exploring new dramaturgies and innovative forms of stage expression.
It | Simone Mannino (Palermo, 1981) è un artista visivo, pittore, scultore, scenografo e regista teatrale italiano, attivo tra Italia, Francia e Tunisia. La sua visione interdisciplinare, sviluppata nel contesto teatrale, si riflette in ogni sua creazione, dove estetica, emozione e concetto convergono in un linguaggio visionario e riconoscibile.
Dopo il liceo artistico, intraprende gli studi di Scultura all’Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo, scegliendo poi di proseguire la sua formazione al di fuori dei percorsi accademici tradizionali. Nel 1999, a soli diciotto anni, inizia il suo apprendistato come scenografo e assistente al Teatro Garibaldi di Palermo – Union des Théâtres d’Europe, grazie al quale si forma collaborando con registi e maestri di fama internazionale come Carlo Cecchi, Matteo Bavera, Titina Maselli, Wilfred Minks, George Lavaudant, Peter Brook, Krzysztof Warlikowski e Antonio Latella.
Nel 2011 fonda e diventa direttore artistico dell’Atelier Nostra Signora, un ensemble multidisciplinare con sedi a Palermo e Istanbul, noto per le sue produzioni sperimentali che intrecciano arti visive, cinema e teatro. Le sue opere sono esposte in istituzioni pubbliche e private in Italia e all’estero, con installazioni e mostre in luoghi insoliti come la mostra MEAT/ING Art all’interno di un’ex macelleria a Venezia (2011), e l’installazione HOTEL ITALIA, Mixer Art in occasione della 13ª Biennale Internazionale di Istanbul (2013).
Dal 2012 le sue scenografie e suoi spettacoli multidisciplinari sono presentati nei maggiori teatri e festival in Svizzera, Turchia, Germania, Francia, Italia, Russia e Tunisia. Nel 2018 debutta nel mondo della lirica al Teatro Mariinsky di San Pietroburgo, firmando le scenografie per Falstaff di Verdi e Lucia di Lammermoor (2019) di Donizetti, entrambe le opere dirette dal maestro Valery Gergiev e ancora oggi in repertorio.
Il suo lavoro è stato riconosciuto con premi e nomination prestigiose: nel 2012 riceve il Premio Nazionale E.T.I. Gli Olimpici Le Maschere del Teatro come Miglior Scenografo e Miglior Costumista; nel 2013 è candidato al Premio UBU per la Miglior Scenografia con C’è del Pianto in queste Lacrime; nel 2015 ottiene una nomination al 19° Premio Nazionale del Teatro Afife in Turchia come Miglior Scenografo dell’anno per Kalp Düğümü; nel 2016 il Premio della Critica ANCT per Fedra come Miglior Spettacolo dell’anno, in cui firma scene e costumi.
Tra le sue regie: Womb Tomb, ispirato a “La macchina infernale” di Jean Cocteau (Teatro Garajistanbul, Istanbul 2013); Bluebeard Never Dies (Sfumato Theater, Sofia 2015); Hard to Be Pinocchio (Teatro Out Off, Milano e Teatro Biondo, Palermo 2018); Prometheus the Blue Kangaroo (L’Art Rue; Theater Bremen; Teatro Biondo; Journées Théâtrales de Carthage, Tunisi 2022); EL dal Il Sole Invincibile di Claudia Salvatori e Heliogabale di Antonin Artaud (Théâtre le Rio, Tunisi 2023).
Dal 2020 al 2023 è artista in residenza a Parigi presso il Centre International d’Accueil et d’Échanges des Récollets. Nel 2019 rientra a Palermo e inizia il restauro di un’ex chiesa sconsacrata del XVII secolo, riportata alla luce dopo anni di abbandono, ora sede di Atelier Nostra Signora, la cui apertura è prevista per il 2025. Oggi lavora alla creazione di un Ensemble Teatrale del Mediterraneo, con l’obiettivo di promuovere la collaborazione artistica tra Europa, Maghreb e Nord Africa, esplorando attraverso drammaturgie originali, nuove forme di espressione scenica.
Fr | Simone Mannino (Palermo, 1981) est un artiste plasticien italien, peintre, sculpteur, scénographe et metteur en scène. Il vit et travaille entre l’Italie, la France et la Tunisie. Sa vision interdisciplinaire, façonnée par des années de travail dans le théâtre, mêle esthétique, émotion et concept pour créer un langage artistique distinctif et reconnaissable.
Après avoir obtenu son diplôme d’école d’art, il a étudié la sculpture à l’Académie des Beaux-Arts de Palerme, poursuivant ensuite sa formation en dehors des chemins académiques traditionnels. En 1999, à seulement dix-huit ans, il débute sa carrière comme scénographe et assistant au Teatro Garibaldi de Palerme – Union des Théâtres d’Europe, collaborant aux côtés des metteurs en scène et maîtres de renommée internationale tels que Carlo Cecchi, Matteo Bavera, Titina Maselli, Wilfred Minks, George Lavaudant, Peter Brook, Krzysztof Warlikowski et Antonio Latella.
En 2011, il fonde Atelier Nostra Signora, un collectif multidisciplinaire basé à Palerme et Istanbul, reconnu pour ses productions expérimentales mêlant arts visuels, cinéma et théâtre. Ses œuvres ont été présentées dans des institutions publiques et privées en Italie et à l’étranger, souvent dans des lieux atypiques, comme l’exposition MEAT/ING Art dans une ancienne boucherie à Venise (2011) et l’installation HOTEL ITALIA lors de Mixer Art à la 13e Biennale Internationale d’Istanbul (2013).
Depuis 2012, ses scénographies et performances multidisciplinaires sont présentées dans les plus grands théâtres et festivals en Suisse, Turquie, Allemagne, France, Italie, Russie et Tunisie. En 2018, il fait ses débuts dans l’opéra au Théâtre Mariinsky de Saint-Pétersbourg, signant les décors pour Falstaff de Verdi et Lucia di Lammermoor (2019) de Donizetti, sous la direction du maestro Valery Gergiev, productions toujours au répertoire.
Le travail de Mannino a reçu de nombreux prix et nominations, notamment le prix national E.T.I. Gli Olimpici Le Maschere del Teatro (meilleur scénographe et meilleur costumier, 2012), une nomination au prix UBU pour la meilleure scénographie (C’è del Pianto in queste Lacrime, 2013), une nomination au prix national du théâtre Afife en Turquie (Kalp Düğümü, 2015) et le prix de la critique ANCT pour le meilleur spectacle de l’année (Fedra, 2016).
Parmi ses mises en scène figurent Womb Tomb, inspiré librement de La Machine infernale de Jean Cocteau (Istanbul, 2013), Bluebeard Never Dies (Sofia, 2015), Hard to Be Pinocchio (Milan et Palerme, 2018), Prometheus the Blue Kangaroo (Brême, Tunis, Palerme, 2022) et EL tiré du Soleil Invincible de Claudia Salvatori et Héliogabale d’Antonin Artaud (Tunis, 2023).
De 2020 à 2023, il a été artiste en résidence à Paris au Centre International d’Accueil et d’Échanges des Récollets, où il a développé l’exposition et performance Incarner la Bête (Paris, 2022). En 2019, il revient à Palerme et commence la restauration d’une église désacralisée du XVIIe siècle, désormais siège d’Atelier Nostra Signora, dont l’ouverture est prévue en 2025.
Il travaille actuellement à la création d’un Ensemble Théâtral Méditerranéen, visant à promouvoir la collaboration artistique entre l’Europe, le Maghreb et l’Afrique du Nord, explorant de nouvelles dramaturgies et formes innovantes d’expression scénique.
CV
ESSENTIAL THEATER PRODUCTIONS:
2025 – Set design for ORPHEUS GROOVE by Annalisa d’Amato, Napoli Teatro Festival, Théâtre Molière SETE, Théâtre de l’Aquarium – PARIS
2024 – Set design for TURANDOT by Carlo Gozzi, directed by Andrea Collavino, Teatro Nazionale di Genova – GENOVA
2023 – Adaptation, set design and directed for EL, by Claudia Salvatori and Simone Mannino, Théâtre le RIO, Atelier Nostra Signora, Ensemble Théâtral Mediterraneo – TUNIS
2023 – Set design and directed for PROMETHEUS, by Lorenzo Marsili and Simone Mannino, Ouverture 57° Festival Internazionale di Hammamet – HAMMAMET
2022 – Adaptation, set design and directed by PROMETEO Il canguro azzurro, Teatro Biondo, Theater Bremen, Journées Théâtrales de Carthage – TUNIS
2021 – Set and Costume design for SOLARIS by David Greig, directed by Andrea De Rosa, Teatro Gustavo Modena, Teatro Nazionale di Genova – GENOVA
2019 – Set and Costume design for SATYRICON by Francesco Piccolo, directed by Andrea De Rosa, Teato Argentina ROMA – Teatro Grande POMPEI
2019 – Set and Costume design for PULCINELLA IN PURGATORIO by Linda Dalisi, directed by Andrea De Rosa, Teatro Mercadante NAPOLI
2018 – Set design for LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR by Gaetano Donizetti, Musical director Valéry Gergiev at Mariinsky Theatre SAINT PETERSBURG
2018 – Adaptation, set design and directed by HARD TO BE PINOCCHIO at Teatro Out Off MILANO
2018 – Set design for FALSTAFF by Giuseppe Verdi, Musical director Valéry Gergiev at Mariinsky Theatre SAINT PETERSBURG
2017 – Set design for LE BACCANTI directed by Andrea De Rosa, Teatro Grande POMPEI
2017 – Set design for TROILO VS CRESSIDA directed by Ricci/Forte, Teatro Biondo Palermo, Festival dei due mondi SPOLETO
2016 – Set design for CALIGULA directed by Antonio Latella, Theater Basel Schauspielhaus – BASEL
2016 – Set and costume design for ODIPUS directed by Antonio Latella, Theater Basel Schauspielhaus – BASEL
2015 – Directed for BLUEBEARD NEVER DIES by Giuseppe Massa, at Sfumato Theater, Bulgaria – SOFIA
2015 – Set and costume design for FEDRA directed by Andrea De Rosa, ERT emilia romagna Teatro, Teatro Bonci – CESENA
2014 – Set and costume design (together with Simona d’Amico) for NATALE IN CASA CUPIELLO directed by Antonio Latella, Teatro Argentina – ROMA
2014 – Set and costume design for FALSTAFF directed by Andrea De Rosa, Teatro Stabile Torino – TORINO
2013 – Directed by WOMB TOMB Loosely based on “The Infernal Machine” by Jean Cocteau, Garajinstanbul Theatre – ISTANBUL
2013 – Set design (together with Jesse Gagliardi) for GARAJ directed by Ipek Bilgin, Theatre Craft (National prize for the best turkish show 2013) – ISTANBUL
2012 – Set and costume design (together with Simona d’Amico) for C’è del Pianto in queste lacrime, directed by Antonio Latella, Compagnia Stabile/Mobile, Teatro San Ferdinando, Napoli Teatro Festival – NAPOLI.
2012 – Sets and costumes for Richard III, directed by Giuseppe Massa, Teatro Montevergini di Palermo, Teatro Coppola di Catania, Teatro Valle – ROMA.
2011 – Carta delle circostanze, site-specific show for International Festival of Theatre Frontiere Liquide Ortigia, Union des Théatres de l’Europe – SIRACUSA
2011 – Teatro museo delle tracce, site-specific show, the Vicaria, Compagnia sud costa occidentale Emma Dante – PALERMO
2011 – Set designer and actor for Aiace e Filottete by George Lavaudant, Teatro Garibaldi alla Kalsa, Teatro Stabile di Torino, Piccolo Teatro di Milano – MILANO
2009 – Artist and Technical Manager for La porta della bellezza by Fondazione Fiumara d’Arte, monumental work in clay, Librino – CATANIA
2007 – Artist and creator of the project Stock Contemporary art show, in collaboration with CLAC and 3hoch3 PALERMO – NUERNBERG
2006 – Artist Residence, host of the Symposium Scharf – Schùtze Aktionskonglomerat (Germany) – NUERNBERG
2005 – Assistant Designer for Gatta di pezza, directed by Franco Scaldati and Matteo Bavera, Festival di Benevento – NAPOLI
2005 – Set Designer for Passo a Due, with Enzo Moscato e Franco Scaldati, (Teatro Garibaldi, Palermo) – PALERMO
2005 – Curator of the Visual Arts Exhibition Ante-Prima frequenze contemporanee, Teatro Garibaldi in collaboration with Galleria Prati – PALERMO
2003 – Author and actor of the show Venduto, directed by Michel Ferraro, Galleria Bianca, Cantieri culturali della Zisa – PALERMO
2003 – Screenwriter for the film Patio Nigro, directed by Michel Ferraro, (showed at Cannes and Bellaria Film Festival)
2002 – Set designer for the multimedia show Iseneg, directed by Michel Ferraro, Teatro Garibaldi – PALERMO
2002 – Assistant Designer for K L’agrimensore, directed by Claudio Collovà, (sets and costumes by Mela Dell’Erba) – Teatro Garibaldi, PALERMO
2002 – Assistant Designer for the show Querelle, Direction Antonio Latella, (set and costume by Mela Dell’Erba) 11th Festival dell’unione dei teatri d’Europa – LIONE, LILLE, HANNOVER
2001 – Assistant designer for Leonce e Lena, directed by Carlo Cecchi, (set and costume by Titina Maselli) – 10th Festival dell’unione dei teatri d’Europa, Teatro Garibaldi di Palermo alla Kalsa
2001 – Set designer for the setting up of Wilfred Minks’ exhibition, curated by Giorgio Ursini – during the 10th Festival dell’unione dei teatri d’Europa
2000 – Associate designer for Sik Sik and Le Nozze, by Carlo Cecchi, (set and costumes by Titina Maselli), Teatro Garibaldi di Palermo alla Kalsa – Teatro Liure, BARCELLONA
PREMI / AWARDS:
2012 E.T.I. National Prize “Le Maschere” for Best Italian Set and Costume Designer.
2013 UBU Award 2013, nomination for Best Set Design for C’è del Pianto in queste Lacrime.
2015 19th Afife Theatre Awards, nomination for Best Set Design of the Year for Kalp Düğümü.
2016 ANCT Critics’ Award for Best Production of the Year for the play Fedra.
ESSENTIAL SOLO SHOWS:
INCARNER LA BÊTE, Chapelle des Récollets, PARIS, 2022.
OVERTURE, Biennale Arcipelago Mediterraneo, TransEuropa, Fondazione Merz, PALERMO, 2019.
DERIVE, territori con spettatori, Vicaria Sud Costa Occidentale Emma Dante, PALERMO, 2010.
FUORI SOGGETTO, Foundation of Palazzo Sambuca PALERMO, 2008.
ESSENTIAL GROUP SHOWS:
REINE DE PARIS, Galerie 59 Rivoli, PARIS, 2020.
IL CORPO OFFESO, Le Mosche, PALERMO, 2015.
HOTEL ITALIA, Mixer Art, 13th International Istanbul Biennial, ISTANBUL, 2013.
IO Siamo/Santa Chiara, Contemporary Art Museum RISO, PALERMO, 2012.
MEAT/ING Art from Palermo to Venice, site-specific installation, VENICE, 2011.
CARTA DELLE CIRCOSTANZE, Festival of Frontiere Liquide, SIRACUSA, 2011.
THE TRIUMPH OF DEATH, Epicentro Art Gallery, BERLIN, 2010.
STOCK Contemporary art show, CLAC Palermo, NUERNBERG, 2007.