Brazilian, born in Sao Paulo, Aby is a performance designer, exhibition designer and curator, artistic director and educator, currently living in United Kingdom.
Awarded GOLDEN TRIGA PQ2011 as Designer and Curator for Brazil` National Exhibition. PQ2015 Artistic Team as International Curator for SharedSpace/ POLITICS. Awarded with the 2013 IDCA – International Communication Design Awards for MixMax Brasil project made for the TropenMusem, in Amsterdam.
Large international experience working as freelancer/sole-trader for Theatre, Film, Exhibition and live events. Currently working as Head of Postgraduate Department at Backstage Academy / Production Park in UK.
PhD in Theatre Practice and Theory and MA in Performance Design at University of Sao Paulo with focus on the design practice in the intersection between Performance Design + Art Installation + Exhibition.
Creates and runs independent projects in performance and exhibition, including site-specific projects. Large experience in national and international projects in United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Republic of Serbia, Sweden, Suriname, Taiwan, Japan, United States of America, Brazil and Argentina. Recently leading projects of artistic residence in Brazil, Wales and Scotland, working with local artists and communities at relevant local site-specifics. Combining creative practices, technical, production and educational skills.
International connection with relevant organisations and institutions like Biennial of Arts/Sao Paulo, British Council, Creative Scotland, Prague Quadrennial/ Prague Theatre Institute, OISTAT– International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians, among others. Creating exchanging opportunities for new projects engaging local communities. 2018 MOMENTUM Delegate at Edinburgh Arts Festival. Member of SBTD – Society of British Theatre Designers.
Experienced Lecturer and Tutor in BA and MA in Theatre, Performance Design and Film Animation. Former Head of MA Program and Lecturer at Fine Arts University, Sao Paulo. International lectures, presentations and workshops given on the past decade at: Nottingham Trent University in 2012; University of Amsterdam in 2012; SCENA Lisbon – Portugal in 2012; INTENSIVEDAGARNA – Sweden in 2012; Novi Sad University – Rep. Serbia in 2011 and 2013; USITT – USA in 2012, 2013 and 2014; Seville – Spain in 2016; RWCMD – Cardiff in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019; Prague Quadrennial – Czech Rep. in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Former Vice-President of OISTAT International (2013-2017), elected at OISTAT World Congress during the WSD2013 at RWCMD, Cardiff, in 2013.
OISTAT member since 2003 and working in collaboration as Team project for Scenofest 2007 and 2011/Prague; WSD2013 at RWCMD/ Cardiff, Wales ; E-Scapes International Conference 2014/Brazil, WSD2017 at TNUA/Taiwan, SCENA2020/Egypt, and WSD2022 in Calgary, Canada.
Aby Cohen 