Stefano Cagol: Signal to the Future

Whether in an Alpine, urban or Arctic setting, Stefano Cagol views the signal as a universal language that transcends political, geographical, and symbolic borders. In his projects and performances, the Italian artist combines light, fire, ritual, and technology to create striking situations through which he explores humanity’s relationship with resources, ecology, and the environment, demonstrating the social relevance of contemporary art. This volume focuses on Cagol’s pivotal performances in Brixen, Wolfsburg, Cairo, and other locations, tracing a continuum that began with Signal to the Future (2020) and extended to We Own the Futures (2025). These two projects achieved global resonance, attracting over 435 million and 250 million viewers worldwide respectively through television and international media. Through comprehensive visual documentation and critical essays, these works are situated within the broader context of an œuvre shaped by the pressing debates of the Anthropocene and the consequent limits of planetary endurance.

With contributions by the artist, Veit Loers, Timothy Morton, Emanuele Quinz, and others.