Maurizio Cigognetti, known as Cigo, is an Italian-born visual artist and photographer based in South Australia, working between Australia and Italy. Following an established career in art direction, advertising photography and cinematography, he now focuses on a personal and contemplative fine-art practice.
Working primarily in black and white, his images explore light, tension and the expressive potential of the human figure. Moving between portraiture and conceptual investigation, his work favours atmosphere, restraint and quiet observation over spectacle.
His project Unbound Within Boundaries was presented in the Head On Photo Festival Open Program in Sydney. In 2026, the Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre in Mount Gambier presented his solo exhibition Bound in Light on the King’s Floor, concurrently with the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2025. Developed through portrait sittings with people from the Limestone Coast, the exhibition also included public live portrait sessions, extending the work into a direct encounter with the regional community.
His image Night Swimmer received a Highly Commended in the People category at the Mono Awards 2025, an international competition dedicated to black-and-white photography.
Through photography, Cigo investigates immersion and emergence, fragility and resilience, silence and space — seeking images that resonate quietly beyond the frame.
Selected works are presented on a rotating basis at Bar L’Incontro in Adelaide Arcade, within an ongoing independent exhibition setting.
