FRANCESCO COPELLO (Santiago, Chile, Born, 1938)

 
      Famous as a printmaker, painter, choreographer and mime, Francisco Copello is one of Chile's most renowned artists and performers. He studied painting and graphic art at the Academia di Belli Arti, Florence, Italy, from 1962 to 1966. Shortly thereafter he left for New York to complete his printmaking studies at the Pratt Graphic Center. From 1969 to 1972 Copello was the artist in residence at New York's 'Studio F.' All Copello's original prints from this time were printed and published by the famous workshop of the Pratt Graphic Art Center, New York.

    In 1971 and 1972 Copello also pursued his career in theatre and collaborated with the choreographer, Laura Dean, and worked in the theatre of Robert Wilson. At the same time his graphic art was the subject of exhibitions in Washington, New York and Mexico City. He also received an award from the New York Council for the Arts and won a major prize for engraving in Poland.
In 1974 Francisco Copello returned to live in Italy. There he became a leading influence upon avant-guarde art and visual performances. In 1986 he accepted a founding role in the formation of the American Mime Theatre of New York (under the direction of Paul Curtis), and remained with the Company until 1995. In 1996 Francisco Copello returned to live and work in his native Santiago. He is currently on the Faculties of both Visual Arts and Theatre at the University of Chile.
  
   Today the art of Francisco Copello is found in many major international collections, including the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.