Born in Teramo in 1975, Mirko Rizzi has developed, since his earliest professional experiences, a practice oriented toward the hybridisation of languages, places and disciplines, with a constant focus on the relationship between project making, visual culture, research and identity building.

Across fashion and design he has worked in a wide range of roles and contexts, from early experiences in product development, marketing, sales and communication for maisons and brands such as A.Testoni, Baldinini, Costume National, Gucci, Miu Miu and Prada, to Marsèll, where he served as co owner and co creative director from 2005 to 2018. In parallel, he has collaborated as consultant, brand developer and project advisor with international and independent realities including Adidas by Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons, Eckhaus Latta, Vibram and Ziggy Chen. More recently, he worked as Senior Advisor and Brand Developer for Impossible Brands / Underscore District and, between 2023 and 2024, on the relaunch of Moreschi, overseeing collections, product development, marketing and communication.

In design, from 2020 to 2023, he served as General Manager Consultant for Nilufar Gallery in Milan. Working closely with Nina Yashar, he oversaw strategy, marketing, exhibitions, events, designer selection and the development of new business models, including Nilufar Edition, contributing to the transformation of the gallery into a high end interior design brand. In this context he worked with figures such as Khaled El Mays, Laura Bethan Wood, Martino Gamper and Patrick Tuttofuoco, as well as special projects with luxury brands including Ginori 1735 and Tod’s. He also took part in the conception and early development of Alcova, today one of the reference formats for contemporary design during Milan Design Week.

A central part of his trajectory concerns the creation and direction of relevant cultural spaces, conceived as places of production, exchange and experimentation. In 2009 he founded Marsèlleria Permanent Exhibition in Milan, later also in New York, and subsequently conceived and directed Paradise Milano. These were joined by Gabbianacci Concept Store and Progetto Calabiana, examples of a practice combining cultural direction, context building and entrepreneurial vision. Across these spaces and other contexts he has curated and produced over 200 exhibitions, events and performances, collaborating with artists and authors such as Alessandra Galletta, Brice Dellsperger, Carlo Zanni, Carlos Casas, Daniele Innamorato, Federica Perazzoli, Invernomuto, Luca Trevisani, Mario Milizia, Morgane Tschiember, Nico Vascellari and Riccardo Benassi.

In parallel, he has developed an ongoing activity in publishing and editorial production. Since 2014 he has worked as an independent publisher, and since 2015 as an associate editor of Diorama Editions. In 2019 he founded Zero Venezia, an editorial and project platform linked to the Zero.eu network. Over the years he has developed and supported books, records, art videos and publications connected, among others, to Carlo Zanni, Francesco Vezzoli, Luca Trevisani, Nico Vascellari and Riccardo Paci Dalò. Among the most significant titles and projects are Art in the Age of Cloud, Blonde, Ossessione Vezzoli, Panorama by Diorama, Shapeshifter, Sparkling Matter and Sudan. Through Zero Venezia he has also collaborated with institutions and brands such as Golden Goose, Kia, Nike, Samsung, Teatro alla Scala and Triennale Milano, developing events, workshops, talks, campaign content and special projects.

Since 2017 he has also been active in teaching, seminars and workshops, addressing themes such as design, marketing, brand building, contemporary style and aesthetics and cultural heritage management. He has collaborated with institutions and schools including Domus Academy, IED, Istituto Marangoni, IUAV, NABA Milano, Raffles Milano, School for Curatorial Studies in Venice and Bocconi University. In the institutional field, from 2019 to 2022 he served on the Advisory Board of ArtVerona and, from 2020 to 2022, worked as external curator and cultural project collaborator for Fondazione Cariverona, where he followed initiatives devoted to contemporary art, workshops, exhibitions and educational experiences, including the Master in Cultural Heritage Management developed with Urbs Picta. Over the years he has also collaborated with a wide network of institutions, events, cultural projects, artists, editors and authors, including Artissima, ClubToClub, Contemporary Locus, Cura, Museo Carlo Zauli, Nero Editions and Xing.