Jorge Cocco Santangelo: Mormon Artist
Jorge Orlando Cocco Santangelo is an artist who works with painting, sculpture, lithograph, etching, and ceramics. Painting is his preferred medium. He also is skilled in washi zokey, art created with handmade paper.
He was born in Concepción del Uruguay in Entre Ríos, Argentina. As a boy, he would sleep with a pencil in his hand and by morning his blankets and sheets would be covered with pencil markings. He won his first art award at the age of nine. He has lived and worked in Spain and Mexico and maintains studios in Argentina and the United States. He has exhibited in one-man shows in the North and South America as well as Europe and Asia and has shown his work in fifty group shows worldwide.
Cocco Santangelo has taught for six years at Universidad de las America in Puebla, Mexico. He has published five textbooks. From 1992 to 2004 he was a professor of art at College “Cesaseo B. de Quiros” de Concordia, Entre Rios, Argentina. In 1995 he taught art history courses at Universidad de Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was a faculty member of the Architecture Department. In 1996 he taught courses in washi zokey and ceramics at Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes Regina Pascis de San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. From 1999 to 2000 he taught art history courses at Colegio Superior J.J. de Urquiza de Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Rios, Argentina.
He was founder and director of “Casa Arte” at Concepcion del Uruguay, Entre Rios, Argentina (1997–2004).
Cocco Santangelo is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When LDS missionaries stopped at his home shortly after his marriage in 1962, Cocco had questions for them. He was intrigued by their answers during their first visit and the Spirit he felt, and he continued to meet with them. He and his wife, Myriam Verbauwen, were baptized on June 9, 1962; they were the first members of the Church in Concepción del Uruguay. Rocco has created many pieces reflecting his belief in Christ and the Book of Mormon.
