Who is Mario Petrucci?
Mario Petrucci (born 1958 in Lambeth, London) is a British-Italian poet, literary translator, educator, and broadcaster. Known for his pioneering work in science poetry and ecopoetry. Trained as a physicist at Cambridge, and later earned a PhD in crystal growth at University College London. He also studied environmental science at Middlesex University before turning fully to literature.
He became the first poet-in-residence at both the Imperial War Museum and BBC Radio 3. His debut collection Shrapnel and Sheets (1996) won a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Over his career, he has won more than 20 national and international poetry competitions, with themes ranging from love and loss to war and ecological issues.
Petrucci’s work extends into translation (including Hafez, Montale, Catullus, Sappho, Rumi, and Saadi) and film, notably Heavy Water and Half Life, which explore the Chernobyl disaster. He also created Tales from the Bridge, a large-scale poetry soundscape for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, experienced by millions.
Beyond poetry, he has contributed to cross-disciplinary projects linking science, ecology, and the arts. He has delivered talks for organizations such as the British Council and the United Nations. His archive is held by the British Library, and his recordings are preserved in The Poetry Archive, cementing his role as a major voice in contemporary poetry and eco-literature.
Ecopoetry in action
Amazonia is a collaborative ecopoetry-video project commissioned by the Natural History Museum, combining the poetry of Mario Petrucci, direction by David Bickerstaff, and a visual centrepiece by Lucy + Jorge Orta, curated by Bergit Arends. Presented as a large diptych video projection, it draws on material recorded during a scientific expedition in the Peruvian rainforest. Shown at the Jerwood Gallery from October to December 2010 as part of the International Year of Biodiversity, the work blends poetry, imagery, and sound to highlight the richness and fragility of Amazonian biodiversity.
Please find the video here and more information about his work in this interview at the World Conference on Science and Art for Sustainability, September 2025, Belgrade.
More information on Mario Petrucci: Website / Wikipedia
More information on the Planetary Arts Movement: X-Art here
Want to join the Planetary Arts Movement? Sign up the manifesto and reach out to us at arts@worldacademy.org
