The Cool Couple (often shortened TCC) is an artist duo based in Milan, Italy, and established in late 2012 by Niccolò Benetton (1986) and Simone Santilli (1987).
Their research focuses on the friction points generated daily in the relationship between people and images. The idea of images as active hubs, combined with a strong projectual attitude, results in the use of several forms of expression, ranging from fine art photography to electrostatic wipes, from meditation rooms to Chinese cover-bands.
The Cool Couple combines artistic research with didactics, because it’s good karma to share. They have been lecturers at: NABA (Milan), IUAV University (Venice), AplusA gallery (Venice), University of South Wales (Newport), IED Turin, ISSP, Riga, MADE Program, Syracuse.
They are founders of trendsetting cover band Rui & the Rainbow Dragons, members of POIUYT, a platform for image-based research, and among the editorial team of Genda Magazine.

It seems hard for the West to accept the decline of its power and its ideas. Among them, the concept of nature. Nature has vanished long ago, if it ever existed. Nonetheless, the void it left is hard to accept: although in the middle of a mass extinction, our imagery and culture are saturated by hyperrealistic representations of virgin landscapes and anthropomorphic animals. Everywhere we go, we are reminded that somewhere, wild animals roam freely in uncontaminated landscapes. The Cute and the Useful are the two categories of animals most likely to survive the current mass extinction because of their connection – emotional or economical – with the human species. The project, developed in partnership with Careof and supported by the Eighth Edition of Italian Council, is composed by a film and a publication.
The short film describes the South African policies of fauna conservation, based on the collaboration between private and public entities in a context of free market. Well described by the expression “conservation by utilisation”, this strategy ensures the protection of wild species turning them into assets. In the last forty years, this system has produced a 400% increase in the numbers of wild animals in South Africa, allegedly becoming the most effective conservation method in the world.
The short film tells a fictional story. Walt, an English diamond dealer purchases a property in South Africa to be destined to ecotourism. The film focuses on the short time span preceding and following the last step in the process: a wildlife auction where Walt plans to get the wild animals for his project. His busy agenda obliges him to follow the auction online, Walt is enclosed between the walls of a luxury apartment in Milan, an highly artificial environment contrasting with the warm and breathtaking nature of South Africa. In order to achieve his goal, Walt must confront his father and sister, who try to dissuade him from the investment.
The publication accompanying The Cute and the Useful is conceived as a theoretical compendium. Curated by Alberta Romano, designed by Superness.info and published by NERO Editions, it includes contributions by economist Jason W. Moore, journalist Fred Pearce, scholar Ashley Dawson and researcher T.J. Demos, whom essays focus on the key topics of the film: the dynamics behind wildlife industry; how a certain idea of nature has become a capitalist paradigm; greenwashing and the role of cuteness in contemporary society.

The Cute and the Useful
Directed by The Cool Couple
Italy, South Africa, 2021Short Film - Single Channel - 4K Video 1:2.35 - English - Audio Dolby 5.1 - 17’43’’

Unit produciton manager: Pamela Botolo, Marta Cereda
With Eric Alexander, James Cato, Gabriel Marchand, Ilana Cilliers, Mike Killassy
Written by The Cool Couple, Paolo Cenzato
Phography: Roberto Beani
Music: ISCOTR
Camera Operators: Grant Nelson, Dale Hancock, Roberto Beani
Gaffer: Simone Michael Danis Tacconelli
Best Boy: Antonio Bianco
Sound Recordist: Matt Kokkin, Daniele Dosio
Fashion Stylist: Elisa Anastasino
Props: Federica Elmo
Fixer: Filippo Giancane
Color Grading: Roberto Beani, Simone Santilli
Sound Engineer: Dawid de Villiers
Sound Editors: Tommaso Barbaro, Agit Utlu
Sound Mixer: Massimo Mariani
Sound Design: Fullcode
Rental: MOOVIE s.r.l.
Script Translation: Ben Bazalgette
Titles and Credits: Superness.info

A production by Careof (I), Triosphere (SA)

Project supported by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity by the Italian Ministry of Culture under the Italian Council program (2021)

And the additional support of ArteVisione, Mlz Art Deep

In partnership with Nirox Foundation

Permanent collection: MAMbo - Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna