Stefano Bessoni’s artistic creations, featuring Stop-motion e altre Scienze inesatte, will be exhibited at Cartoons On The Bay in a showcase curated by Lorenza Fruci.
Immerse yourself in the imaginative world of this visionary artist at the festival’s primary venue, Aurum – La Fabbrica delle Idee in Pescara, from May 30th to June 1st, open to the public between 10:00 and 18:00.
From his film Krokodyle to the illustrated books Canti della Forca, Pinocchio, and Le Scienze inesatte, this exhibition promises a captivating journey through Bessoni’s creative universe.
Explore his wunderkammer, unconventional disciplines, and mysterious sciences, which include anatomy, zoology, eerie fairy tales, and occult rituals.
Born on September 14, 1965, in Rome, Stefano Bessoni is an Italian filmmaker, writer, illustrator, and stop-motion animator. His work is driven by a passion for entomology, anatomy, fairy tales, and the history of science. Bessoni draws inspiration from eerie suggestions that evoke the uncanny, delving into the concept of the wunderkammer.
At the heart of Bessoni’s creations lies the technique of stop-motion, the dark essence of animation. His artistry, often infused with gothic mystery and utilizing unconventional materials such as bones, rags, vintage toys, and attic finds, exudes a haunting allure.
Works by Stefano Bessoni
KROKODYLE (2011)Feature Film: In the spotlight is Kaspar Toporski, a young filmmaker hailing from Poland who left his hometown at a tender age. As he awaits responses to bring his cinematic visions to life, he fills his days with drawing, writing, and conjuring his own fantastical realm, which gradually takes on a life of its own. Since childhood, he has harbored a fervent admiration for crocodiles, viewing them as flawless beings capable of manipulating time itself. Starring Lorenzo Pedrotti, this feature film has garnered numerous international accolades, including a special mention at the International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia in 2011.
I CANTI DELLA FORCA (2013)Illustrated Book: Looking from the gallows, the world takes on a different viewpoint, that of the Gallows Brothers: comprising murderers, thieves, swindlers, as well as innocents, dreamers, and pure spirits. They join together in a brotherhood as they hang side by side.PINOCCHIO (2014)Illustrated Book: Diverging from Collodi’s familiar narrative, the author presents the puppet and the quirky ensemble of characters orbiting him in a unique light, imbuing them with elements that transcend the written word, spurred by his own imaginative vision. Bessoni’s rendition of Pinocchio draws inspiration from Luigi Comencini’s renowned adaptation and the illustrations of Enrico Mazzanti and Carlo Chiostri, blending them with influences reminiscent of Shelley and Lombroso.
THE INACCURATE SCIENCES (2017-2019)
In a series spanning four illustrated volumes, the narrative unfolds during wartime in a secluded coastal region. Here resided Giona and Rebecca, he an illustrator and she a conservator of antique toys. Their lives took a peculiar turn when they inherited a decrepit old house, once inhabited by an anatomist known for his enigmatic medical practices verging on the occult. As they endeavored to restore the dilapidated dwelling, Giona found himself encountering a spectral presence: Rachel, the anatomist’s daughter, whose untimely demise cast a pall over the home. Motivated by this haunting apparition, Giona embarked on the creation of his own cabinet of curiosities and embarked on a complex experiment. While Rebecca attempted to dissuade him from this perilous endeavor, it marked the onset of a harrowing waking nightmare for her.