Francesco Bongiorni is a celebrated graphic artist and illustrator from Milan. Studying at the Academy of Fine Arts N.A.B.A., he learned the techniques of both painting and printing, and has been much sought after for his sophisticated illustrations ever since. Contributing work to international publications including The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Le Monde, his artworks have graced the covers of many books, and drawn acclaim as postage stamps, magazine editorials and advertising campaigns. His style is editorial and his talent for single picture storytelling means he can transmit a message in a moment through clever use of optics and metaphor.
The atmosphere in Francesco's world is one of crisp, noiseless woods and broad opalescent skies. Growing up in chic Milan, only a short distance from the edges of the alpine expanses, has given him a visual language that easily expresses the open vistas of the place. Famed for its pure light, artists have always clambered to put down in colour and line, the unique mood of this region.
Splitting his time between Milan and the beautiful and ancient Madrid, Francesco knows both cities well. Architecture replaces the mountains in his cityscapes and the same airless perfection prevails. Skies are described through rich gradients of colour, inky trees and buildings silhouetted in the dusk. Francesco has chosen the Apertura festival as his favourite memory of Madrid. Held in September, the city hosts a series of public exhibitions, with art on display in every corner. His illustration depicts the Puerta de Alcalá, a neo classical gate and former entrance to the city. In another illustration, Francesco imagines a modern square in the city, split with a sepia toned past, with flower sellers and horse drawn carts mirroring contemporary trams, cranes and communications towers. Milan's empire and antiquity is writ large on its streets, never far from the memories of its citizens.
