Here is one of the many participants of the fourth edition of the Ratatà Festival, which takes place from the 20th to the 23rd of April. Her name is Elena Pagliani. We decided to ask her a few nosey questions to get you to know her. Enjoy!
1. WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DID YOU FIND RATATÀ FESTIVAL?
Hello, my name is Elena Pagliani and I am an illustrator and cartoonist working mainly in Bologna and Modena. I decided to come to Ratatà Festival because it seems lively and varied: there are not just the same old big names, but it ranges from illustration to silk-screen printing and animation, and it brings international artists to Italy, whom I wouldn’t have got to know by myself.
2. HOW DID YOU CREATE YOUR WORK?
I attended the course of Comics and Illustration at the Academy in Bologna and this helped me to create illustrations for professional fields such as that of the publishing industry.
In particular, my latest book Radiations was created as an improvised illustration, which first became a figure, then a sequence and then a 100-page comic book.
3. IF YOU COULD ONLY SAY ONE THING TO MAKE YOUR WORK UNIQUE AND RECOGNIZABLE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
I enjoy outdoing myself and try out new things, both concerning the most recent trends in illustration, and my personal life. Often, it happens that as soon as I finish a long work I start a completely different one, which gives me new impressions, new visual incentives, different techniques, etc.
4. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THIS FESTIVAL? WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT TO YOUR COLLEAGUES?
Yes, absolutely, I’m sure it will be amazing. I can’t wait to check out the several artists that Ratatà has invited as guests (of course after setting up my Radiations exhibition, which will be pretty invasive ahah)
5. TELL US ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PROJECTS. WHAT WILL YOU DO AFTER THE RATATÀ FESTIVAL?
In the short term, I will participate in another comics festival in Milano, the AFA, and right after that a collective exhibition in Bologna within an illustration and street art festival.
Beyond that, I am focusing on research and studying. I am preparing a series of portraits focusing on freedom of techniques and composition.
6. IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME AT THE RATATÀ FESTIVAL?
Yes, both as exhibitor and guest of the call for self-publishers.
7. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTION FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THE ARTS WORLD?
Speaking from experience, what strikes me about people doing arts nowadays is innovation. By this, I don’t mean contemporaneity or modernity – I’m talking about originality, exploration, blending with the many trends from abroad, without being afraid of not being unique or aesthetically flawless. So, I would suggest bravery and artistic honesty.