Stefano Bessoni | Illustration and Stop-motion Animation

KEYNOTE | Illustration and Stop-Motion Animation – Stefano Bessoni

A director, writer, illustrator and animator, Stefano Bessoni has created an unmistakable visual universe, blending fairy tales, anatomy, creatures and macabre imagery.
A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, he has been experimenting with film, illustration and animation since the late 1980s. Following his collaboration with Pupi Avati, he has directed feature films such as *Frammenti di scienze inesatte*, *Imago Mortis* and *Krokodyle*, whilst pursuing extensive research into illustration and stop-motion animation alongside his film work.
At the heart of his work lies the wunderkammer, the ‘cabinet of curiosities’: a space where art, science and unsettling imagery converge. His career encompasses numerous illustrated books, exhibitions and collaborations, including one with Peter Greenaway on *He Read Deep Into The Night*.
In his keynote speech at Heroes, Bessoni will take the audience on a journey through his personal wunderkammer, explaining how illustration and stop-motion animation can give shape to characters, stories and worlds suspended between poetry and unease.