Staircase to Nowhere

My pieces draw inspiration from music, society, literature, ukio-e and sci-fi. I often repurpose lighthearted vintage imagery to explore complex themes such as feminism, mental health and human interactions. Each piece begins the same way: with a single word or thought that evokes an image. I then (digitally) slice, layer and arrange pictures until a new visual narrative emerges, characterized by vibrant color and paper-like textures. Although I use photoshop to combine images, I try not to over-manipulate them in order to achieve an analog effect inspired by the punk aesthetic of DIY.

Ilaria Cortesi is an Italian digital artist who is based on Shanghai, China.