Starting tomorrow – Friday 11 October – a long weekend of fantasy and colour opens at Villa Ciani, in Lugano. The first edition of the InnovaComiX-Lugano International Comic Art Festival and starts with a very rich program of events and presences.
A national and international meeting point where 76 artists from 10 countries will dialogue with the public of enthusiasts, collectors, and professionals.
The festival and its mission
"The festival is designed for a transversal audience, it has a cultured dimension, at times educational, we want to reiterate the message that cartoonists are all-round artists and that this art is light and sophisticated at the same time - says the co-creator of the event and General Director Cristina Rogna Manassero -. Personally, I believe that it is the most complete contemporary creative expression for its ability to combine words, text, characters and scenes, deep and fantastic themes".
The health of the comics industry
A sector that enjoys excellent health and growing interest concerns both the quotations of the works and publishing: in Switzerland, out of 10 readers, 4 are focused on comics. Furthermore, for many, comics are a profession. An example of an event linked to this theme is “The life of a cartoonist”, where the experiences of Tom Tirabosco, Gianenrico Bonacorsi, Midori Yamane, Sonno and Michele Peroncini will be compared. A true excursus between generations, styles and eclectic professions.
Debates and the future of comics
The festival includes 18 multi-voice debates, involving top-level panels and emerging talents. One of the key meetings will be “AI in the creative world, between ethics, rights and opportunities”, with the participation of Sacha Goerg, Marco Rizzo, Dottor Pira and Lorenzo Palloni. Another important debate will be “La Revue. Desinee: France and Italy compared” with speeches by Lorenzo Palloni, Piero Macola, Lorena Canottiere and others.
There will also be a look at manga in Europe, with Yamane Midori among the protagonists and a judge at the festival.
The Feminine Dimension and Artistic Collaborations
In the talk “The representation of women in comics through the years”, we will discuss the changes in the representation of women over time. Speakers will include Lina Gaibeh, Elisa Marraudino, Eliana Albertini, Silvia Ziche and other prominent names.
Other central themes will be collaborations between screenwriters and illustrators, with a live challenge, and the universe of self-productions.
Book presentations and meetings with authors
The festival will feature 28 book presentations, including works by Silvia Ziche, Celine Tran and Grazia La Padula, Bruno Bozzetto and Pasquale La Forgia. Simultaneous interpreters will be available for French, English and Italian, given the international expectations of the audience.
There will be no shortage of book signings, with all the guest artists participating.
Workshop and kids area at InnovaComiX
A program of workshops and lectio magistralis is also being defined. Every day, free workshops for children will be offered in the kids area, where they can learn the rudiments of sequential art guided by the invited artists.
The collective exhibition “Us.Noi”
One of the main events will be the exhibition “Us.Noi”, one of the largest comics collectives in Europe, with 400 original works exhibited on the first floor. The exhibition, open during the three days of the festival, will offer a representative selection of the work of each invited artist.
"The title Us.We – explained Artistic Director Ludwig G. Maglione – reflects a sense of shared belonging, an identity that is expressed through the artists’ individual experiences, but also in their vision of the world”.
The Cygne d'Or awards and nominations
The festival will reward excellence with five Cygne d'Or awards, worth 2.000 CHF each, presented on October 12. The jury, composed of leading figures such as Enrique Bordes, Julien Brugeas and Laura Scarpa, will select the winners in the categories: Best Comic, Best Drawing, Best Writing, Best Coloring and Best Series or MiniSeries.
The Grand Prix Città di Lugano and other special prizes will also be awarded.
InnovaComiX and the connection with the territory
Roberto Badaracco, Head of the Culture, Sports and Events Department of Lugano, expressed enthusiasm for the return of a major event dedicated to the ninth art. “Thanks to Innovacomix, the city of Lugano will be able to welcome enthusiasts, collectors and the curious, making known the quality of artistic production linked to comics”.
