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Illustration for a double-page spread for Icon Magazine Italia column by Cristina Di Canio about Domenico Wanderlingh’s novel "Il passato non si cancella".
The artwork captures the quiet friction between athletic glory and police fieldwork: the defining emotional axis of the fourth installment in the Anita Landi series. By placing a central, close-up portrait of Anita with her eyes closed, I aimed to convey a state of internal reflection where past accomplishments collide with the unresolved weight of present investigations. This is not merely a crime scene illustration; it is a visual exploration of memory, identity, and the shadows that refuse to fade.
In keeping with my approach to narrative illustration, the focus is on graphic synthesis and symbolic flow. Anita Landi, a former track-and-field athlete whose career was defined by national victories and podium finishes, now faces a different kind of intensity as a police detective. Beneath the surface of her new life, unresolved cases and old roots re-emerge, forcing her to confront a past that cannot be erased.
Her trajectory becomes a continuous balance between the disciplined adrenaline of her youth and the stark, cold reality of crime scenes, where every detail demands total presence and emotional resilience.
I developed two narrative concepts to translate the novel into visual storytelling:
Taking inspiration from the opening of the article, this proposal shows a reader absorbed in the book during their daily routine. The composition uses a sharp color contrast to illustrate how the world of the novel progressively takes over reality, with the story physically invading the surrounding space.
A central portrait framed by her flowing hair, acting as a visual divide between two worlds. On the left side, the vibrant red track, a podium, and a gold medal represent her athletic past. On the right, police tape, evidence markers, and a crime scene silhouette mark her present as a detective.
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