The artwork for the 2026 edition of Trieste Science+Fiction Festival has been unveiled, and this year it’s the spectacular work of comic book artist and illustrator Spugna, one of the most original and acclaimed voices in contemporary Italian comics.
“Spugna’s artwork depicts a monumental organic, deformed, post-human creature: a being that has become decayed and monstrous, corrupted and transformed by time, yet still preserving a fragment of its humanity as it carefully repairs a small robot it used to play with as a child. “Within this simple yet deeply moving gesture, the poster captures the very essence of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival,” explains Francesco Cappellotto, Festival creative director. “It is a place where fantastic cinema becomes an opportunity to rediscover that capacity for wonder which adulthood so often threatens to suppress, reminding us how important it is to preserve within ourselves the curiosity, imagination and sense of wonder of our youth.”
One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Italian comics, Spugna is the author of the graphic novels The Rust Kingdom, Fingerless, Rusted Tales, and the Fat Rot Things series, all published by Hollow Press. He has also illustrated La quarta guerra mondiale (The Fourth World War) and Vita da soldatinen on texts by Marco Taddei, collaborated with Dylan Dog Color Fest for Sergio Bonelli Editore, and worked on Cattivik. A member of the Trincea Ibiza collective, he has received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Boscarato Awards at the Treviso Comic Book Festival and the Micheluzzi Award – “Nuove Strade” (New Paths) at COMICON Naples.
Festival Artistic Director Alan Jones said, “What a twin peaks convergence of excitement we are experiencing at the moment! In the 100th Anniversary year of the term ‘science fiction‘ being coined by pioneer Hugo Gernsback when he launched the magazine Amazing Stories, the fantasy genre has exploded into the mainstream with Oscars and other major award wins being given to record-breaking independent movies. And the box-office phenomenon of Backrooms is further proof that emerging creatives are trailblazing exciting, innovative routes to blockbuster success and finding fresh ways to reach new and ever-growing audiences. But while the rest of the cinematic cosmos has been catching up, the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival has always known this and has consistently promoted new talent, original content and experimental formats to transform its key venues into beacons of intergalactic thrills and epic wonder. TS+F has always played an important part in heightening positive perceptions around the sci-fi genre in its entire glittering history. Once again this year TS+F will be empowering our diverse audiences with electrifying, under the radar titles that gain a wider demographic after placing on our acclaimed seal of approval. Here’s to bigger, better and breakout in 2026.”
This year’s Trieste Science+Fiction Festival takes place from November 3rd to November 8th in the lovely town in north-eastern Italy, and attracts filmmakers and fans from all over the world. For more information, head over to https://www.sciencefictionfestival.org/
