Ilaria Cortesi is an Italian digital artist based in Shanghai. Using mixed-media digital collage, she turns thoughts and feelings into surreal images by fusing vintage imagery with the natural world to question social and cultural norms.

Her process begins with a single word or thought, which she develops by slicing and layering pictures until a new visual narrative emerges. Inspired by the punk aesthetic of DIY, the results are punchy, thought-provoking, and playful collages characterized by vibrant color and paper-like textures.

Cortesi rediscovered art as a creative outlet while juggling a full-time job and single parenthood. She uses collage as a means of personal and social liberation, repurposing vintage imagery to explore complex themes like feminism, mental health, and identity, aiming to stimulate a critical conversation leading to change.