GIULIA CABASSI
CLUSTER x THE ILLUSTRATORS’ FAIR : “THE ILLUSTRATION RESIDENCY EDIT”
2026
Giulia Cabassi is an Italian illustrator and graphic designer from Rome, currently based in Leipzig, Germany. She studied Graphic Design at the Art High School “Ripetta” in Rome, and later studied Graphic Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, specialising in handmade paper production and natural dyeing alongside traditional printmaking techniques. While studying Graphic Art, she became interested in illustration and studied with illustrator Simone Rea for three years. She later moved to Germany and completed a Master’s degree in Visual Strategies and Stories at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, specialising in illustration under the guidance of illustrator Atak. After moving to Leipzig, Giulia also developed an interest in bookbinding and expanded her practice to include bookmaking. Since 2021, she has worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, combining commissioned work with independent projects.
In Leipzig, she co-founded a creative studio together with other artists and designers working across illustration, graphic design, photography, video and 2D animation.
“My practice is rooted in illustration and visual storytelling, with a particular interest in the book as a space where images and material come together. I work between digital and analogue, allowing the subject and context of each project to shape its visual and physical form. My work often addresses aspects of everyday life and human behaviour, including consumption, addiction, migration, relationships and psychological experiences. These subjects are approached through fictional situations, characters and metaphors, creating space to explore complex or difficult topics without illustrating them literally.
An important part of my practice is the connection between image-making and the physical production of books and printed matter. My background in traditional printmaking, handmade paper and natural colour processes, together with my experience in bookbinding, allows me to approach the book as more than a container for images. I am interested in how its physical qualities can influence the way a story is read, experienced and understood.”