Author

Fernando Cobelo
Sono qui

Fernando Cobelo is a Venezuelan illustrator who moved to Italy in 2010. In 2020, to mark his first ten years in the country that welcomed him, he created Sono qui, a project that turns the spotlight onto the stories of others, capturing through his illustrations the experiences of those who, like him, have crossed borders and found a place of belonging. His work, often rich in poetic metaphors, transforms individual stories into universal experiences, speaking to anyone willing to listen.

Sharing in my own work a deep attention to the stories of others, as Cobelo does here, I met him in Turin at his studio to produce the video presentation of this project. Below is an excerpt of Fernando Cobelo’s words as he unveils the concept of Sono qui, based on the stories of eleven immigrants living in Italy today, a manifesto that, in the author’s own words, pays homage to the country that shaped him into the person he is.

Photo and video: Lorenzo Morandi
Words: Lorenzo Morandi, Fernando Cobelo


FC
I wanted to portray Italy as the truly welcoming country it is, full of opportunities and warm-hearted people. I had the idea of creating a small book that would tell, not my story, but the stories of other foreigners who, like me, live in Italy today.
I launched a call on social media, asking foreign residents to share stories of kindness they had experienced during their time in Italy. I received dozens of stories from all over, stories that, in different ways, touched these people and made them realize that the place they were in at that moment was the right one.

fernandocobelo.com