Michela Rossi aka Sonno

Illustrator and cartoonist, Michela moves seamlessly across industries, from traditional publishing to high-energy live performances. Her style fluctuates between an emotional, painterly touch and a bold, structured graphic approach—adapting to every context while remaining unmistakably her own.

To Michela, every project is a space for dialogue: with the present, the audience, and herself. It is within this tension – between irony and introspection, between the graphic line and the raw texture of paint—that her work finds its most authentic voice.

More than an illustrator, a visual thinker. Michela uses editorial art to challenge the viewer, turning every piece into an open-ended dialogue.

Her career is defined by high-level collaborations: from her dual role as cartoonist and curator at Domani to her latest work with Esquire. Her authorial voice has resonated through the pages of Vogue, Gambero Rosso, and Rolling Stone, proving her ability to adapt to diverse editorial landscapes without losing her edge.

A sought-after name for live events, she has created bespoke visual experiences for Miu Miu and Dr. Martens, cementing her place at the intersection of art and lifestyle.

Michela’s work has gained significant institutional recognition, with exhibitions at Mutuo in Barcelona (2016) and the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome (2021), where she was featured in Bande de Femmes as part of the Cosmowomen project.

This year, in 2026, she is debuting Pezzettini – a solo exhibition dedicated to her namesake comic strip for the newspaper Domani, headlining at the Pigneto in Love festival.

Michela is an award-winning author with a prolific editorial career. Her published works, released by Italy’s most prestigious publishers, include:

• Corpi Invisibili (Invisible Bodies) – BeccoGiallo, 2024
• In un soffio (In a Breath) – Oblomov Edizioni, 2023
• Prima di tutto tocca nascere (First, You Must Be Born) – Feltrinelli Comics, 2021
• Sporchi e subito (Dirty and Fast) – Feltrinelli Comics, 2020
• La Rabbia (The Rage) – Einaudi Stile Libero, 2016

Her talent has been widely recognized by the industry. In 2022, she received the New Talent Award at Romics for Prima di tutto tocca nascere. In 2023, her exceptional curatorial work for the newspaper Domani was honored with the Gran Guinigi Award at Lucca Comics & Games—Italy’s most esteemed accolade in the world of comics.