ANASTASIA
Digital illustration, 11x14 in/ 300 ppi. Made primarily in Adobe Photoshop.
In Invisible Cities, Anastasia is described as a place where every desire seems within reach — a city filled with pleasures, beauty, and temptation. Yet Calvino hints that the visitor gradually becomes bound to the very desires that drew them there.
This illustration imagines Anastasia as a luminous canal city of neon lights, drifting kites, music, and nighttime revelry. Gondolas glide past casinos and gardens while glowing interiors reveal scenes of indulgence and entertainment. I wanted the city to feel playful and inviting, while quietly echoing Calvino’s idea that its delights may also be a kind of enchantment — a place where desire and illusion blur together.
The image explores the balance between wonder and seduction, imagining Anastasia as a city one might happily wander… even while suspecting it might be difficult to leave.
