Francesco Zorzi

Francesco Zorzi is an Italian-born visual designer, award-winning illustrator, and educator at Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA) since 2019. He serves as Creative Director/Head of Communication Design & Illustration within the Design Department with adjunct faculty status. Holding an MFA in Architecture, Zorzi co-founded a multimedia agency where he worked for nearly two decades before establishing Francesco Zorzi Studio.

His research and creative practice spans Illustration, Graphic Design, and Visual Identity Systems, with notable emphasis on editorial design for major publications. Zorzi's work consistently bridges commercial applications with cultural commentary, addressing themes from neurodiversity to Buddhist studies through visual storytelling.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on cultural commentary through visual metaphor, with recurring themes in social movements (autism awareness, labor rights), literary adaptation (graphic novels), and consumer culture critique (wine industry, smartphone trends). His interdisciplinary approach connects design practice with anthropology, psychology, and religious studies.

Major awards include:

• Three Communication Arts Award of Excellence
• Multiple 3×3 International Illustration Show recognitions
• Global Illustration Award Honorary Mention
• Muse Creative Awards Gold (2016)
• Inclusion in Luerzer's Archive '200 Best Illustrators Worldwide'

Zorzi has secured significant professional grants through commercial commissions for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Lincoln Center. His 2018 visual identity system for Lincoln Center Out Of Doors festival represents a major institutional collaboration. He maintains active industry engagement as a contributing AIGA member and through his Florence-based studio.

His studio practice includes environmental design projects like the isendu headquarters transformation in a historic Florentine palazzo, featuring custom wallpapers and spatial partitions. Current projects focus on editorial illustrations for international publications and ongoing development of illustration series addressing contemporary social issues.