Taipei: Italian artist Lorenzo Mattotti shared his thoughts on two of his new books at the Taipei International Book Exhibition on Saturday, including "Colors of You" which was published exclusively in Taiwan in January.

According to Focus Taiwan, during a dialogue with Locus Publishing Co. Publisher Rex How, the comic book artist and illustrator introduced "Colors of You," which depicts men and women gazing at each other, embracing, and intertwined in various spaces. Mattotti emphasized that he aimed to portray not only lustful entanglements but also the sincere and deep facets of love through body language. How remarked that the artworks capture the essence of love as conveyed by the Shurangama Sutra, from which the book takes its Chinese name.

Mattotti also presented his new work "Pinocchio" at the book fair. He revealed that he initially disliked the story, thinking that Pinocchio repeatedly put himself in danger, but after reading the original, he found it highly expressive. Reflecting on his creative journey, Mattotti mentioned that he has illustrated the story in images three times, discovering new aspects each time. He described "Pinocchio" as an extremely open work.

Past works by Mattotti published in Taiwan include the "Inferno" section of the only graphic novel edition of Dante's "Divine Comedy," released in 1999. Mattotti recalled feeling nervous about producing a good work initially. After researching the story, he perceived it as a tale about a group of monsters, drawing inspiration from past experiences and energizing his drawings by listening to "The Creation" composed by Haydn.

Mattotti establishes a connection with his works through various fields, including drawings, movies, images, and music, stating that every book is like an adventure. His works have been featured in major publications such as "The New Yorker," "Le Monde," and "La Repubblica." He has also contributed to films, including Wong Kar-Wai's "Eros" and the French animated horror film "Fear(s) of the Dark." How described Mattotti as an artist capable of capturing the shapes of the world and the human soul, producing works that illuminate the darkest corners of life.