Lorenzo Terranera's 'Cercare': A Visual Meditation on Searching

Lorenzo Terranera, born in Rome in 1968, is known for his twelve years of set design for RaiTre's Ballarò and current graphics and animations for La7's Dimartedì with Giovanni Floris. A scenographer and prolific illustrator for Unicef, Amnesty International, and Agesci, he also co-founded the Rome illustration school Officina B5 with Fabio Magnasciutti, teaching children's illustration, watercolor, and acrylic techniques. His latest book, 'Cercare,' is a highly visual work published by the Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana founded by Giovanni Treccani. The horizontal-format volume, printed on heavy paper, explores the act of searching—for keys, phones, cars, streets, phrases, purposes, or people. Terranera's style features black-and-white illustrations with more white than black, no shadows, and controlled stippling, conveying a clear optimism over pessimism. The book includes an introductory page by Ascanio Celestini, who reflects on his father's advice: 'Look for it where you put it,' suggesting the problem lies not in the search but in the initial placement. Published in Rome in 2019, 'Cercare' spans 80 pages, costs €18, and is available via Treccani Libri.