“Archetypes and Character Identity. From Joker to Lara Croft, when characters become part of us” – Talk with Alessio Gallina.
Wednesday 15 April, 10:00 – Aula Magna (G13), Via Libetta 7
❯ Registration for the event will open from Tuesday 7 April via the Career System.
❯ Attendance at the Talk justifies absence from any overlapping classes and, if necessary, transfer between campuses.
RUFA continues the 2025/2026 Talk series with a new appointment dedicated to character construction and the symbolic roots of the contemporary imaginary. At the centre of the meeting, entitled “Archetypes and Character Identity. From Joker to Lara Croft, when characters become part of us”, is an exploration of the role of archetypes in narrative and visual design.
The talk, curated by Massimiliano Napoli and Raffaele Vella, will be delivered by Alessio Gallina, a cognitive science researcher and research fellow at the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
The session will take the form of a journey into the deep structures that guide character creation, investigating the concept of the archetype as a universal symbolic matrix. From mythological figures to contemporary heroes, from comics to cinema and video games, archetypes emerge as foundational elements capable of shaping identity, narratives and shared emotions.
Through a multidisciplinary approach combining psychology, philosophy, theories of mind and visual arts, the talk will provide students with theoretical and practical tools to recognise the role of archetypes in creative processes and their impact on audience perception and engagement.
The aim of the session is to provide a practical foundation for translating these symbolic models into design practice: from defining characters for video games to constructing cinematic figures and creating icons in comics. Particular attention will also be given to chromatic and lighting dimensions, as well as visual semiotics, key elements in strengthening character identity.
Alessio Gallina is a cognitive science scholar whose background integrates sociolinguistics, philosophy of mind and artificial intelligence. Currently a research fellow at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, he focuses on psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and AI. His work centres on the study of archetypes and their role in cognitive processes and personality construction.
He has previously taught at RUFA, the Design X Semiotic research centre and the University of Rome Tor Vergata, promoting a teaching approach that connects theoretical research with design practice.
Registration for the talk will open from Tuesday 7 April 2026.
Talks are open to all RUFA students. To register, log in to the RUFA Career System using your credentials.
If you have any doubts during registration, consult this Guide. If anything remains unclear after reading the guide, please contact careers.alumni@unirufa.it
Target audience: all students, particularly recommended for Multimedia and Game Art, Graphic Design-Comics and Illustration, Cinema.
Duration: 10:00 – 13:00
Date: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Location: Via Libetta, 7 – Aula Magna (G13)
Language: Italian
Attendance at the Talk justifies absence from any overlapping classes.
Attendance at all Talks held during the academic year (without exception) will allow students to earn 1 academic credit.