‘The Paper Factory’, by Marta Kayser
How to tell the story of four generations without getting carried away by nostalgia and, at the same time, enhance a story with luminosity, empathy, love and a lot of beauty? Marta Kayser hits the nail on the head in her first book. Although she does not consider herself an illustrator by vocation, this Madrid architect has found in drawing the perfect language to face the vicissitudes of her present work. Searching through family photographs and returning to his roots – caused by the death of his father – he finds light in everyday life and strength in bonds.
Beyond the story, throughout the pages of ‘The Paper Factory’, we find a perfect fusion – in the purest style of its counterpart Ana Penyas – between photographs, letters and endearing writings. The lists of his father’s favorite things appear alongside simple drawings, wrapped in a chromatic fan of autumnal tones: greys, yellows, browns and oranges.
Except for the possible confusion for the reader that may occur between great-grandfather and grandfather, or the risk of not recognizing vitalism in mourning, a great book. It is inevitable to wonder what could be the inspiration for a new work that, long before knowing whether Kayser will continue in the profession, is already highly desired. 8.2.
‘Two naked women’, by Luz
One of the objectives of the Frenchman Luz, an illustrator who survived the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks for arriving late for work, and who received the most important awards in France for this graphic novel, is to share the political message with the 1919 painting of the same name by Otto Mueller. Although the German expressionist’s painting was not conceived with the same idea, but as an act of freedom that shows human nature in a primitive way, years later it became a symbol of subversion against the fanaticism of Nazi purity. The work, currently in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, was included in the ‘Degenerate Art’ exhibition and, miraculously, unlike many other works that were burned by censorship, it survived.
Political inspiration is not exclusive, and Luz takes advantage of the angular shapes of Mueller’s painting to show human imperfection through a story narrated by the painting itself. A story where the work acts as a witness to its own existence, from when it is hanging on the walls of the studio, through its subsequent owners and successive exhibitions. The author uses this means of expression to capture beauty and claim the power of culture. A work of art – in addition to being historical memory – is a tool to denounce authoritarianism, from the beginning of the century or today. 8.
‘Okinawa, the wind speaks’, by Susumu Higa
After the voluminous edition of ‘Okinawa’ published by Norma Editorial last year, focused on the war that threatened the foundations of the Japanese empire, comes a new, slightly reduced perspective. In ‘Okinawa, the Wind Speaks’ by Reservoir Books, Susuma focuses on the US military occupation, becoming the definitive chronicler of the human drama suffered by the civilian population. A necessary reminder that the most momentous story is not limited only to the events of the last five years.
Susuma Higa’s style, without being personal or recognized as his own, is pure white on black, without artifice or distractions. It is a drawing of clear shapes that, rather than seeking visual posturing, seeks to shake morale. Its author does not come to recreate himself with vignettes, but to deliver a brutal emotional intensity, with a direct and accessible stroke for anyone. The horror that Higa relates can be read between the lines: the true tragedy is the one that is guessed beyond the margins. 8.
