Feira do Libro de La Habana

Esta semana pasada regresamos da viaxe institucional á Feira do Libro de La Habana. Sobra dicir que a experiencia foi gratísima a nivel persoal, posto ía acompañado de xente fantástica. Pero a nivel profesional, Cuba resultou ser unha bocanada de aire fresco. Paradoxicamente, o país das limitacións supuxo para o grupo de persoas que alí estivemos un impacto emocional moi forte, e un encontro cunha xente ávida de lectura, de contacto co exterior, e, en definitiva, de ás para sobrevoar os edificios decadentes e o aire corrupto de carburante mal queimado. Como creador gráfico, aínda teño en mente os claroscuros daquela cidade, a vida que busca camiño entre a miseria, e, si, a felicidade que aínda así se respiraba.

Paco Martín e mais eu participamos en varias actividades arredor de "Sabeliña e os ratos", libro que el escribiu e eu ilustrei. Unha delas consistiu nunha demostración en vivo da ilustración dun fragmento (tamén o fixemos con "As cousas de Ramón Lamote"; aquí se pode ver todo o proceso en fotos). E con Anxos Sumai compartimos charlas e debate sobre a situación da literatura e da ilustración en Galicia. Un placer.

Last week we arrived from the institutional visit to Havana. Apart from the wonderful experience from the personal point of view (thanks to the wonderful people who went with me). But the professional aspect was also great, as Cuba turned out to be a breath of fresh air. Even though limitations are everywhere there, the emotional shock was intense for us all, an encounter with people eager to learn, to read, to see beyond the barriers. As a graphic creator, I must confess I still have that black and white image on my mind, that contrast between the nasty smell of smoke and the happiness overcoming everything.

Paco Martín and myself tokk part in several activities around "Sabeliña e os ratos", a book he wrote and I illustrated. One of them was a "live" illustration of some fragments (we also did it with "As cousas de Ramón Lamote"; the whole process may be seen here, in photos). And, together with Anxos Sumai, we three shared some speeches and debates about the situation of literature and illustration in Galicia. A fantastic experience.