Douglas Wolk:
ABSTRACT COMICS
Some serious coffee-table-book action here: an Andrei Molotiu-edited anthology of comics that are just abstract images in sequence, by people from the fine-art and art-comics world, as well as some people I wouldn't have expected: Patrick McDonnell? Mark Badger? Of course, a lot of the fun of reading this is noticing your mind automatically trying to impose narrative on these abstractions. If you want to get a taste of what it's like, Molotiu also runs the Abstract Comics blog.
Jog:
Abstract Comics: The Anthology: You wanted this. You may not have known it, and you probably didn't say it, but your heart was read, your soul scoured, your eyes met to understand what your mind could only scream in silence. Abstract comics. Wednesday is almost here. Let them in. I can vouch for Fantagraphics' production values too: the copy I fiddled with at MoCCA was a really lovely hardcover item, very nicely produced. Editor Andrei Molotiu presents 232 pages of works, ranging from vintage pieces to new efforts, by artists both well-known (Robert Crumb, Gary Panter, Victor Moscoso, Patrick McDonnell, James Kochalka) and less familiar (though you might know a few). Large sample here, but don't stop there; your $39.99 gets you what's looking like the most intriguing comics anthology of 2009.
I'm going to have to start excerpting some of these reviews for blurbs, and post them here (and elsewhere!), preferably with exclamation points after them.
I should add: I'm hoping that both Douglas and Joe end up doing full reviews of the book. I would love to read them.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
That's nice, I guess...
from http://warren-peace.blogspot.com/2009/08/this-week-i-get-slight-break-maybe.html:
Abstract Comics Anthology HC
Fantagraphics' newest anthology is a collection of, well, read the title. I saw the book at MoCCA, and it looked pretty nice, which was actually contrary to my expectations. It's definitely more of an art piece, but you can't really expect anything else, I guess. Still, it's fascinating to see what you can do with comics when you're dealing with non-representational, non-narrative imagery, stretching the limits of the medium. Give it a look, artsy-fartsy types! You can download an excerpt at Fanta's site.
Abstract Comics: surpassing expectations since 2009!
Abstract Comics Anthology HC
Fantagraphics' newest anthology is a collection of, well, read the title. I saw the book at MoCCA, and it looked pretty nice, which was actually contrary to my expectations. It's definitely more of an art piece, but you can't really expect anything else, I guess. Still, it's fascinating to see what you can do with comics when you're dealing with non-representational, non-narrative imagery, stretching the limits of the medium. Give it a look, artsy-fartsy types! You can download an excerpt at Fanta's site.
Abstract Comics: surpassing expectations since 2009!
It's Monday... Do you know what's happening on Wednesday?
"Abstract Comics: The Anthology" will be in comic-book stores!
(Direct Market only, I'm afraid--I don't know exactly when it will be in bookstores. But soon.)
(Direct Market only, I'm afraid--I don't know exactly when it will be in bookstores. But soon.)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
"Nee Nina we hebben geen abstracte strips."
Goodmorning.
At first, thank you Andrei for inviting and introducing me here.
Since 2006 my work is focused on drawing. During my study in artschool I did painting, animation and drawing.
I've always been interested in the narrative character of images, but I wasn't always charmed by all figurative forms I found. In 2008 I began drawing abstract and writing short stories. Now I am working on a book with short stories with my publisher (De Harmonie). I also just started working on an abstract comic book because I finally found a language in abstract image to build a story with.
Influences come from the world around me, from music and literature to people or the bottom of a shoe. Visual art related I can mention for example: Rene Daniels, Edvard Munch, Georg Baselitz, Cy Twombly, Mark Manders, Philip Guston, Per Kirkeby, Willem Kooning and Pierre Alechinsky. As well as medieval icons, asian miniatures and japanese drawing (and woodcuts).
When it comes to comics, I have spent -and still do- many hours in comic shops searching for the comic that really appeals to me. Around 2008 the comic shop owner told me that what I was always looking for (comics as nonfigurative as possible) didn't really exist, so we came to the conclusion that I should start drawing it myself. I think it must be the same in various countries, that abstract comics are very rare in comic shops.
Now I am learning from comic artists like Frank Miller, Sam Keith, Joost Swarte, Moebius and others about framing, structure, sequences, page layout etc.
It is a real adventure working in this field of abstract comics and discovering more and more artists working in the same area.
nina
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