In addition to the works on display, the audience gets an insight into the artists’ creative processes in the form of video interviews with the participants of the exhibition. Øyvind Torseter will create a site-specific drawing on the gallery’s window facade.
The selected books will be available to the public in the gallery throughout the exhibition period.
The jury’s comments on last year’s comic book releases
What really stands out in last year’s comic book releases is the diversity and variety. More voices are now given a platform, and this is reflected in a wide range of aesthetic expressions.
There has been a development where underground projects have suddenly found their way into the big publishing houses. This tendency has led to an increase in less groomed, hairier projects that previously might not have been considered by conventional publishers. This brings freshness and originality to the industry.
Something that has emerged in 2023 is a kind of purely visual narrative that avoids traditional scripts. Several releases excel at creating intimate and personal stories without being awkward or intrusive. These publications take the readers into a deeply personal and at the same time universal human experience.
A particular strength of last year’s publications is the link between the personal and the political. The cartoonists have finally shed their fear of being personal, yet they avoid falling into clichés. This creates a unique dynamic where the personal becomes political, and comics become a powerful medium for conveying deep, meaningful stories. All in all, 2023’s releases provide an exciting and diverse picture of an ever-evolving art form.
