Headlamp Cleaning Kit

For the towns of Macerata: Interview with Eva Montanari

Durante l’estate mi sono recata a Macerata, dove si tengono corsi di illustrazione per chi vuole diventare illustratore di libri per bambini. Ero stata invitata dall’associazione Ars In Fabula , gestore dei corsi appunto, per vedere il funzionamento del loro Master che ha già prodotto notevoli risultati in quanto a progetti andati a buon fine (come ad esempio La Governante di Sara Gavioli , o la versione de I Promessi Sposi , a cura di Umberto Eco per Scuola Holden , illustrati da Marco Lorenzetti , per citare i due più recenti).

Fra gli insegnanti dei corsi c’era lei, Eva Montanari : una fatina in carne ed ossa! Minuta, graziosa, sempre sorridente, Eva è la personificazione di alcuni dei suoi personaggi. Nata a Rimini, Eva ha un percorso artistico apparentemente linear and yet intense, is one of the most appreciated Italian illustrator and published abroad as well as Italy, published in France, Spain, Japan, Taiwan and the United States. In America has published several books, including: A Very Full Morning for Houghton Mifflin and Chasing Degas with Abrams Books. Author in the round, Eva never stops, is constantly evolving, always looking for new ways to experiment. And 'thanks to this innate curiosity that has landed the sculpture, with amazing results ... and poetic. Even if, he says, a child was more interested in domestic work that illustration ...

but I do not want to take more time than necessary, let's start with the interview.

Hello everyone, this morning I am pleased to have with me Eva Montanari, one of our illustrators, and authors, most published not only in Italy but also abroad. Hello Eva.



Hello Eva, I would first ask you a question regarding staff: I'd like to know if there is a place in your city, or at least a special place, you are particularly bound.

A place of my city ... Maybe because it's summer and also because I was born and grew up in Rimini, a few steps from the sea, only now I realize that probably would not be able to live in a city without the sea. I intend to live forever. Then, in fact, I really like traveling, I like the idea of \u200b\u200bnever having something stable, not to close to within four walls. When I return to Rimini but I realize that the sea is the thing I missed most or, in moments in which they are most tired, what you dream, both winter and summer is the sea.

understand benissimo, anche se io sono nata in pianura padana ed è un po' diverso. Senti, invece quando eri piccola, qual'era il tuo rapporto con la lettura, con il libro?

Mi è sempre piaciuto molto leggere. Mia mamma mi leggeva tantissimi libri, è sempre stata un'assidua lettrice. Non essendo però la mia una famiglia di origini colte, i miei nonni materni provenivano da una famiglia di contadini ed erano quasi analfabeti, in casa non c'era un vero patrimonio di libri, pertanto mia madre li prendeva in biblioteca. Quando ero piccolina, avevamo pochi libri che prima di andare a dormire mia mamma ci leggeva e rileggeva, tanto che io e mia sorella li conoscevamo a memoria. Dopo di che ho iniziato a leggere qualsiasi what you find, in elementary school I remember a collection of all the Agatha Christie I read avidly. I began to realize only later was it literature, but perhaps it was so fun to discover reading, with readings that were inappropriate for my age, such as some best-selling Ken Follett read in elementary school, always fascinating because in dealt with very mature themes, and this has made me an avid reader. Readings of my childhood were part so well a few "classics" that I discovered only later.

Perhaps we can say that, although readings were not exactly your age, maybe you have given a somewhat different view of things. Who knows ...

do not know if they gave me a different view. Perhaps what attracted me was more of these readings. The yellow, for example, are still built using a format that provides serial as a constant search for the guilty, where they were most attracted me also contained an explanation of the psychology of the characters. I liked this one, because in some way helped me to draw a sort of sentimental education, one that is urgent to have when you begin to understand that there are people who think so separate from you. Even if, in certain kinds of books, explanations are clear: all is said and the reader is left little room to imagine.

This makes me think of something that tells, in your curiosity about the characters than the paintings. I refer to one of your recent work, Chasing Degas, where you're playing a particular a framework and then arrive at a finished product. Maybe this curiosity about the psychology of the characters can turn into a nice flash page at some point?

People intrigue me: I realize how difficult it is first of all conoscere se stessi, e poi pensare di poter interpretare quello che c'è nella mente degli altri. Sicuramente quella della letteratura è una grande lezione, perché ti permette di vivere vite che non assomigliano nemmeno lontanamente,che non sono basate sugli tessi principi e aspirazioni sulla quale si fonda la tua. Per quanto si possa essere aperti e farsi contaminare dal mondo, si è fatti in un certo modo, si è quella cosa lì, per questo la possibilità di “vivere le vite degli altri” mi interessa, mi appassiona scoprire come le persone reagiscono di fronte a determinate situazioni, e mi spinge a pormi a confrontami con le mie eventuali, possibili reazioni), mi appassiona.

Chasing Degas, Illustrations © 2009, Eva Montanari. Published by Abrams Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. All rights reserved.

Eva, tu sei non solo illustratrice ma anche autrice di molti dei tuoi lavori. Questa è una cosa che mi interessa e mi incuriosisce molto, perché effettivamente da' una completezza all'artista, vuol dire che il prodotto che esce è qualcosa di   assolutamente personale. Anche il processo creativo è pertanto un'esperienza unica. Ci puoi parlare di come nascono le idee di Eva?

But, born in a different way each time. But you have rightly said: the creative process that gives rise to the book, rather than the finished product, is the best thing for me. Although not all the books to the same extent, this insight that has made the resulting actions are the result critically the contribution of those who contribute to the creation of a book. Whereas, the creative process that originates it, even when you do not know what is coming out, lighting and when you try to process it, that's the magic moment. Sometimes ideas come from individual events that happen, that resonate in your mind, sometimes with images that you suggest a route. Often, those who know me well, watching some of my pictures said that he found there was something deeply mine. The images, the stories are invented without any clear purpose, surprised in the first place who create them. Constantly appear metaphors that reveal apparently harmless content ourselves mysterious. It 's fascinating.

Chasing Degas, Illustrations © 2009, Eva Montanari. Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. All rights reserved.

Having had the opportunity to meet you person, I must say that there is an actual connection between the grace of the illustration and the person. Your pictures are always very apt, but at the same time, do have a sense of grace and harmony of composition.

Chasing Degas, Illustrations © 2009, Eva Montanari. Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. All rights reserved.

Just because you are the author of most of your work, I know that now you are doing courses for kids who are entering this profession, or who would like affacciarvisi: certainly many of them have ideas but do not know how to develop them, how you can help them to throw out these ideas?

In the courses, it always starts with a tutorial that is a little 'game. In the past, for example, we did studies on which were then processed, last year I even mimed situations, I made myself a mime pretending to be sad, scared, angry, staging plays, pretending to tear my hair ...

Questi studi dal vero sono stati poi alla base del lavoro successivo di elaborazione. Il “gioco” di quest'anno è scegliere a caso delle parole dal dizionario e provare a “centrare” letteralmente la definizione con un'immagine. Questa la partenza. Li faccio disegnare tantissimo. Siamo partiti con la lettera A e questa mattina siamo arrivati alla G e già parecchie mani sono si sbloccate, e alcune menti sono sbocciate. Rispetto all'applicazione di una tecnica in modo preciso e scolastico that wanting is the thing I dislike about teaching as it is already a next step, however, it is a very personal search, at this moment that I would emerge the personalities.

So I make them splash and so fast, beautiful design but not pursuing the idea, because I believe that from this type of exercise reveals the personality of each.
After an inevitable phase of the block, it is from there, from a modest and brilliant doodle that usually comes the 'incipit for a first idea can be transformed into a narrative story-board in the short time remaining. The first stage of this year is to create a personal dictionary in a small sketch pad.
The next step will be to recognize in the midst of these sketches (nothing beautiful designs, colors chiaroscuro let alone for now!) To develop a track and I hope it is like a small seed that sprouted in the days of the course, continue to water , take care and see grow when he was at home alone.

often very interesting because maybe when you start you think you should do just the fantastic design, finish, technically perfect, but it is this research, which itself also is the basis of your work.

it was believed that the beginning is very frustrating.
The main difficulties are often the very ones who can already draw quite well.
Paradoxically, it is better who still holds the pencil as a club and saw this hand melt slowly, while the images come out like magic.
Who is already difficult to get rid of good will to prove to himself he can do a nice drawing.
How difficult it is for the illustrator who has been doing it a long time to get rid of their ways, and our own agenda.

This path I'm very interested: the search for self actually never ends, in some way from a technical standpoint, but also in terms of approach to the image, idea. Can you talk a little bit of the evolution of your work. I know you are doing truly remarkable things, even with the sculpture, research and development of their image of what was your beginning, then you are having an important development.

Thanks, actually the thing that interests me most is this kind of work. I've always had the worry of having studied little (I wanted to subscribe to bed but at the same time I wanted to invent, create. But I was not familiar stories and adventures that could stop a long university I had to understand quickly what I was interested and those charged. Luckily, I knew that!) And too few years, having learned in some way a little. Then, over the years I realized that doing this work, the fortune was the ability to continually learn and to work on themselves. Professional growth is possible in almost all the work, but what is very "difficult" has upset all of a sudden.

With this work I discovered the infinite possibilities of






A Very Full Morning, Eva Montanari, Houghton Mifflin Books 2006

investigate what interests me.

I took matters in abeyance, I have forgiven them in the pot, blending them with new ingredients and I was watching to see what could come out.
However, work on yourself can be unsettling, because you do not, because they are new things, because you want to explore unknown territory without knowing where you will.
why I believe it is important to keep an eye back to what we already have and we did until we decided to put everything at stake. It is also important
groped to understand what is "good" because maybe we have joy, or because a magic thread connects us to childhood.
It would be great to be able to recoup some of that childlike joy and turn it into a new way.
More or less this is what I'm trying to pretend that I do.

So actually, you do not ever throw anything away. In reality, everything is, everything comes back, but with a push to evolve.

Yes, it's the thrill of seeing something new is born. As was the case during my first experiments in which, among many frustrations and I crumpled sheets by accident I found the way that I finally matched.

A Very Full Morning, Eva Montanari, Houghton Mifflin Books 2006

At school I remember having tried many techniques, for example remember being fond of watercolor and then discovered that he was not definitely my way. At the beginning there is always a big rock, to have millions of images in his head that no natural filters in the arm, do not pass in hand and will not come out!. Then, at some point, there is a reverse procedure in which the hand that suggests ideas that come to head to develop, enrich, transform and finally return to the hand. It 's a circular mechanism. When you find this way
secret you feel happy, you think that this step can reach magical ideas, stories, images, ad infinitum.
What actually happens is that if you rely on this single road will recur often the same people who had known some years before, maybe you have grown a mustache or a hat fell over his eyes. Ultimately, however, have nothing new to tell. "And if he were doing a bit more ', you begin to look and listen. It is an eternal start.

Very often, the difficulties people are frightened and then tendono a bloccarsi, invece tu mi stai suggerendo che forse, in alcuni casi, la difficoltà può essere salvifica, può essere l'inizio di qualcosa di diverso.

Per me la difficoltà è salvifica, poi magari lo dico a cuor leggero nel senso che per me è salvifica nell'arte, nel disegno, nell’invenzione, nella scrittura, mentre invece mi spaventa tantissimo nella vita!E’ molto più facile mettersi in gioco su un foglio di carta in cui, se va male, butti via tutto e ricominci il mattino dopo; nella vita molto spesso non si può ricominciare. In un percorso artistico, in qualche in modo in gioco ci sei tu, sola con le tue possibilità.
Nella vita ci are people and their lives.
I must say that they are often scared.

time of instability, Eva Montanari, Tricromia, 2010

I guess that's human, otherwise you would be a perfect machine. Back to us, I got to see your works of sculpture, which are really beautiful, you speak there?

say that for some 'years, when I had free time, I liked seeing how these characters, who generally tend to make three-dimensional on a sheet, they become three-dimensional space. While doing these experiments, however, had narrative ideas in mind because, for me, the images will always bring a story below ..

time of instability, Eva Montanari, Tricromia, 2010

Being neither a painter nor a sculptor, each work was inspired by something, no matter that it was a story or a lighting simple: I was hoping that these characters could somehow tell and tell. From this principle has resulted in a book where everyone goes for a walk with an umbrella: I imagined the inhabitants of a city seen from above and a little 'hidden from their guards, barely touched with drops of rain that accompany them for a brief moment, then evaporate.

This last book you refer to was published in Spain and France [for OQO Editora ] true?

Yes, but will also be released in Italy.

Which publisher?

With Logos, the title is "How many drops in the city "



The last thing you wanted to ask is whether you have a new solo project in the pipeline?

Yes, I have a thing for me is that almost came to fruition, even if the technical aspect is not yet defined. However, it is a project that at the moment I put it aside and I would like to review. I would like to spend some 'time to cover it with calm and make sure everything "works." I worked for some time and is very different from what I've done before. Then there are little stories I'm working on, but they are more in the wake of my previous location, although I'm passionate about. The first draft was telling you about instead is completely new, something that has surprised even me.

are curious at this point, I would like to see everything!

Maybe I'll show you so give me an opinion, I have here.

guys are a privileged envy me so much, I understand very well. Eva, thank you truly for your kindness and generosity in this chat, I hope that your words may serve as a light to those who are starting, because it is not easy to find a comparison with already established authors. It was a real pleasure to meet you and talk to you. Thanks.

Thanks.


two small footnotes to the interview: Chasing

Degas is also released in Italy, finally, to Kite Edizioni con il titolo Inseguendo Degas .


Altri splendidi lavori di scultura, insieme a veri e propri quadri che sono stati oggetto di una mostra nell'Ottobre 2009, hanno ispirato la pubblicazione di uno splendido volume dal titolo Tempo d'Instabilità , per Tricromia . Filo conduttore delle opere il tempo, nella sua accezione più ampia, un tempo metafisico, interiore, desueto, un tempo di cambiamento!

Tempo d'Instabilità, Eva Montanari, Tricromia, 2010

Il Pivot Questionnaire di Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast:

7-Imp: What ' is your favorite word?

incongruous.

7-Imp: Which one you love less?
inevitable.

7-Imp: What turns on your creativity, spirituality or emotivit à ?
The "beauty" that I meet by chance. The desire to tell
ed'inventare you turn to every appearance of the unexpected.

7-Imp: What was your 'off'?
forget when it's time to change.
The root habits of acting in my place.

7-Imp: What ' is your favorite curse word?
"Holy scoop."
is not a real word, rather than a "word that it is better not to repeat," my mother told me when, at the age of five or six years, I have repeated one of his most frequent interjections, immediately connected to the image scoop green that we used to collect the garbage.
Maybe because it was nasty?

time of instability, Eva Montanari, tri-color 2010

7-Imp: What sound or noise do you love?
dawn, the discussions of the birds that are caught in a dream.
Who is right? Who pretends
?
Who denies that?

7-Imp: What do you hate?
bruummmmmm

7-Imp: What profession, as well as yours, would you try?
do not know if mine is a true "profession", sometimes I feel just to indulge my inclinations and often my desires ...
All the things I wanted to experiment have little in common with a real "profession." I make this distinction
because my parents had a bakery where I worked, too.
And when I wake up, startled by the question if ever I'm doing just what I want, return the memory at that time.
Only now are able to attribute the right value to my foray into the concrete.

time of instability, Eva Montanari, Tricromia, 2010

7-Imp: What you would not want to do?

unhappy I would probably tend to give any type of work that does not involve a creative aspect (as a genuine "invention"), but I find that time mysterious, which I only soft, vague memories, that time is called "free".

This magical time appoint it perhaps groped to do what now, sometimes considered "work".

would be a valuable time.

And maybe I'd be happy.

7-Imp: If Heaven exists, what would you tell God when you arrive?

-You can get around and back-

(if God knows everything, he should also know that for sure I left something at home to finish ...)

Special thanks for allowing the use of the images, go to editors: Abrams Books, Houghton Mifflin , OQO Editora, Tricromia ; to Ars In Fabula for collaboration and exquisite service.

Copyright © text and pictures as shown on them. The images have been published with the permission of the Publishers, their reproduction is prohibited.

What Specialist Treat Candida

Mumi Without Memory - Review and Interview with Gabriele Clima

Mumi Without Memory Gabriele Clima, pictures Chiara Carrer, Necklace Libricuoriefiori - 6 editions of The Game Reading, 2010

Mumi a child is forgetful, absent-minded as ever existed. Mumi not remember a thing: if someone has just stolen something from under the nose, a second after he has already forgotten. In her country, everybody knows it, everyone knows and take advantage of his weak memory: the cruel tease, steal their shoes, yet he always has a smile on his lips. Faithfully followed by the thread that brings them back home every time, otherwise cranberry where he lives, we see it got to live simply, without pretense or unnecessary pomp, happy to be under the tree to take a nap, rather than garden to reap the benefits of sowing. A fool, are you thinking? If the character follows roughly the shape of the village idiot, actually in Mumi there's more: he lives in the present, can not remember the past and the future does not worry him because his existence is marked by a switch the inner time more cruel than that from that time which we are all slaves. In the frenzy of everyday life we \u200b\u200blose the sense of ourselves and yet, when this sacred fury fails us, we do not know how to react: the frenzy not to Mumi and when there, in the village where he lives, comes a rich gaga and pandemonium broke out, he almost does not notice. A Mumi does not affect the wealth, he knows no envy, only sees the empty country and people more and more sad and wary. Until ... but obviously will not reveal the ending of the book, because, "I have already [properly] forgot!"

Illustrations by Chiara Carrer are, as usual, incredibly in tune with the text: his interpretation of history to fully respect the simplicity of Mumi, says the dramatic pace of the story, mercilessly laid bare the feeling of loneliness, fear and meanness of the small villagers. The artistic sensibility of Carrer, sucking inspiration directly from the bone history, takes us fairly but also with great force and precision: a great, great artist who can dress any story that illustrates the simplicity and ease that only people they know have crystal clear.

Before the interview made with Gabriele Clima, a few words about the author and illustrator:

difficult task to speak of Chiara Carrer, first of all because it is one of my favorite illustrators, I never tire of observing his illustrations, and because his resume is really infinitely large. Clare has received important awards during his career and I think is destined to receive many more, among the awards there I quote only a few: Apel les Mestres (1994), UNICEF Award (1995), Andersen Award (1999), Bologna Ragazzi Award 2000 and to end, Golden Apple Award at the Biennale of Bratislava (2003).
His art is unmistakable, if I were to define a few adjectives I would say that is refined and pure, granite and poetic, dreamy sound. Of his works, I await the details, the extreme sensitivity with which he approaches any subject, the sense of balance and the seemingly random shots, the study and the care dedicated to each table and which is reflected in each book. I could talk about her for pages and pages but for now, I'd better stop here!

Gabriele Clima is a very special character: he lives by his own admission a bit 'in her world and yet, on closer look at his resume, also makes a number of other things . Gabriel is the artistic director de La Coccinella , for which he writes books and designs of various types and ages 0-3 and 4-7 years, but does not end here: for he is the artistic director for the Educational Group Studioscuola , turned more to teaching, while the Edizioni Curci  cura l'immagine della collana Young; infine, e scusate se è poco, per le Edizioni Il Gioco di Leggere con cui ha pubblicato anche il libro su Mumi, cura  la collana LibriniLibroni. In totale pare abbia progettato, scritto e/o illustrato un centinaio di libri, un po' di tutti i generi, senza dimenticare la didattica e i libri scolastici. Dove trova il tempo per vivere nel suo mondo rimane un mistero non ancora svelato! Ho conosciuto Gabriele a Bologna, alla Fiera del Libro, durante un incontro di presentazione di L'Incoronazione degli Uccelli nel Giardino del poeta Roberto Mussapi [uno splendido testo I recommend that]. When you get in the top is easy to exchange a few words and the rest, I admit, is not the speech that I miss: we have therefore started to talk about anything and everything, I think I stunned him with all my chatter, and the Finally, we exchanged numbers and e-mails and here we are, talking about this wonderful text!

I will not go further, here's the interview:

- Telling requires experience and, usually, each book tells something of the writer: how does Mumi Without Memory?

Mumi springs from personal experience, on a train trip, during which a mother sitting in front of me did nothing but apostrophize his son for all he had left it at home. Thus was born the idea of \u200b\u200bMumi the Mumi forgetful, a motion empathic: I looked a lot like that kid. So Mumi looks like me. I also live in a world in some way in my size, I love getting lost, being under the apple tree and when I can chase the thread of my thoughts.

Of Mumi, unfortunately, I have the natural inclination to the balance that characterizes so strongly. But it is quite common that an author presents his character that in real life is not easy to conquer.

Mumi The character, however, takes its shape from the folktale, dall'idiota, by village idiot, handicapped by nature and supported by Providence intervening when needed. In the tale of Mumi, Providence replacing the achievement of a common consciousness and the most valuable corporate assets, the simplicity, sharing.

- In the history of Mumi, as for example in Queue Canterina also released recently, the story is set in a village. From where, in your opinion, the fascination with life in small communities? And how important is the nostalgia for a simpler lifestyle?

Simplicity is a basic element of the tale of Mumi, and the village or small community you refer directly. It is easier, after all, create an empathy with the little player if the world that offers itself is soft and cozy. Before a physical place, the village is a place of thought, away from the rest of the world, from the frenzy, against any interference. The rhythms of the everyday life are the sunrise and sunset, the sun and the seasons. The village draws a direct and natural that the child is in us, our most intimate and secret. In addition to the popular fable in which, for historical reasons, the village is almost a constant, I can think of some stories by Max Bolliger or Jean Giono. The village is the most genuine and polite to tell a story.

- In this book you meet important issues such as envy, mistrust, unbridled consumerism, loneliness: how important are these limitations in daily life of each one of us?

With limitations, ours or others, we fight all the time. The world, especially in big cities, draws us into a maelstrom of interests and advantages, so often do not realize that by now almost over. But no law of nature states that to be so. Mumi What we suggest is that everyone is given the opportunity to not fall into this trap. That mocked him or ruby \u200b\u200bshoes, Mumi Mumi remains, regardless of what happens around. Not sure why it is wiser or more stupid than others, simply because they enjoy every day of what life has to offer, the garden, the goat, the people around him. The limits, own and others, do not concern him. In this way, otherness becomes a gift, and thus the relationship.

- Mumi is a child who lives in a totally transparent way, with that attitude is typical of animals that Wolf Erlbruch defines: "That's The Way We Are approach", seems to have no defenses against the next ...

is true, it does not. But it is no coincidence. A Mumi, as the characters of Erlbruch, no need for defenses. For them the outside world is not something to protect themselves, as happens often to us, because nothing external can corrupt the honest simplicity of their inner world. If we read The duck, death and the tulip, we realize that the duck does not change anything about his daily habits, the arrival of death. That death is there - and be there for her - a perfect square is inscribed in the wild, life is our life. This is not wisdom or perfection, is simplicity. It is very different.

- Think Mumi that could survive in a big city?

I think so. I, as I said, I used the village as a convenience, because, as author for children, seeking the most direct way to establish communication. But the world is a world of universal Mumi. His ways of relating work anywhere (which is basically the message of the book), city or village that is. Mumi would live in the same way everywhere.

is more difficult for us, people of the city, able to live in the manner of Mumi. We have much to lose, our modernity, our intellectual achievements. Often, unfortunately, we identify modernity with our time, myself, everybody is a mistake when you fall easily. But modernity is something else: it is able to retrieve the Mumi in us without necessarily losing cable TV.

- Mumi bamino is that, at least at the beginning of the book, live on the margins of society, robbed and ridiculed by his fellow citizens, at the end wins for his honesty and good heart. Do you think that people are still willing to learn from the most simple?

I think so, is why I continue to write. It is said that children are better fathers. Maybe our children will know better than we recognize the value of simplicity. I trust in the books, the example and all the saints of Paradise.

- The thread that binds Mumi ankle is the same thread that is linked to the life of us all?

wire in history is what binds Mumi to the real world and allows him not to lose its references newspapers, places, home, away. If we, as Mumi, could be linked to our inner world, perhaps not lose your way so often. From what

sensitive artist, Chiara Carrer has realized the great importance of this link. The common thread appears from the title page, is inserted once into each other on a physical and tangible, almost become a way of singing.

In this regard I am reminded There is a thread, just come out with Sao Paulo, a beautiful story of Manuela Monari where, in a more targeted Christian metaphor, it is a wire to give the sense and the key to the whole story.

- How can rely, for children and adults, able to live freeing herself from the conventions?

We live in the agreements, the company is a convention. But I do not see it as a bad thing. In itself, the conventions are an opportunity, a way to build thoughts and methods che possano essere comuni. È quello che sta alla base di qualunque società. Se ci pensiamo, sono proprio le convenzioni a permetterci di sperimentare ogni giorno il nostro grado di civiltà. Del resto anche il regno animale si fonda sulle convenzioni; non esiste individuo, all'interno di un branco o di una famiglia, che possa prescinderne o farne a meno. Quasi che la convenzione sia una legge di natura, che permette l'aggregazione e dunque la sopravvivenza della specie.

Tornando alla storia, neanche Mumi prescinde dalle convenzioni. Non ne è schiavo ma nemmeno cerca di svincolarsene. Come nei libri di Erlbruch, le abita, semplicemente, bilanciando esigenze e necessità con invidiabile naturalezza. È la forza della semplicità.

- The illustrations accompanying the text by Chiara Carrer forcefully emphasize carefully the most poetic and dramatic moments, how did your collaboration on this project?

I have always admired the work of Chiara Carrer, especially his ability to interpret, the eye which observes the folds of reality shows and on the page. Clare is an interpreter, is not merely an illustrator. Its design is full of echoes and transparency, but sincere and genuine, who calls a spade a spade. Clare has the ability to illustrate a story emerge, making the silences, the subtext, with a sign that the shape and fails to compel which the reader can assign your own emotional code, whatever it is. It is a rare gift.

- How important in a book, telling the story in all honesty and seriousness?

I think that a book is always honest. Tell us about much, as you said, of the writer, therefore, be it fact or fiction, however, says things are true. Similarly, a book is a serious matter, not only when it leads to reflection, but also when offering simple entertainment. Behind a book there is a soul, and soul is always a serious matter.

There is, in any text, a large component of fiction, deception or if you prefer. The same, more or less, which is in the acting, the author is very similar to the actor. It is an essential element in the process of writing and personally is one of the most fascinating aspects of this work. In a book you can wear a mask (usually more than one) behind the screen perfect and unbreakable literary invention. It's wonderful. The same thing in the real world, we would call hypocrisy.

- What role does the text in a children's book?

depends. Beyond the books for educational purposes, whose aim is to teach and clarify, the text is an expressive instrument in the same image. The value of a children's book lies in its ability to tell and so text and images are for use exclusively by the common objective. A book, after all, is a system of communicating vessels, in which the relationship between text and image exists only in a mutual exchange. There are stories that give up completely to the text but no loss of efficacy. I think the recent migrating of Mariana Church, published by Ear Acerbo, in which the story is left entirely to the images. The text is missing, but the story is clear, because the image flows into the page all you need to understand the story. The text is there invisible text is envisioned, narrated voice. This shows that have a story to be told many ways and not always the most suitable text is the narrator.

Erlbruch Still, that does not give the words to tell us, however, shows very well this relationship of dependency. It 's hard to say, reading his books, from what is born, between text or image, the poetry of his characters so peculiar.

The reality is that a children's book has its own language, which is neither the image nor the word. It is a union of ideas and perceptions and, therefore, it seems to me that looks like a lot of thought.

GC