Alicia Baladan is an Italian illustrator whose work has given me yet another reason for massively improving my Italian. I love this work — with its beautiful palette of colors and evocative imagery. Her latest children’s book “Una Storia Guaraní” is about the Guaraní Indians of Uruguay and their sacred and incredibly useful relationship to the spider. (You can see more of her moleskin sketches for this project on her blog.) Here’s a brief description of the book from the publisher:
“For the indigenous Guaraní the spider is the most sacred animal. When a child is born, you put a spider in the window of the hut to defend him from other insects and some mothers, in hot weather, they build the web around the cradle. The webs also treat the wounds of the men returned from hunting. This is why the web is the most precious gift. But it is also the most difficult to obtain. Deciding to give his beloved a spider web, a boy enters into the forest, encoutnering strange people, animals, and mysterious, arcane presences. A story of initiation into adulthood, enchanted and fragile, to remind us of the delicate balance on which rest the life of the heart and of nature.” (I cleaned up the google translation which got a bit wonky towards the end.)
amazing!
oh you find the best stories Midori, such strange wild magic!
Incredible images ! Have you gotten a copy and where did you purchase it. I would love to have one even though I don’t read Italian.
These illustrations are phenomenal! I love the one where the man-spider is stitching the wolf and the man…. I want to read the story! Thanks for sharing.
Susan: I have written to friends in Italy in hopes that they may find me one! Otherwise, there are some used editions here in the states — but they are rather pricey!
tm: I love that image too — one feels like the humans in these illustrations have an animal spirit — and that image of the spider healing the wound of the man is also healing his animal spirit of the wolf…I love the way she gives you such a subtle and complex story in the images.
thanks for your attention and your nice comments 🙂