Overview

An anthology of Polish women's comics. Blood illustrates the range of meanings that blood bears, from its mythological aspect (the magical powers attributed to menstrual blood), through the symbolism of heredity - the inevitable genealogical continuity, through revenge and violence, to strong connotations with physical pain. Blood also touches upon various layers in terms of art, not limiting itself to comics. In this anthology, there are references to Frans Masereel's and Lynd Ward's woodcut pre-comics; subtle portraits; the simplicity of cartoon art; photomontage and psychedelic references to science-fiction.

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9781912278107

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""The anthology ""Blood"" illustrates the multitude of meanings of blood, ranging from its mythical dimension (magical power attributed to menstrual blood), through the symbolism of inheritance, the inevitability of genealogical continuation, but also revenge, violence, to a very specific connotation with bodily suffering. Aesthetically, ""Blood"" touches many layers of art, not just comics - we find references to the woodcut pre-comics of Frans Maseerel or Lynd Ward, the subtlety of a graphic portrait, cartoon saving line, photomontage and psychedelic references to science fiction. The uniqueness and timeliness of the anthology lies in the very placement of blood in the title, and thus the program, implemented exclusively with the participation of comic artists: Beata Sosnowska, Natalia Kulka, Maria Kadyszewska, Anna Krztoń, Olga Wróbel, Aga Gójska, Zavka, Marta Zablocka, Katarzyna Kowalczyk. The gender discourse signaled here leaves behind the black and white patriarchal-martyrological-homeland assignments and reveals, masterfully avoiding literalism, the cultural determinants of categories such as gender, class, and genre. ""Blood"" through its controversial concept, and at the same time semantic multiplicity, somehow offers a Polish response to the recently created feminist and gender comics Liv Strömquist and, like them and as they have a chance to become an event on the comic market."" --Kalina Kupczyńska"

The anthology Blood illustrates the multitude of meanings of blood, ranging from its mythical dimension (magical power attributed to menstrual blood), through the symbolism of inheritance, the inevitability of genealogical continuation, but also revenge, violence, to a very specific connotation with bodily suffering. Aesthetically, Blood touches many layers of art, not just comics - we find references to the woodcut pre-comics of Frans Maseerel or Lynd Ward, the subtlety of a graphic portrait, cartoon saving line, photomontage and psychedelic references to science fiction. The uniqueness and timeliness of the anthology lies in the very placement of blood in the title, and thus the program, implemented exclusively with the participation of comic artists: Beata Sosnowska, Natalia Kulka, Maria Kadyszewska, Anna Krzton, Olga Wrobel, Aga Gojska, Zavka, Marta Zablocka, Katarzyna Kowalczyk. The gender discourse signaled here leaves behind the black and white patriarchal-martyrological-homeland assignments and reveals, masterfully avoiding literalism, the cultural determinants of categories such as gender, class, and genre. Blood through its controversial concept, and at the same time semantic multiplicity, somehow offers a Polish response to the recently created feminist and gender comics Liv Stroemquist and, like them and as they have a chance to become an event on the comic market. --Kalina Kupczynska

The anthology Blood illustrates the multitude of meanings of blood, ranging from its mythical dimension (magical power attributed to menstrual blood), through the symbolism of inheritance, the inevitability of genealogical continuation, but also revenge, violence, to a very specific connotation with bodily suffering. Aesthetically, Blood touches many layers of art, not just comics - we find references to the woodcut pre-comics of Frans Maseerel or Lynd Ward, the subtlety of a graphic portrait, cartoon saving line, photomontage and psychedelic references to science fiction. The uniqueness and timeliness of the anthology lies in the very placement of blood in the title, and thus the program, implemented exclusively with the participation of comic artists: Beata Sosnowska, Natalia Kulka, Maria Kadyszewska, Anna Krzton, Olga Wrobel, Aga Gojska, Zavka, Marta Zablocka, Katarzyna Kowalczyk. The gender discourse signaled here leaves behind the black and white patriarchal-martyrological-homeland assignments and reveals, masterfully avoiding literalism, the cultural determinants of categories such as gender, class, and genre. Blood through its controversial concept, and at the same time semantic multiplicity, somehow offers a Polish response to the recently created feminist and gender comics Liv Stroemquist and, like them and as they have a chance to become an event on the comic market. --Kalina Kupczynska

The anthology Blood illustrates the multitude of meanings of blood, ranging from its mythical dimension (magical power attributed to menstrual blood), through the symbolism of inheritance, the inevitability of genealogical continuation, but also revenge, violence, to a very specific connotation with bodily suffering. Aesthetically, Blood touches many layers of art, not just comics - we find references to the woodcut pre-comics of Frans Maseerel or Lynd Ward, the subtlety of a graphic portrait, cartoon saving line, photomontage and psychedelic references to science fiction. The uniqueness and timeliness of the anthology lies in the very placement of blood in the title, and thus the program, implemented exclusively with the participation of comic artists: Beata Sosnowska, Natalia Kulka, Maria Kadyszewska, Anna Krztoń, Olga Wróbel, Aga Gójska, Zavka, Marta Zablocka, Katarzyna Kowalczyk. The gender discourse signaled here leaves behind the black and white patriarchal-martyrological-homeland assignments and reveals, masterfully avoiding literalism, the cultural determinants of categories such as gender, class, and genre. Blood through its controversial concept, and at the same time semantic multiplicity, somehow offers a Polish response to the recently created feminist and gender comics Liv Strömquist and, like them and as they have a chance to become an event on the comic market. --Kalina Kupczyńska

Author Information

Beata Sosnowska is a multimedia artist, a poet, a comic illustrator, an experimental filmmaker, and a graphic designer. She is the author of a multimedia book In the shade of humming elevators, which was compiled in 2002-2007 with 30 other artists and multimedia producers from Tri-City. She is the author and co-producer of the documentary and experimental films: 2137, The end of patriarchy, ... once again, and Modelarnia story. She is also a comic author whose works touch social and lesbian issues. As a member of the women's comic collective Dream Team (www.comicdreamteam.com), she has taken part in exhibitions and workshops led and organized by the collective. Her illustrations have been published in Przekroj, Gazeta Wyborcza, Trzy Kolory, Furia, Green City, among others. She cooperates with NGOs and feminist organizations.

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