Life

The International Comic Fair of Barcelona has invited a group of 22 Basque comic artists as guests of honour at the event this year, being held between 6th and 9th May.

Basque comics will get their own corner at the 2010 fair, the most important in Spain and the second most important in Europe. A stand of 150 square metres will be set up to represent the most influential Basque publications in the genre.

According to Basque Government Director of Cultural Sponsorship, Mikel Toral, and the president of the Professional Association of Illustrators in Euskadi, Daniel Martín, the exhibition area will have three distinct sections.

The largest of the sections, says Daniel Martín, will be displaying the most significant creations from the 22 Basque authors taking part in the fair, who include not only acclaimed artists but also those from a new generation of illustrators to recently appear on the Basque comic scene.

The Basque creators invited to attend the event in May include professionals with work published in Basque, Spanish and even international comic magazines, such as Borja Crespo, Javier de Isusi, Raquel Alzate, Santi Orue, artists from the magazine TMEO, and Santiago Valenzuela.

Another section of the stand will function as an informative area, displaying printed promotional material of existing comic magazines and publications from the Basque Country.

The Basque Government Department of Culture and the Association of Illustrators will also be promoting the work of 30 Basque professionals in the genre, with the presentation of a catalogue sampling some of their creations, at both the next Bologna Children''s Book Fair (the most important in Europe) and the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Among the illustrators appearing in the catalogue, called Irudika, will be comic authors such as the latest winner of the Basque Illustrators Award, Elena Odriozola, as well as José Ibarrola, Patxi Peláez, Mauro Entrialgo and Aitziber Alonso, to name just a few.