Comic Encounters
Comic Encounters
We highlight La Paz Comic Artists
Magazine Bolivian Express
Extreme hill-climbing was apparently inevitable in the quest of fine Bolivian modern art. After the heart-splittingly steep trek up the calle Blesario Salinas, I could taste the blood at the back of my throat and was ready to collapse. Then I discovered the art galleries had already closed. I wanted to cry with despair. Had I punctured my lungs in vain? Not quite. Still open was the Centro de Comics – a comic book library funded by the Fundacion Simon I. Patino offering free access to graphic novels from around the world. Having always loved Japanese manga, I was mesmerised by their extensive collection. Then, who should casually stroll in but one of La Paz’s hottest comic book artists, Joaquin Cuevas. It turns out all the La Paz-based artists are preparing for Vinetas con Altura (“Vignettes at an altitude”), a comic book festival that has been held annually in Bolivia for the last six years. And I had not even known there was a comic book culture in South America, let alone Bolivia. Comics, or historietas, first appeared in Bolivia as political satire. Particularly influential was the Cascabel series, but its publication was swiftly banned after the military coup in 1971. It was only in the 90s, after a string of dictatorships had come to an end, that comics made a come-back. Influenced by global comic book trends, from Japanese Manga to America’s Marvel action heroes, Bolivian historietas became more apolitical and began to explore themes of fantasy and escapism. One of the greatest debuts was that of Supercholita – a female action hero in traditional Bolivian dress and a magical cape that flies with her through the skies. However, Bolivian artists do not confine themselves to reworking established characters. In general they tend to be more experimental, and pride themselves on their exploration of comic book genre aesthetic.
The Bolivian comic book scene is still relatively small. The artists rely on self-publishing, meaning they can only afford to publish a certain number of copies of their works. Circulation and readership is thus limited, making the Vinetas con Altura festival doubly important. It is a way to reach out to aspiring artists, enthuse the younger generation and launch Bolivian comics onto the international scene. Over a meal of salchipapas in the back-room of a printing shop, we interviewed some of the key figures in the world of contemporary Bolivian comics.
"Content from the Bolivian Express, Bolivia's foremost english-language publication. They offer 1-3 month long journalism internships ideal for anyone interested in magazine production and Bolivian culture (typically language students and people spending their gap year in South America). Applications to take part are open all year round. Find out more at www.bolivianexpress.org"
