06/25/2018
Quintero (Gabi, a Girl in Pieces) and newcomer Peña weave together Graciela Iturbide's award-winning photography, her own words, and narrative snapshots of her life into an artistically powerful graphic novel homage. Instead of creating a straightforward biography, the duo has opted to capture the impressions, intentions, and influences that were central to the photographer's work, which often focused on Mexican and indigenous culture, lives, and environments. Like Iturbide ("I see reality in black and white"), Peña works in grayscale, focusing predominantly on each panel's forms and faces by omitting the often-rich colors of Mexican landscape and dress. Archival materials recreate moments surrounding Iturbide's most famous photographs, guiding readers to an understanding of Iturbide's work—predominately that from the late 1970s—without explaining it outright. Though true biographical information is limited to elements of the artist's upbringing, the graphic novel honors a provocative life by taking a provocative form. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)
**STARRED REVIEW** "Quintero and Peña’s biography of Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide is far more than an account of her life . . . Eye-opening and masterfully rendered."
"It is a rare feat when a writer and illustrator are able to capture the creative magnitude of an iconic photographer. With poetic prose by Isabel Quintero and luminary illustrations by Zeke Peña, the stunning biography Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide will guide readers through a compelling visionary journey. Photographic is a worthy homage to an important and influential photographer and will stand alone as a truly creative piece of work."
[A] superlative graphic account of the life of a Mexican legend.
"This extraordinary biography captures the poetry of Graciela Iturbide’s photography. The brilliant pairing of Isabel Quintero’s words and Zeke Peña’s art creates a graphic biography that evokes the process and meaning of what it is to create. Highly recommended!"
"A personal history that’s as remarkable as any of the photographer’s portraits.
A fascinating book that blends the story of Iturbide’s life with poetic interpretations of pivotal moments in her career. . . . Even if you’re not already a fan of Iturbide, Quintero’s story of the photographer’s journey as an artist is incredibly inspiring. Like Frida Kahlo, Iturbide was born into a life of privilege, which came with the burden of overwhelming expectations. Her decision to reject that life in order to pursue her art is nothing short of courageous."
**STARRED REVIEW** “Striking black and white illustrations. . . . A powerful homage to the five-decade evolution of an artist still working—and still evolving—today.
I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone… There’s darkness and death; but it’s not a morbid story. It’s about learning to find who you are and be brave and true to yourself, and finding beauty in forgotten places and people.
“Photographic is one of the most creative and original nonfiction books I've read this year. . . .Quintero and Peña expertly convey the meanings behind Iturbide's photographs.
"Quintero and Peña strike a good compromise, featuring many of Iturbide’s photographs as a complement to the biography, but without being dependent on them. The result is a book that expertly combines various aspects to become something utterly unique."
"[Graciela] Iturbide’s artistic vision and story are conveyed with poetry, a simple sophistication, and a dollop of bold swagger"
**STARRED REVIEW** "Quintero and Peña’s biography of Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide is far more than an account of her life . . . Eye-opening and masterfully rendered."
"Young readers will be inspired by Merian's talent, curiosity, and grit as they become swept up in the story of her life . . . With its lively text, beautiful illustrations, quotations from Merian's own study book, and fascinating sidebars on history, art, and science, "Maria Sibylla Merian: Artist, Scientist, Adventurer" is an extraordinary and very highly recommended addition to family, elementary school, and community library biography collections for children."
"[Graciela] Iturbide’s artistic vision and story are conveyed with poetry, a simple sophistication, and a dollop of bold swagger"
★ 02/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—Mixing original illustrations, first-person prose, and lyrical interludes with gorgeous reproductions of photographer Graciela Iturbide's work, Quintero and Peña patiently reveal their subject's many angles, producing a "kaleidoscopic unraveling" of the artist. In this presentation, time is fluid, the text moving between pivotal moments in Iturbide's career to explain reoccurring themes and concepts in her work. The graphic novel format lends itself particularly well to this nonlinear style, as Peña deftly portrays Iturbide over the course of 50 years. The illustrator incorporates much of the artist's signature motifs into the visuals, and his choice to use a black-and-white palette is another nod to Iturbide's point of view. This mesmerizing book conveys profound ideas yet also adheres to the artist's vision. (Quintero reminds readers that the use of words such as magical and surreal to describe Iturbide's work is incorrect; "her images are as real as they get.") Teens will come away with an evolved sense of how to look at a creator's life and work and how to think critically about art as a process. The importance of being seen, specifically in regard to indigenous communities in Mexico and Mexican Americans in the United States, as a narrative thread will resonate strongly with readers. VERDICT Quintero and Peña have set a new standard in artist biographies. A must for teen collections.—Della Farrell, School Library Journal
