The Grand Exploration (2011)

Graphic Novel, 160 Full Color Pages, 4" x 5"

Through the graphic novel, I investigate the psychological stresses of conflicting desires deeply rooted in everyday life; routine, repetition, existence. I explore the mundane in a medium which typically becomes concerned with the spectacular. I fuse together the ordinary, the poetic, the subtle; banality and fantasy are interwoven.

I experiment with an antithetical hero; a female main character, presented in a non-sexualized way, performs simple, ordinary tasks. She has no bells and whistles, no sidekick, no superpowers. Her clothes are often very plain, and her expressions are subdued, bordering on stoic. She finds herself perpetually lost in her own thoughts, disconnected, ignoring her own physical reality and surroundings subconsciously. There is discovery left unrealized and unnoticed.

The relationship between colors, the existence of color altogether, is carefully chosen. The juxtaposition between the muted and the vivid performs a perceptual function and possesses emotional and psychological content. The tones are flat, without texture or depth. Lines are simple, revealing gestures while at the same time lacking inherent variation.

Pocket-sized, the book becomes an intimate experience between the viewer and the character. Each page features one panel, rarely two or three panels per page. The function of one panel, maintained in portrait page orientation, operates like a photo album. The pages become precious in their small size. With minimal dialogue, I further the exploration between the personal and the universal, the internal and external, and rely on the viewer's visual investigation to guide their interpretation.

Self-published via 48hrbooks.