I found this video by Bas Berkhout on Youtube about Oliver Jeffers and the impact his own childhood and also his son infuence his creative practice.
Oliver Jeffers was born and grew in Belfast in the midst of The Troubles as did my Dad, so I decided to watch this video with him.
My Dad was born in Andersontown, Belfast in 1968 and grew up during the war there, it affected him and his family greatly, one example being his grandmother lost both of her legs in a pub bomb, theres a photo of her in a textbook on one of our bookshelves at home, learning to walk in 1970s style prosthetics, a picture I was always fascinated by. I find it fascinating to hear him talking about his childhood, especially as I've grown older and been able to hear more stories. It's incredible how they all just sort of got on with it, just like Oliver talks about in the short documentary, interruptions were just part of life.
This video is a really beautiful insight into a man and artist with a really important and valuable world view. The lessons and morals he shows through his work in a universal and accessible way is really admirable.
My Irish background is a big part of my life, I've always had an Irish passport and it something that means a lot to me. It was a special experience to be able to watch a video which connected both the work of an illustrator I greatly admire and the experiences of my Dad. My roots, family, and background are something I'd like to start trying to incorporate into my own work more.
No comments:
Post a Comment