Zuriñe Aguirre: "The winning illustrations in Sharjah are very poetic and delicate"

Among the five members of this year's jury of the 11th Sharjah Illustration Prize is the Seville-based Basque artist Zuriñe Aguirre, who praised the quality of the winning works, which she described as "poetic and delicate". Three prizes went to the Mexican Mariana Alcántara, the Syrian Lina Naddaf and the Iranian Majid Zakeri Younesi; plus three honourable mentions for the Chilean María Catalina Vasquez Huisbus, the Ecuadorian María Estefanía Santos Gallegos and the Palestinian Baraa Alawoor. These moving and original works were unanimously approved by the jury and are on display until 14 May at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority. Strolling among the panels of this exhibition, we find the catalogues of all the editions, among them, the 2016 edition, a special mermaid whose author is Aguirre.

Atalayar has interviewed this Spanish illustrator and great reader who assures us that "books are gold for the brain" and who remembers with a certain nostalgia those times when we used to read as a family. We talked to her about the past, present and future. And, although she does not hide her fear of artificial intelligence, she leaves the door open to digitalisation and its good use. As for art, she is clear that there are no races, no hierarchies, no borders, no skins, no religions... The most beautiful thing, and which says a lot about her heart, is her response when we ask her to make a wish: "That people smile".

An Egyptian illustrator, an American, an Emirati, a German and a Spaniard. Tell us, how did you come to be part of the jury of the Sharjah Illustration Competition?

At the beginning of December, I received an email from Eman al-Obeidli, one of the people from the Sharjah Book Authority, which organises the prize and its exhibition, asking me to join the jury. Of course I was delighted to accept, because I had entered the competition a few years earlier and participated in four previous exhibitions as an illustrator. In this case, the role was just the opposite, a great responsibility. In the fifth edition, in 2016, my illustration was the cover of the exhibition catalogue.

When I was in Sharjah, my fellow jurors were equally curious to know what had caused them to be chosen to be part of the jury. They explained to us that they had looked for the most relevant artists from each country with an extensive and relevant professional career. 

You have recently visited Sharjah for the judging of these awards. What would you highlight about the works presented in general and the winners?

When the jury is about to see all the works, the organisation has already made a small selection of the works submitted. Not in terms of quality, but in terms of compliance with the rules. We find ourselves with a hundred or so works on display on long tables in a building specifically dedicated to the book fair and all its celebrations. There is great quality in what is presented and it is truly difficult to reduce the number of illustrations. It is true, however, that the five members of the jury were unanimous at all times.

As for the winners, Mariana Alcántara, Lina Naddaf and Majid Zakeri Younesi, and also the honourable mentions, I would highlight the conceptual quality of the works together with a mastery of pictorial technique. In my opinion, they have won very poetic and delicate works. With very elaborate colour palettes.

The Children's Reading Festival is currently being held in the Emirate under the slogan "Train your brain". What advice would you give to children and young people on how to do this training?

Before advising children and young people, I would advise their mothers and fathers. A child, a young person who sees reading is contagious. I think the example we set for our children is very important. If they see you with a mobile phone in your hand, they will want one too; and if they see you with a book, they will finally be curious. Reading, books are gold for the brain.

And a tip for the little ones is to look for books that appeal to them. Often children do not immerse themselves in reading because they do not find the genre they like. There are many types of reading nowadays: comics, illustrated albums, novels, graphic novels... it's a question of finding the one that suits you. 

This Festival aims to promote reading among children, but also within the family, so that they can participate together. Are we losing this habit?

We are losing it by leaps and bounds, just as the concept of the street tribe has been lost. In city neighbourhoods and villages in the past, everyone was involved in bringing up children. Nowadays with so much digital stimulus we tend to individualism and it is a real shame to lose such important concepts and behaviours as we used to have.

My parents used to read to me at night before going to bed and I have done the same with my children. The family, of whatever kind, has to enjoy being together. In my art studio I organise family creative Fridays or Saturdays so that parents and children can enjoy an activity they like together. It is important to spend time and company together.

The Internet, social networks, the digitalised world in which we live... do you see it as an advantage or as a threat to reading?

It is necessary to learn to make reasonable and intelligent use of all the digital things that are threatening us every day. Personally I love reading paper books (and smelling them freshly bought, hahaha) but I don't always have time to sit down and read a book, so when I do sport or go for a walk I put on my headphones with an app to listen to books. This is where we have to take advantage of digitalisation.

What about artificial intelligence?

I panic, I think it's getting out of hand.

I've seen works of art created with artificial intelligence and we'd better start thinking about leaving the planet, there are already machines that will do everything... It's curious that human beings invent gadgets, program algorithms to replace themselves. It is the height of inhumanity. I hope it will be applied in a positive way. 

Let's look at your trajectory. From the Basque Country to Andalusia, via Toulouse and Marseille, to train, at what point did you decide to devote yourself to illustrating children's books?

There is no specific moment, I always had that dream because my books were my most precious treasure. Despite belonging to a working class family, my parents bought a lot of books for my sister and me. And those books inspired me and taught me. Although I also had my moment of wanting to be an archaeologist, an actress, a writer... I am very restless and I like to learn about many different things.

In children's literature, illustrations are as important as words, if not more so. What do you want to convey through your drawings?

Magic, messages, surprise, joy, sadness... what I want is not to leave the person who looks at my illustrations or my paintings indifferent. I need to transmit my thoughts and emotions, my complaints and worries and my channel is illustration and painting. Although I have been writing for several years now, but I find it difficult to write without colour, without form.

As an author of children's books (¡Adiós, capitán!, Im-perfecto, Martín Gris...), what is more difficult to illustrate a story on commission or to invent it?

Personally, illustrating on commission is more complicated. When the text is yours and you start to create the story, narrative and images emerge simultaneously, at least in my head.

It's much more satisfying to be an integral author, because the end result looks more seamless, it flows more. Although I suppose this is something I feel myself in front of the work. 

And what do you think about rewriting classic stories because you think they are wrong?

I think we should invest time in creating new stories. The important thing is to know where the conflict is in the classic stories, where the narrative of life fails, to see how much we have evolved and how much we are improving. And to explain it to our children.

The classic tales are the reflection and transmission of old values, we just have to discard that old thing that is not good now and learn from it. Always learn.

If you close your eyes and go back to your childhood, just like that, what do you see?

Happiness, lack of worry, my sister with our turtles, books, crayons and a metal box of Dutch watercolours in tablet form. A book with the Mafalda strips and an alarm clock with a small light that acted as a torch under the sheets.

Hard-working, hard-fighting parents, darling, I see smells and a touch of introversion.

Let's go back to Sharjah, in the world of illustration, do you see many differences between the Arab world and the West?

I see no difference. In art properly understood, there are no races, no hierarchies, no borders, no skins, no religions... In illustration there are images that want to tell stories, in Australia, in Japan and in any remote place, the end.

Are your drawings in Arabic books?

Not yet, but I'm looking forward to it (hahaha). My illustrations are in many places on the planet and in different languages and to reach so far with my work is a real luxury. To have my "Sardines of Love" read by a little girl in South Korea is amazing, to be able to reach so far with what you wanted to transmit is wonderful. 

Tell us what you are working on now.

Last year I entered a children's literature competition for the first time and won: the 4th Algar literature prize in the illustrated album category. That has motivated me so much that I am writing literature for young people. I am working on two picture books that will be published soon. I am developing pedagogical training in illustration and I paint in my art studio where I also give classes, workshops and it is a little corner of literature for the little ones and often also for adults.

If you had to choose one of your works... which one would you choose and why?

Phew! That's like asking me which of my children I would choose (hahaha). I'm sorry, but I can't decide. Each book, each work, each illustration has given me moments and I am very grateful to all of them.

Do you think dreams come true?

I think the fun is to enjoy the journey while you fight for them.

Finally, a wish?

That people smile, that we spread good vibes, without pretensions.