DIALOGUE WITH Juanjo Sáez

DIALOGUE on how to be an artist with almost everything going wrong, with Juanjo Sáez

Juanjo Sáez is a professional cartoonist. While he was studying art at the prestigious Escola Massana in Barcelona, he created, along with other classmates, the fanzine Círculo primigenio. With this publication he entered the world of illustration, humour and satirical drawing, where he immediately stood out for his brilliance and originality. He has produced several advertising campaigns for international brands that have earned him a fair recognition of his talent: first award at the San Sebastian Advertising Festival and two gold medals at the Cannes International Advertising Festival. He has also won two Junceda awards: best book for adults, Viviendo del cuento (Reservoir Books, 2004) and best multimedia illustration for his contribution to the educational programme website Educalia. He is also the author of Buenos tiempos para la muerte (Walrus, 2000) and the children´s book Dentro del sombrero (Kókinos, 2001).  El Arte. Conversaciones imaginarias con mi madre (PRH, 2006) was a longseller that still has great reception, both in Spain as well as in different countries where it has been translated.

Juanjo Sáez is also a well-known creator of animation series for TV. “Arròs covat” has been widely acclaimed since its premiere and was awarded with the Premio Ondas (Ondas Award). In this animated series he tells us the adventures and misadventures of a young man in his thirties with his characteristic lucidity and humour. His new series “Heavies tendres”, is currently being broadcast on TV3, a fiction inspired by the artist´s own adolescence, based on his family experiences in the popular neighbourhood of Sagrera, in a pre-Olympic Barcelona. His latest graphic novel Para los míos (Temas de Hoy, 2021), is his most personal work.

Pepo Pérez, cartoonist and UMA lecturer, was in charge of chatting with Sáez.

Date: 1 December 2021
Place: Paraninfo de la Universidad de Málaga (Campus de El Ejido)

Full conference