In this essay I will explore autobiographical illustration and comics in relation to authenticity, vulnerability and relatability. I hope to question its importance in the creation of engaging work and its value to an observer. Alternatively, I hope to examine why being disingenuous in self-focused art may be beneficial to both author and audience. Inserting yourself as the protagonist of your own narrative is far from straight forward. When creating any form of artwork, whether you intend to publish it or not, you may fall into the trap of making work from the eye of the viewer in the hope of receiving validation. When painting a self-portrait, an artist may attempt to hide their insecurities and imperfections; as the creator of their own visual reality, they are able to skew how they wish to be perceived. The pursuit of acceptance still applies when creating an autobiographical comic: You may try to create yourself in a way that is palatable, therefore becoming disingenuous in the name of compliance. You may glorify yourself by altering reality, whether this is adjusting your physical appearance or your personality. You may erase all faults and insecurities, making yourself morally perfect in the eye of the reader...
...meaning we may unintentionally distance ourselves from our own truth to manufacture the morally perfect character. We may attempt to fulfil a role we presume is required in storytelling and abandon authenticity. The ‘hero’ trope is extremely common in protagonists in all forms of conventional literature, it is easy to conform to this role even when not necessary. Thierry Groensteen (2013) supports this idea in his novel ‘Comics and Narration’ in which he analyses the autobiographical narrator. Groensteen explains how “the identity between author and character is very relative. One represents the other, assuredly, but monstration reifies the graphic self as an “actor” (a persona, and so, a mask), endowed with its own identity.” In summary, this explains that the creator and the character are reflections of one another, however the fabricated persona unavoidably has its own unique set of characteristics. Therefore, the autobiographical character is simply an idealistic vision of oneself. According to Groensteen, authentic representation of oneself is extremely ambitious and requires a great deal of sincerity, self-reflection and honesty.
One incredibly touching and intimate example of autobiographical illustration can be found in Julia Kaye’s (2018) graphic novel ‘Super Late Bloomer: My Early Days in Transition’, an anthology from Kaye’s popular webcomic, Up and Out. Kaye documents her gender transition in 2016, using her comic as a form of a diary, visualising the pitfalls and small victories of her journey along the way. It is an exceptionally vulnerable piece of work, encapsulating her experience as literally as possible. The unshielded emotion makes it a heavy read at times, however that is the nature of forthright literature. Mey Rude (2018), editor for Autostraddle, explained the power of its relatability for trans people saying “As soon as I finished reading it, I cried and then thought about how lucky we all are that there’s a book that perfectly captures the feelings, frustrations and triumphs of transition this perfectly.” Kaye’s book represents how authenticity is parallel to relatability. The willingness to share her experience not only affirms the experiences of other trans people across the world, it also helps to portray the trans experience for those uneducated or uncompassionate. Her use of a digital platform to share her work allowed it to be freely accessible to a wider-audience, increasing its overall impact. Kaye’s work is a reminder of the importance of trans narratives being told by trans people themselves. However, the theory that honesty is the key to exceptional autobiographical illustration can be contested...
For those who may be uncomfortable presenting themselves candidly, modifying the way you depict yourself may allow you to be more self-assured and in turn, more vulnerable...
In the same way we may adjust our real-life appearances via clothing or makeup, we may adapt our illustrated self to how we wish to be perceived. It can be argued that creating an idealistic version of yourself is another form of self-expression and allows for more scope when being creative. Creating a fictitious vision of yourself allows you to be represented as more than your physical attributes; you can integrate aesthetics, interests or humour into your presentation. An illustrator drawing themselves as an invented character does not mean that they are being disingenuous; it takes focus away from the physicality of a person and gives more focus to their personality and the subject being discussed. Societal norms and beauty standards can lead to assumptions based on someone’s appearance; avoiding realistic representation may prevent unnecessary judgement for shallow reasoning. It is conceivably easier to project oneself onto an abstract characterisation of a person rather than a literal portrayal of someone who is recognisable. A fanciful character is an empty vessel that we can transfer our own perspective and experiences on to.
The use of anthropomorphism is a common example of this, it is summarised as the placing humanistic values, emotions and characteristics onto a non-human entity. This can include inanimate objects or animals. Illustrator Beck Carlton (2020) uses this in his comic “Bear Boy” in which he contemplates everyday events through the voice of a cartoon bear. Beck uses his art as a diary, similarly to Kayes, encapsulating his practice as “cathartic”. Through Bear Boy, he archives conversations that would otherwise go forgotten and digests existential thoughts. Beck explained the benefits of his comic; “I don’t have to think about it (events) again because I processed it whilst I was drawing.” Beck’s work is predominately shared on Instagram therefore he has adapted his format accordingly, limiting his storytelling to only four panels; this means his anecdotes must be concise to work with this constraint.
The characters in Beck’s comic act as useful narrative devices to help Bear Boy navigate the world. Beck explains how his characters represent aspects of people he observes all “bundled together”. Some characters are physical manifestations of qualities he admires in friends and strangers alike, such as the ‘Sun’ character. For Beck, the Sun represents a parental role; being caring and inquisitive, as he puts it;
Although not always representative of one singular individual, they encompass interactions and wisdom shared by all those in his life. By doing this, he can have a limited recurring cast that can become the voice for any interactions he has. The cast of characters play the role of moral referees and gurus to the bear, and although this is reflective of advice those in his life provide him, the characters also echo an internal dialogue. Beck himself writes these comics therefore the advice he provides comes in some part from within himself too.
However, not all self-reflective comics are as discernible. One standout example of anthropomorphism is the work of Kate Worley and Reed Waller, creators of ‘Omaha the Cat Dancer’, a comic series depicting an anthropomorphic cat working as an erotic dancer. Making its debut in 1978 with numerous controversies and censorship issues, the comic appeared as nothing more than a light-hearted erotica. However, with Worley’s influence, it grew to vocalise many progressive ideals for the time. Although not auto-biographical, writer Kate Worley spoke from her own experiences as a bisexual woman living in America, writing reflectively about sexuality, feminism and empowerment. Her work was refreshing, greatly expanding the readership of ‘Omaha’, including a phenomenal number of women...
Through her writing she humanized sex work by avoiding to merely objectify her characters and instead giving them intricate and full life’s. Worley also introduced a diverse cast to her comic, including queer and disabled characters, expanding its relatability and representation furthermore. Throughout its life it appeared as though the growing number of fans who bought Omaha were there for the story more so than for the sex. Adding emotion to her characters helped it to remain engaging and genuine to much of its growing readership; it was easy for readers to be sympathetic of a worldview that may not be their own. Worley, through the vessel of an anthropomorphic cat, reflected on the feelings of women across the world; helping them to express their sexuality and remove stigma from female promiscuity.
Comics, however, are not the only creative vessel in which artists can use to reflect on their experiences; a variety of media is used to share insight into the conscience. Many artists, similarly Carlton and Kayes, use their practice as a method of introspection and meditation on life. A contemporary example of this is Keith Haring. Best known for his vast mural work that adorns numerous cities across the world, his creations were often quietly an insight into his own life. In 1989 Haring travelled to Barcelona, just a year after his diagnosis of HIV, and created the mural entitled “Todos juntos podemos parar el sida”, translating to ‘Together we can stop AIDS’. Although it is in Haring’s iconic whimsical style, the mural stands as a grim statement about the horrors of the AIDs. As you travel along it you follow a battle with illness, you are confronted face on with the devastation and suffering it caused. Despite the heavy imagery, the final tone of the mural is upbeat; finishing by showing humanity as victorious against the fight with the illness. Being a mural, it is an extremely public piece of work; Haring hoped that more people would experience his work and aimed to avoid gatekeeping often seen in high-art.
I feel very privileged to have seen this piece in person; I remember being in awe of the scale of it, it is simply unavoidable. The mural, although a statement of protest and resilience, is also a glimpse into the life of Haring; complications due to AIDs would take his life less than a year after the mural’s creation. He had already experienced a great deal of loss and tragedy due to the illness, therefore he dedicated the final years of his life to producing imagery to speak about his own experience as well as generate activism and awareness. Due to this, a majority of his final work was autobiographical and self-reflective; a means of processing the tragedy surrounding him and his community. This mural in particular is reflective of his own battle; displaying his fears in contrast with the optimism he has that a cure could be found. Although he rarely draws himself directly into his work; one can assume he inserts himself as one of the faceless human figures that are repeated throughout. With the anonymity of the design, we too can easily project ourselves onto his characters, seeing his story from an intimate perspective. With his work, he opened up discussions about AIDS and brought publicity to the issue. Even after his death, the mural stands as a reminder of the epidemic and a memorial to all those who lost their lives.
Keith Haring did not hide from his suffering and instead displayed it, quite literally...
In some ways, whatever you create is representative of yourself and your story, intentional or not. It can be argued that everything we produce is a reflection of our lives and therefore a form of autobiographical art. To be an autobiographical illustrator isn’t as simple as just being vulnerable. It is to be speculative of yourself, to digest reality, to honour the mundane or alternatively, to do none of this at all. Autobiographical illustrators have the ability to represent themselves however they see fit, as ultimately the decisions they make are too a testament to their creative process and character. An author who is contemplative and earnest is by no means superior to an author who chooses to limit what they share or shield themselves behind a persona; whatever way an artist chooses to portray themselves is through their own lens and is therefore invaluable. Self-reflective illustration should celebrate individuality by whatever form an illustrator chooses to define it.
This module I focused on the creative methodology of authorship. My research led me to create work inspired by self-reflective illustrations and comics. I began my essay searching for the ‘correct’ way to portray yourself in an autobiographical illustration, however I soon came to the conclusion that there is no simple answer. There is a vast variety in how people can tell their stories; from those who are extremely vulnerable to those who shield behind a character, they are all equally valid. It was reassuring to discover we can share insight into our lives in whatever way we are comfortable to do so without diminishing the message we hope to portray. I love the use of characterisation not only to give the artist more assurance but also to speak more of your personality rather than simply your physical appearance. Making comics with myself as a protagonist was a therapeutic process; I had to be meditative on not only how I view myself aesthetically but also as a personality. One reason I was so interested in this topic is due to the fact I often avoid creating autobiographical work, mainly from a place of insecurity or simply being somewhat self-effacing. It is no easy feat to pick apart yourself in the search for true representation. Although I enjoy making work that is narrative driven, I rarely look within myself for these stories, fearful that things I have to say are somehow unimportant or uninteresting. However, while
looking at artists such as Beck Carlton I was reminded to celebrate the beauty of everyday life! Not everything we say has to be spectacular or astounding. In thinking of concepts for my comics I became more aware in my surroundings and the charm of the little things. Especially in the current times, where not a huge amount is happening in the world, it is lovely to find joy in the mundane. I hope to use this outward thinking in my work as I continue; after making a few comics with myself as the protagonist for this project I have gained more confidence in my own voice. Another take away from my research is that I noted in my daily life I take a lot of photos to capture memories. I came to the realisation, through artists such as Julia Kaye, I can use my practice to capture life just as effectively and if anything, in a more illuminating way. Using a comic format allows me to document my internal dialogue, otherwise forgotten conversations and fleeting thoughts. I now understand the comfort found in using autobiographical illustration similarly to a diary. I was interested in the question I pursued wondering if everything I create is in some way autobiographical, looking at my work I can see how it is an amalgamation of everything I love and admire. It is a really beautiful perspective of my practice; I know that as I grow as a practitioner, I will grow as a person too.
Thank you for joining me on this journey! x
bibliography -Neaud, F. (1996) Neuvième, Art no. 1, p. 73. -Groensteen, T. and Miller, A. (2013) Comics and Narration. University Press of Mississippi -Kaye, J. (2018) Super Late Bloomer: My Early Days in Transition. Andrews McMeel Publishing -Rude, M. (2018) ‘Drawn to Comics: “Super Late Bloomer” Is the Transition Diary Comic We’ve Been Waiting For’ Autostraddle Available at: https://www.autostraddle.com/drawnto-comics-super-late-bloomer-is-the-transition-diary-comic-weve-been-waiting-for-420771/ (Accessed: 30/10/2020) -Cambridge Dictionary (2020) anthropomorphism Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/anthropomorphism (Accessed:10/11/2020) -Carlton, B. (2020) ‘Visiting Lecturer - Beck Carlton’ Visiting Professional Programme Available at: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=JBKFMqH2DGQ&feature=emb_err_woyt&ab_ channel=BAIllustration (Accessed:12/11/2020) Leeds Arts University -Gustines, G. (2020) ‘Overlooked No More: Kate Worley, a Pioneer Writer of Erotic Comics’ The New York Times, 27 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/obituaries/kate-worley-overlooked.html (Accessed 02/11/2020) -Kate Worley (2007) Home. Available at: http://www.kateworley.com/index.htm (Accessed 05/11/2020) -Worley, K. Waller, R. and Vance, J. (2013) The Complete ‘Omaha’ the Cat Dancer Eurotica -The Comics Journal (2020) The Comics Journal No. 143, July 1991 Available at: http://www.tcj.com/the-comics-journal-no143-july-1991/ (Accessed 05/11/2020) -Shank, W. (2017) ‘Blood Lines’ Barcelona Metropolitan, 01 December. Available at: https://www.barcelona-metropolitan. com/features/culture/keith-haring-barcelona/ (Accessed 06/11/2020) -The Keith Haring Foundation, bio. Available at: https://www. haring.com/!/about-haring/bio (Accessed 07/11/2020)