The idea for “OPERACIÓN: TRESMENOSCUARTO” stems from an exercise in exploring the form and color of animals, combined with the desire to tell a different and beautiful story. It arose from the need to create a narrative that celebrates the victory of animals over humans, portraying the zoo animals’ escape as an act of resistance and freedom. The absence of text in the book allows the story to be universal and accessible to people of all ages and cultures, as the narrative unfolds entirely through images and the visual expressions of the characters.
“OPERACIÓN: TRESMENOSCUARTO” narrates the freedom, organization, and unity of the animals in their joint attempt to escape from the zoo. The title places us in the zoo at 2:45 in the morning, the agreed-upon time to execute their plan. The animals, lined up in a row, wait while a small monkey attempts to steal the keys from the security guard who is either distracted or half asleep. Once obtained, the keys are handed over to the great gorilla, tasked with opening the zoo gates and allowing the escape. The narrative is enveloped in tense silence, as any noise could ruin the meticulously plotted plan. This simple yet profound story highlights the importance of teamwork and the struggle for freedom.
I decided to participate in the contest because it seemed like a challenge to be able to tell a story without text and let the images speak for themselves. Additionally, participating in a contest within the Bologna Children’s Book Fair represents an invaluable opportunity for any illustrator or creative to showcase their work and their vision of the world through their illustrations. It has been a challenge for me, but it has also helped me to synthesize concepts and ways of narrating situations that, surely, with accompanying text would have been different.
Gerard is 39 years old and he was born in Ordino, a small town in Andorra. However, he has lived all his life in Sant Feliu de Llobregat which is located near Barcelona. He is the son of a screen printer and since he was a child he has been surrounded by inks and solvents. His family also had its own screen printing workshop and he suspects that fascination with the artistic world began there. Drawing superheroes and monsters has always been his great passion.
As an adult, he studied Graphic Design at the Llotja School of Arts in Barcelona, where he also took courses in Engraving, Bookbinding and Sculpture. Currently, he continues to train as an illustrator and he lead his own creative studio too, called “Creativos y Mutantes”. In 2023, he was recognized as a finalist and he received a special mention in the prestigious Compostela Illustrated Album contest for my work on the book “Vent”, alongside Irene Roura’s text. Also, during this year, he received recognition as a finalist in the Gran Canaria Illustrated Album Contest.
He has always been fascinated by the complexity of the human mind, its thoughts and behaviors. He identifies himself as an introspective documentary illustrator and I use satire and sarcasm to project my ideas, often giving them a mature and reflective tone.