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I'M BIG AND SMALL

Qi Jiaona (China)

How the idea for your silent story was born?

The idea of this book comes from my own feelings of different ages when I was growing up. From the moment I was born in this world, I realized that I was not a single change process from “small” to “big”, but adjusted my size and state according to the feelings brought by the changing people or things around me.  I think this is a process of continuous formation and improvement of self-consciousness. Therefore, I want to draw a book, a book of “Suddenly big sometimes small”. Draw the same person in the same period. “Big and small” are two different states, Through this comparison, we can see ourselves from the perspective of a third party and have a clearer understanding of this interesting self. 

What's the story about?

This is a story about growing up. The story is as long as a lifetime, but I didn’t say a word.  We can find a lovely baby growing up through the pictures. In the process from babbling to being ignorant, green and mature, and in the process of forming his self-consciousness, there are many feelings, such as ego and dependence, fearlessness and fear, courage and vulnerability, self-confidence and confusion, love and failure, affirmation and negation, responsibility and insignificance, that accompany his growth. In this process, he gradually understood his multifaceted self, the importance of courage and strength, and the responsibility and responsibility. Through the comparison of these pictures, I hope to open up the space for readers to observe and imagine themselves, to think about the relationship between themselves and the people and things around them, and to think about how to see themselves properly and become the masters in their growth.

Why have you decided to enter the contest?

We live on the same earth. Although the language is different, but painting is the same. There is an old Chinese saying that “silence is better than sound at this time”, which means that sometimes speaking without speaking is better than speaking. The resonance of the mind cannot be expressed in words, some of which are in silence. I like this feeling. This exhibition provides a platform for silent book communication. I think this is a good opportunity to communicate with international friends. I want to try, through this book to find resonance with you, together to explore the story of growth.

ABOUT QI

She’s a chinese professional illustrator born in 1981. She’s good at flower and bird painting and character comic. She was exhibited many times in large national exhibition in China and her cartoon often published in the People’s Daily or Liberation Daily. She is now part of the Xuzhou calligrapher’s association. In 2019 she participated in the 6th Silk Road International Art Invitational Exhibition; in 2022 she participated in the “Olympic and Spring Festival” artist creation activity of the China Media Group Shanghai Station of the Beijing Winter Olympics.