WAR &
DISASTERS

ANA JUAN ON WAR & DISASTERS:

“As a working artist and illustrator, I don’t usually get the chance to work on themes of war and disaster. It’s a big challenge. Often the working time between when the disaster happens and when a sketch for a cover is due is very short—sometimes I only have a couple of hours to think.

“I think first of the message I want to convey. What do I want to say about the event? Once I figure that out, I begin to think about an image: Now I’m looking for an image that expresses my idea.

“When I try to find an image to represent a tragedy, I usually look at photos; it used to be from television or the newspapers, and now it’s mostly from the Internet. I also look at cultural symbols, flags—anything that can represent a foreign country and can help inspire a cover. For this sketch (opposite), about the last conflict in Lebanon, I chose a palm tree as a symbol of the Mediterranean and drew bombs as its fruit.

“If you describe hard themes in a soft, serene voice, your message becomes louder. The beauty, by contrast, makes the horror more painful.

“Sometimes I’m grieving while I have to brainstorm, and since I am an emotional person, I discover things about myself I never imagined before. Some conflicts, tragedies, or disasters touch me more than others. I always want to do something with my work to help.”

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