PAFF! in Pordenone dedicates a major exhibition to noir cartoonist Juanjo Guarnido and his Blacksad

From April 8 to July 10, 2022, PAFF! - Palazzo Arti Fumetti Friuli presents at the villa of Palazzo Galvani the exhibition Blacksad. The Colors of Noir by Juanjo Guarnido.

Born in Granada in 1967, Guarnido became passionate about drawing at an early age. In his 20s, he specialized in painting in Madrid and France, eventually landing in the United States. He reached the pinnacle of notoriety with the publication of Blacksad, which takes readers on a journey across the American continent: from the slums of a major metropolis, a reflection of postwar New York, to desolate country towns reminiscent of the Southern states during racial segregation, via the excesses of a drug-ridden New Orleans, to the vast green expanses of the West.

With six volumes under its belt, luxury print runs, artbooks, radio projects and an adaptation in the form of a video game, Blacksad celebrates its twenty-two-year anniversary this year. It is a true period noir, a detective story with dramatic and mysterious overtones, the hallmark of which is the presence of anthropomorphic animals. The world of John Blacksad, a detective without half-measures, is1950s America, often recognizable in the realistic backgrounds of the large cities that Guarnido depicts, on which the silhouettes of the protagonists are grafted. With his black fur and white spot on his muzzle, Blacksad must solve puzzles, accompanied by the weasel/helper Weekly (journalist) and the incorruptible Smirnov (police officer). Unable to remain impassive in the face of others’ suffering, he always fights for justice.

The narrative is accompanied by alternating dramatic and ironic tones. Set in mid-twentieth-century American society, Guarnido also investigates and explores deep themes, such as racial segregation and witch hunts during the Cold War years. The main theme of the albums is foreshadowed by the color of the cover. Black, white, red, blue and yellow: these are the hues selected by Guarnido to characterize the narrative.

The iconography will also be joined in this event by the texts of Juan Díaz Canales, whose artistic partnership with Guarnido has continued for three decades. The two authors deftly draw the reader into the heart of 1950s New York, and hosts stories loosely inspired by classic American detective stories and film noir.

The Friulian exhibition also goes beyond the well-known camel-trench-coated, ebony-haired feline and features a preview. The international preview of some fanzines belonging to And Then Nothing Remains, 130 unpublished plates and the original illustrations that will make the exhibition the largest ever held in Italy. From the first compositions to the final plates, the exhibition will allow the public to discover the fascinating world of the famous cartoonist.

“With Guarnido’s exhibition we bring to PAFF! in Pordenone a star of contemporary comics as well as one of the most crystalline and original talents on the international scene,” said Giulio De Vita, artistic director of PAFF! - Palazzo Arti Fumetto Friuli. “Rich in artistic, literary and cinematic references, his stories captivate with visual power, narrative effectiveness and expressive incisiveness.”

The event is produced in collaboration with 9eme Art Références in Paris.

PAFF! in Pordenone dedicates a major exhibition to noir cartoonist Juanjo Guarnido and his Blacksad

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