Picture books are also undergoing a story revolution. Let's break free from rigid, ingrained ways of seeing with Junaida's "The World."
Junaida has enjoyed immense popularity in recent years, with her works such as "Michi" (Road), "No" (The), "Monster Garden", "Machi Dorobou" (The Town Thief), "Home," and "Hug" all sold at Jingjing. This year, we also have "The World" and "IMAGINARIUM."
From an visual perspective, when we view Junaida's paintings, each piece might initially seem independent (the components within the paintings often contain "subtle" and "minute" details, which, for someone who enjoys observing moss and grass up close, makes for a particularly engaging read). However, they ultimately form a complete "grand world." Let's look at the first image of "The World"; we can immediately discern the path of movement: a crown, arriving by boat. Is it perhaps ascending the stairs to the angel's abode?
The "small" details in Junaida's paintings gradually build up to form her grand vision.
What exactly does she want to achieve?
While reading "The World," I believe she might be creating an epic in picture book form.
On every page, we can find this child, hidden within the crown, growing little by little. Then, we follow this "little king" from his position in the painting, moving forward and backward to trace his journey. This is akin to the form of an oral epic, like the Ramayana, King Gesar, the Mahabharata, the Odyssey… these "kings" of the world, in different regions, at different times, were "completed" through the oral traditions of numerous folk artists, their grand adventures woven into tales. The process of becoming king through oral storytelling is improvisational, fluid, and full of street-artistic charm. When these stories are written down, becoming books and classics, on one hand, the story is established and recorded, but on the other hand, the form of the story becomes fixed and, in a sense, loses its dynamic life.
How can a picture book provide readers with the greatest space to tell stories, to develop characters, to interpret? This goes beyond the brain's instinctive drive for meaning. Here, every reader can become the master of their own story, imagining the king's adventures: what characters did he meet? With whom did he form alliances? How did he find refuge? What landscapes did he see along the way? How did he become flustered? How did he eventually grow old? And how much wisdom do his white beard and key imply?
If you don't look at Junaida's work intuitively, you might end up in vain.
So, amidst all the reading habits driven by the pursuit of meaning, we can also choose not to accept only a single story type or discourse. Let's just enjoy it!
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