With simplicity of substance and form, The winning entry of the 1st International Compostela Prize for Picture Books is a contemporary fable about isolation, a poetic reflection on people and their emotions.
"So Close", the winning entry of the 1st International Compostela Prize for Picture Books, is a contemporary fable about isolation, and a poetic reflection on relationships and individualism, on people and their emotions. From a literary point of view, the story stands out for its simplicity and coherence. The protagonists, a duck and a rabbit, live parallel lives, each one imprisoned in his own loneliness. The work invites the reader not to turn one´s back on other people, in effect, the author explains, “depriving oneself of the possibility of sharing the simplest and happiest moments in life”.
Aesthetically, Natalia Colombo mixes diverse media, from acrylic to collage, and even designed a typeface specifically for the work. She also pays special attention to the use of light and plays masterfully with movement and symmetry, combining colour, texture and materials to give the work its unique style and character.
