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Postmodern Loneliness, in Illustrated Form

These narrative graphics of Idalia Candelas celebrate lone women.
All images courtesy the artist

Recurring themes of women and loneliness occur in the illustrations of Idalia Candelas. Her drawings are a mix of ink, watercolor, and collage combined with digital illustration. We see loneliness at the door, as the only visitor in these seductive and silent works of women in repose. And it's not just the women who are lonely; it exists in the spaces themselves, but in their emptiness the artist illustrates a quiet contentment. The Mexico City-based artist studied graphic design from UNAM. We talked to Candelas about her influences and artistic process behind each picture.

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The Creators Project: How did it all begin?

Idalia Candelas: I have drawn since childhood. What I do now is influenced by the time I lived in Mexico City and the people I met during that season. The theme of loneliness has been recurrent in my drawings, to create stories with lonely characters in everyday situations and urban settings and to get people to relate to them. I like to think of all the possible angles around this issue. Even when people try to avoid solitude—out of fear—it is increasingly common in our society. Let's blame postmodernism.

Why only women?

Because I am a woman and it's what I like.

What inspires your illustrations?

I always get inspired by film and try to look at more photography to make the compositions in my work. I have found great masters in Silvana Avila, Edgar Clement, and Arturo Louga, and illustrators Paula Bonet and Jose Quintero. Personally, I think that loneliness will be regular theme in my work, but I still have so much to draw.

Do you have a new project you're working on?

I released my first book A Solas a couple of months ago and I am working on illustrations for a book that is part of a trilogy in which Edgar Clement is my editor. Clement wrote a prologue perfectly describing my work.

Learn more about the artist by clicking here.

This article originally appeared on The Creators Project Mexico.

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