Fabiana Moch Recognized at 2024 Illustration Biennial

The accomplished Mexican artist, Fabiana Moch, achieved the distinct honor of being named among the 80 finalists for the prestigious 2024 Illustration Biennial. She was recognized for her powerful work that graphically illustrates the issue of forced displacement in Palestine. The artist’s poignant work is currently being showcased at an exhibition held at the Digital Culture Center, located in Mexico City.

In a candid interview with The Conference, Moch shared her inspiration behind the creation of the artwork. She spoke about how her artwork about Palestine was born from a feeling of anger, exhaustion, and frustration caused by the constant bombardment of information in today’s digital age. She wanted to highlight the televised genocide in the Loop strip and ensure that this information reaches a wider audience.

Moch was deeply moved by the contrast of how people in the West continue to live their lives despite being aware of the violence and atrocities faced by the people in that region. She passionately stated, The stark contrast of this reality struck a chord with me and I believe we don’t discuss it enough. Often, silence is a privilege, and this realization propelled me to express it through my work.

The event was meticulously organized by Pictoline and the jury included notable personalities like Andy Ristaino, an Emmy Award-winning artist and writer known for his work in Adventure Time; Brazilian visual artist and director of performances, Efe Goody; American writer and curator, Danielle King; and Sebastian Acampante, founder of the well-known design meet-up TRImarchi.

Moch, when speaking about her creative process, mentioned that it was a tad chaotic. She intentionally chose not to provide detailed faces for the characters in her artwork to evoke a sense of universality. This was done with the aim of allowing anyone to identify with the piece and to portray the harsh reality of forced migration.

Moch also elaborated on her choice of using a watermelon as a pictorial element in her work. She found it significant as she views it as a symbol of resistance and a representation of the colors of the Palestinian flag.

The Illustration Biennial is a renowned event first held in 2018. Its main objective is to recognize, promote, and consolidate Latin American illustration on a global scale, owing to its rich, visually expressive language.

Over the course of its four editions, the event has proven to be an important platform for discovering and nurturing the talent of artists. According to its official website, it aims to elevate illustration beyond mere exhibition and use it as a medium to influence social and political contexts on the continent.

Moch considers her nomination to be a significant milestone in her career. She expressed, This is the first significant achievement in my career, and the realization that I am beginning to gain recognition is deeply meaningful. She also shared that this is the first socially conscious illustration she has created, despite her lifelong interest in politics, fueled by her father, the writer Jorge Moch.

Moch credits her father for sparking her interest in graphic design. As a child, he gifted her The blue stone by Jimmy Liao, a book that blew my mind and ignited her passion for drawing and illustration.

She fondly recalls, Ever since then, I haven’t stopped drawing. During my high school years, I knew that I wanted to be an illustrator because I wanted to inspire the same fascination in others that I felt during my childhood.

This year, the 40 finalists selected by the jury for the Latam Award hail from various countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, United States, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Illustration Biennial features a total of 120 finalists, comprising 51 women, 62 men, and seven non-binary individuals.

The 80 finalists from Mexico, including Moch, are currently showcasing their work at the 2024 Illustration Biennial exhibition at the Estela de Luz Digital Culture Center, located on Paseo de la Reforma. The exhibition is open to the public until March 8. Additionally, the artwork of the winners will be featured in a printed catalogue.