Javier Mariscal: Los Garriris

From Cobi, the mascot of the Barcelona Olympic Games, to furniture design for Magis, via covers for The New Yorker, and not forgetting the magical animated movie Chico y Rita, Javier Mariscal is one of the most creative illustrators and designers of today. London's Design Museum in 2009 and Barcelona's Pedrera last year presented different facets of this purveyor of happiness. The most intimate part of his universe, however, remains the Garriris. For Galerie Champaka, the artist has created some fifty brand new works exploring this universe dedicated to the joys of living!

Where does the term Garriris come from?
Javier Mariscal: As a child, I had quite a hard time learning how to read. One day, when I was reading a story to my younger brother, I came across a very angry character, I pronounced it as "grrrrr, garriri". Later, when I created these characters, always angry with the world, I immediately thought" "Look: a garriri!"

How have the Garriris evolved since you created them ?
They were born almost unconsciously, and the Garriris quickly became uncontrolable. They're as curious as they are dynamic. When I draw them, I often get the impression that it's them who take the decisisions. At the start, the Garriris were numerous and small in size, then they got progressively bigger and their numbers reduced. They discovered the beach, the moon, the pines, the waves and the dunes. I love them a lot. They are my family, my paper family.

How would you define the personality of each of the characters in the Garriris universe?
When the gang of Garriris disappeared, only Fermin, the big one, and Piker, the little, were left. I don't know why, but no doubt they decided that they were all that was needed, they had created a space of their own. It was from that moment that they came to life in the form of comics. Julian, the fishing dog, is born out of the blue and joins the duo forever. He never speaks, but he controls the situation, as he has his head on his shoulders.

So the Garriris insisted on being in one of your rare selling exhibitions?
This universe is the closest one to me, I have never abandoned it and I am working on adapting it into animation. On top of this, I have the feeling that the Garriris will be really happy in Brussels, a city which hosts the Atomium, a building dedicated to utopia. My characters really appreciate utopias...

Until April 23 2011
Javier MARISCAL. Los Garriris
Galerie Champaka
27, rue Ernest Allard
B-1000 Bruxelles