Minna Lindeberg and Linda Bondestam (ill.)
In Minna Lindeberg's and Linda Bondestam's Allan och Udo (2011), Bondestam's visual expression flourishes. Here she presents her personal, visual style against a muted expression inspired by Russian poster art. Her collage method is both suggestive and sensual, with absurd elements. Bondestam builds up her imagery through a puzzle method; pictures composed by fragments, bits of paper and a lot of different materials in combination with markers and ink. Bondestam's harmonious imagery with a wink to the imagery of the 960-70s is fascinating. Here she revels in the townscape's inscribed texts in a playful way. An idea that portrays the town consists of orange brown buildings joined by cuttings and fragments from, amongst other things, cook books, a move that underlines that the story moves in an inner place, dreams. The visual storytelling is rigorous, beautiful, smart and imaginative. The plot to portray same-sex relationships without telling the reader is gratifying. Here the homosexual uncle's solidarity and love grows to encompass a universal relationship problem which includes deep depression and jealousy. The book portrays the essentially different attitudes to life of the pessimists and the optimists. By its nature, Allan och Udo is picture book for all ages which can be appreciated by readers of different ages. The conflict in the book is an eternal drama when the seductive Sirap al Saffran breaks into the good-natured old men's life together.
In Minna Lindeberg's rhyming text the dreary military man Udo Bismarck meets the romantically-minded lamp salesman Allan Lindström. Lindeberg is not flattering but allows the uncle's words to ring with old-fashioned expressions. The rhyming format is broken with blank verse which creates a change of pace in the narrative. The rhyming format is used in a slightly ironic way and allows poetic digressions in the dialogue between the older men, which contributes to the book's evocative and absurd basic tone. The eternal triangle ends with the couple's true love being revived and confirmed. Writing this type of book about uncle opens the floodgates for a subtle and subversive portrayal of sex since both the pictures' and the text's open attitude offers a reading experience for a wide audience. Bondestam and Lindeberg's picture book is a sign of a brave picture book which opens towards a poetic storytelling and a will to broaden the traditional subject matters. Sveriges Radio has also made a musical about Allan and Udo (Sveriges Radio P4 24-25.12.2012.)
Linda Bondestam (born 1977) lives in Helsinki and works as an illustrator. She is a graduate of Kingston University, London. Bondestam has participated in a number of exhibitions in London, Venice, Tetuan (Morocco), Helsinki and Kemi. Her picture books have been translated into several languages, including Russian, Italian, and Danish. Bondestam was nominated for the Finlandia Junior Prize in 2003, has received the Society of Swedish Literature prize in 2003 and 2008, the Finnish Book Art Committee nomination for the Most Beautiful Books of the Year 2003 and 2004, she appears on the IBBY Honour list 2006 and was nominated for the ALMA prize 2010.
Works illustrated by Bondestam published by Schildts & Söderströms:
Bröderna Pixon & TV:ns hemtrevliga sken (text, Malin Kivelä) 2013
Businnan blir kär (text Annika Sandelin) 2011
Allan och Udo (text Minna Lindeberg) 2011
Diktatorn (text Ulf Stark) 2010
Gnatto Pakpak (text Stella Parland) 2010
Lo. Fridlyst. (text Minna Lindeberg) 2009
Businnan (text Annika Sandelin) 2009
Vem är rädd för … Berättelser om vargen (antologi) 2008
Min bror Lev (text Mikaela Sundström) 2007
I en grop i Kalahari (text Minna Lindeberg) 2007
Milja och grannarna (text Annika Sandelin) 2006
Delirium - Romanen om en hund (text Stella Parland) 2004
Den förträfflige herr Glad (text Malin Kivelä) 2004
Linnea och änglarna (text Mikaela Sundström) 2003
Katastrofer och strofer om slummer och stoj (text Stella Parland) 2003
Minna Lindeberg (born 1968) is a writer and lives in Sjundeå. She has written a number of picture books.
Picture books illustrated by Linda Bondestam:
Allan och Udo 2011
Lo. Fridlyst. 2009
I en grop i Kalahari 2007
From another publisher:
Pappa född Lejon, Schildts 2006
Panterns språng, Schildts 1991