KOCHI: There is a lot of noisy clatter and ripe excitement that is usually associated with beaches. And amidst the din and bustle, the soothing noise of the waves and the sweet sanctity associated with the place is sure to affect even the most unmoved visitor. Acclaimed French illustrator Joelle Jollivet’s latest work, An Indian Beach-by day and night, which hit the bookstores in India recently, has drawn inspiration from Chennai’s Elliot’s Beach.
The illustrative work, with its never-ending book model, is a delight for children especially and is being lapped up by kids in Kerala too. According to Meena Divakar of Circuit Creative in Kochi, the book reflects the everyday scenes of activity in any given beach in South India, which is what makes it very relatable.
It is selling quite well in Kochi, too, she says.
Kochi Express speaks to the illustrator-cum-author who is currently travelling across the country for the Bonjour-India project (a festival celebrating the friendship between Indian and France).
When did you start writing this book?
The book has taken four years. In the beginning, I was busy with other projects and then there were some health concerns.
What was the kind of research you carried out?
I went to the beach each day for a week, at different moments of the day, to observe people living there. I made sketches and took photos, and when I came back to France, I made the drawings. (The illustrations include people and children working, eating, running and sleeping. There are also animals featured in the book.)
How has the book been accepted in different parts of the world, and in India?
The book has been well received in the US, UK, Australia and, of course, India. Many are especially fascinated with the interesting never-ending form of the book.
Can you speak of your association with Tara Books in Chennai which published your work?
I have been friends with the founder of Tara Books, Gita Wolf. We have been meeting for many years. When I got an opportunity to visit India to launch another book, I extended my stay and worked with them on the Beach project.
You have worked with Karthika Nair, an Indian author of Malayalee origin in the past. Can you talk about your association?
Karthika Nair has been living in Paris for 15 years. But she contacted me because she was
looking for an illustrator for her project (The Honey Hunter) with Anita Roy, from Zubaan. I had come to India (for the first time) for a workshop between Indian and French publishers, organized by the French Bureau Du Livre in Delhi, where I met Anita.