pushing forward | Mita Mahato

The last time I came to Paris, I took about 500 photos of all the sites one is supposed to take while visiting Paris. I am glad I have those photos because I only brought my prime lens with me this time—not the best choice for capturing Paris. Here, for instance, is a very small part of Notre Dame:

So instead of the big sites, I am taking photos like this one:

I don’t know why he’s up there … but I like that he is!

Perhaps the highlight of the trip so far has been the visit I paid to Le Musée Fragonard, which is located within the Alfort Veterinary School. The school opened its doors in 1766 and many of the specimens in the museum date from throughout the 18th and 19th centuries (and are still being used as teaching aids). Like the skeleton of this two-headed darling:

One of the main ideas that the museum conveys is that body preservation and organ-casting is an art (in fact, preservationists like Eugène Petitcolon came to be understood as artists).

The primary reason I visited the museum was to see this piece:

Made by Honoré Fragonard in the 18th century, “le cavalier de l’apocalypse” embodies the crucial braiding of the pathological sciences, art, and narrative. I spoke about it (and a few of Fragonard’s other pieces) during the the introduction for my dissertation defense. Seeing it in person kind of blew me away.

Another set of objects that blew me away were a collection of preserved brachial trees from a variety of animals. They were made at the beginning of the 20th century to aid in the study of tuberculosis. Here is cat:

And dog:

And cow (left) and horse (right):

These inspired a series of drawings which I will use as templates for cut-outs when I get home. There is a story that is developing among them—but I am not exactly sure what it will look like just yet. Here are a couple:

One final photo. The requisite “sitting in café” shot. Note the appropriation of the ashtray:

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted anything, the main reason being that I’ve been preparing for the Olympia Comics Festival! The exhibition is this Saturday from 1:30-6:30. If you’re in the area, I would love to see you there! Check out the other events, too!

Preparing for my very first festival has been a huge learning experience for me. Trying to figure out which of my materials make for good “stand-alones,” how/where to print (my god who knew what a trick pagination was!), pricing (thank you M.K.!), etc. etc. But I feel excited (though nervous) about the event now that it is here. Getting my work out there is one thing—but I’m especially excited to meet other comics people in the area. The festival feels like a big step on this new path I’m on (though I am trying also not to get my expectations high—big steps, but slow steps; slow but determined steps).

One of the biggest issues that I’ve encountered over the last couple weeks has revolved around a small comic that I made specifically for the event. The story went through a number of iterations (at one point, it was about a robot!). What I realized was that I was making the comic to be sold rather than allowing it to come out of me because it was something that I needed to put on paper and needed to process. I decided not to make it (to stick with the two I already had) and, as often is the case, once I turned my mind away from it, a new story appeared. One that I believe in strongly.

I’m still not sure about how the story maps out. I was convinced that I was going to sit on it, reconsider, and not bring it with me tomorrow. But after talking it through yesterday evening with good friend Mandolin over chocolate-battered peanut butter cups, I’ve decided otherwise. Yes, they were delicious! Here it is: