I feel like this graphic novel was almost created for me as it mixes my appreciation of Bryan Talbot and Leonora Carrington into one heady brew. I knew of Bryan Talbot from his earlier graphic novels like The Tale of One Bad Rabbit, Alice in Sunderland and Grandville. He's a bit of a legend in the British comic scene and has done quite a few graphic novel signings over the years.
Now, Leonora Carrington is another matter altogether. I came across Ms. Carrington's work by proxy of Dorothea Tanning. I went to the Dorothea Tanning exhibition at the Tate Modern in 2019 and her surrealist art really blew me away. Afterwards, I researched the art scene she was part of and found Leonora Carrington's work. Her art style drew me in and I bought a book celebrating her work and art as well as watching a fascinating documentary about her life.
I came across Leonora Carrington: Armed With Madness by chance when I went through to Gosh Comics in London after visiting my family in East London. I like to go comic shopping in person as there is always a chance that you'll find something you never even knew existed or be recommended a read by the people who work there. Whilst browsing the tables, I saw Armed With Madness: The Surreal Leonora Carrington and knew that I had to buy it.
Carrington as a subject matter is difficult to convey in biographical form as she lived a pretty amazing life and saw things a bit differently than most. Her life and work were tumultuous and she often saw people as totemic animals, herself as either a hyena or a horse and her 26 year senior lover, artist Max Ernst, as an eagle. We see young Leonora struggling against the female oppressive norms of Edwardian society and rebelling against her parents. She joined artists in a bohemian lifestyle and was freed from the social hierarchies and expectation as she embraced the Art Life.
Over 144 pages we get a good overview of her life and this is portrayed with a free-flowing art style that dips into surrealness with anthropomorphic animals showing Leonora's state of mind. The art is beautiful and the narrative well presented but it is always difficult to capture a life lived into such limited pages, especially a life as complex as that of Leonora Carrington.
This graphic novel is well worth a read but consider it a primer before delving deeper into the life of this remarkable and singular woman. She remained a forgot woman of the Surrealist scene but found recognition later in life when in Mexico.