Aesthetics: A Memoir

by Ivan Brunetti

A glimpse inside the mind and artistic process of a fascinating contemporary cartoonist 

Born to working-class parents in a small town in Italy, and reared in Chicago, Ivan Brunetti (b. 1967) was drawn to cartoons and comic strips from an early age. Finding inspiration in Spider-Man and Peanuts , he began crafting his own stories and gradually developed a unique style that he applied to imaginative, sometimes shocking subjects. The dark humor of his graphic novels earned him a cult following, yet his illustrations have had broad appeal. Now recognized as an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator, Brunetti has published his work in the New Yorker , the New York Times Magazine , and McSweeney’s , among others. This eye-popping illustrated autobiography by Brunetti traces his artistic trajectory and output, from youthful doodles to his latest cover illustrations and comic strips. A Memoir unearths a trove of previously unpublished materials, including working drawings, sketches for cartoons, book covers, personal photographs, and items from the artist’s collection of toys and handmade objects. In an introductory essay and captions, Brunetti explains—in a voice that is as quirky, smart, and clear as his drawings—his creative process and aesthetic sensibility. This overarching retrospective conveys Brunetti’s philosophy of life and cartooning through his keen words and unforgettable images.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Art, Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Graphic Novels Comics

120 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2013

About the author

Known for his dark humor and simple, yet effective drawing style. Brunetti's best known work is his autobiographical comic series Schizo. Four issues have appeared between 1994 and 2006. Schizo #4 won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Comic of the Year in 2006.


He has also done numerous covers of The New Yorker.

Reviews

[Peter Landau · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Perseverance is much more important than confidence or talent,” writes Brunetti. Depressed, self-deprecating and a hell of an artist. I don’t like that word, but Brunetti does more than draw, he designs, he builds, he creates. This grab-bag of work and autobiography is inspiring.

[Cail Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in one-go. Beautiful work, made me a fan of a Brunetti. He has a particular style that benefits from background and context. Depressing and inspiring in equal measure.

[Megan Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a coffee table book than an in-depth memoir, this beautiful little package collects the aesthetic influences of Ivan Brunetti's life, along with some process pages about his comics and New Yorker covers. While I occasionally wished the book would go a bit deeper, I thought the photos and artwork were expertly curated. The subject matter made me consider my own visual influences from throughout my life--the cartoons and toys and book covers and billboards. Overall, I'm really happy to add this book to my comics collection.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aesthetics, yes: samples of Brunetti's published and unpublished works (including draft versions) and the types of pop culture ephemera that inform his tastes; memoir, no: not the sense of "autobiography" or "aesthetic development", but along the lines of "I liked to read Peanuts when I was a kid."

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I think I find Brunetti more interesting for how his work has inspired others. Primarily Lynda Barry, who has turned his aesthetic into instructionable works.

[Madhusree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The style of drawing is unique& the story telling is engaging &I especially loved his self deprecating commentary about his life & work.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always liked Ivan Brunetti's work, ever since stumbling across a Misery Loves Comedy collection in a comics shop many years ago. Over the years his style has gotten a lot cleaner and more design oriented. This collection serves as a career retrospective, and even includes some of his childhood drawings. He's also dabbled in sculpture. Although he is disparaging of his work, I find it charming and even delightful, a view which would no doubt fill him with despair so let's just not tell him about it, eh? I find his work appealing, and this book is a wonderful overview of the work of this talented artist.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A kind of collection based on a curated event at Columbia College, a sort of retrospective of Brunetti's work and some reflections on aesthetics, particularly some contemporary and history influences on his work. Interesting, not particularly compelling, but it is interesting to see the roots of and influences on any artist's work... You get a sense of how others like Brunetti might have been similarly influenced...

[Peter Derk]

Brunetti's work is really fantastic. I think that I spent years crediting Chris Ware with some of his stuff. Which is too bad because once they're side-by-side, they're really different.

This is a quick read, and it's worth a minute if you have a thing for comics and comic art. Which I most certainly do. But if you've never really looked at Brunetti, I would suggest his cartooning book. That one is a great, great read.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Brunetti's work since the late 90s. Of the post-grunge underground comix creators he was absolutely the angriest and craziest. So much so that I worried for his health and did not expect him to have a long career. But then he simplified his work, toned down the anger and started to emulate Ware, Seth, Tomine, Clowes etc. That all being said it was fascinating to look inside his head and see how he worked it all out.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aesthetics collects illustrations, comics, doodles and ephemera from Ivan Brunetti's long career. Brunetti's captions are unfailingly pessimistic and self-deprecating but his work has a lightness that keeps it above a Chris Ware level of depression. This is a fairly slight book, but the photos of Brunetti's sculptures and vintage art collections as well as the curated drawings definitely deepened my understanding of his work.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice retrospective of brunetti's work. i hadn't realized that he was losing his vision to diabetes, which i was sad to learn. not a text-heavy read, but definitely worthwhile to see photos of his tiny sculptures.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoy brunetti's aesthics, what he thinks is interesting IS interesting. Honest about doubt and depressin and beautiful art, I enjoyed observing his work and his process. he's a new discovery for me and a welcome one.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

what could have happened to me. Enjoyed it. Planning on cartooning in my retirement.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book, a memoir in graphics from the artist Ivan Brunetti.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of Ivan Brunetti's early work and personal ephemera with autobiographical notes. Charming and disturbing.

[TJ Wilson]

I really love Ivan Brunetti's philosophy and work. So interesting! There is some really good zingers in here of literary wondrousness, but I wish there was more of the life and all of that!