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The origins
My story begins long before I was born, with the Papo family, origin of the name Papescu.
Records have been found since the times of the Ottoman Empire, when the Papo family lived in the Iberian Peninsula and was already linked to books. With the takeover of the Catholic Church and the end of the Ottoman Empire, the Papo family was forced to migrate to the Balkan region, to Sarajevo, in the former Yugoslavia, where they stayed until the Second World War. At that time the family already had scholars, sages and readers such as the renowned Rabbi Papo, famous for his wisdom and work in the community in the mid-19th century. In Belgrade, Yugoslavia, my grandfather became an expert bookseller and traveled all over the country with his bookstore ANTIQUARNA KNHNIJARA MENACHEM PAPO, but the arrival of the Second World War forced the family to abandon their home, fleeing through the mountains, experiencing all kinds of hardships until they were deported to Sicily, Southern Italy. There they stayed for years until, finally, inside a potato freighter, they crossed the Atlantic Ocean migrating to Brazil and docking in Santos.
Brazil
From there to São Paulo, it was a leap and the beginning of a new life.
In São Paulo, our house was always filled with books, stories, paintings, music and a lot of culture.It's been a long time since my generation assumed the continuity of the almost uninterrupted tradition.
about me
When I was little, I used to accompany my father to painting classes, with a secret trip to the candy store afterwards. I learned to observe a lot and we frequented all
the art galleries and exhibitions that appeared in São Paulo, my homeland.
At home, I watched my father painting and was free to experiment with many
materials, not his, but the ones he left on our little table, including papers, glue,
pencils and even the clay, branches and anyrything else we could find in front of our house. Every now and then he would come up with new material,
“Monkinha, look what I found. I want to know how it works” and then I would learn a new technique. He would draw with graphite and paint only in oil on canvas. And that's how I got into airbrushing and so many other painting and drawing techniques.
I grew up with the freedom to create, experiment and research. I made the logos and other drawings for the groups that I participated in at school and in clubs and I joined the Faculty of Visual Communication at a university in São Paulo.
I've always liked publishing, seeing many people enjoying my creations, even if they didn't know they were my creations. It's a joy to see my art in so many people's hands, eyes and hearts.
In England
When I finished college, I went to improve my skills in London for more than four years of learning and acting. While in England I published my first book in Brazil, the result of a project from one of the courses I had taken in London.
Back to Brazil
I graduated in scenography and costume design at the CPT (a research center for theatrer) and worked for four years in theater receiving nominations and awards while illustrating for publishers such as Paulinas and Studio Nobel.
Rio Grande do Sul
Since São Paulo was not what it used to be, it was very polluted and violent, I migrated to the South, Rio Grande do Sul, where I dedicated my professional life to illustration.
Illustration is a very broad area. I illustrate for children's books, youth books, I make many creations for cultural events such as theater, storytelling festivals, events related to women, LGBT+ artists, record covers, graffiti and develop paper toys.
I also teach. I really like to exchange ideas, teach and learn. I always say that, with
each class or lecture I give, I learn more than I teach. I spent many years traveling around
Rio Grande do Sul and the rest of Brazil teaching the creative process of illustration for
educators, students and other interested parties and, whenever possible, promoting
exhibition with free access to the entire public. I participated for a long time in book fairs
and meetings with children as an author and illustrator. Then, I discovered that I love
when a lot of people who are interested in learning , discussing, teaching
and living multiculturalism get together.
The
Papo Abissal, my publishing company, is a tribute of the family history that was interrupted for many years and is alive again. , Papo comes from our family name and Abissal is in appreciation of the abyssal fish, with their big eyes and mouths full of sharp teeth that survive the most inhospitable situations. In Portuguese, we translate "Papo ABissal" as a “deep conversation”.
I have had the joy of working with many publishers since the beginning of my career, following their rules and editorial lines and, in the midst of that, I created my own publishing company, to follow my own non-rules, working with people who are in my heart where the main objective is the “Multiculturalism”, a theme that I even won an award for.
Materials I use
I like to mix a lot of materials like acrylic paint, fabrics, pastel pencils, airbrushing and I love exploring unusual materials, whether natural, like banana leaves and sand, or synthetic like plastic, rubber and whatever comes along.
The "Viva Paper Toy"
I used to play with Paper Toys since I was a child. At university I developed my skills in planification image and began to enjoy transforming three-dimensional objects to bi-dimensional, and vice versa. In England I discovered the huge Paper Toy World and, in Brazil, I decided to include Paper Toys in the Papo Abissal publications.
Now, in Israel, I created Viva Papo Abissal, a new project that mix illustration with Paper Toy. Check it out, you'll love it!!
Now in israel
I currently live in Naharyia, on the northern coast of Israel, teaching illustration and art, and I am continuing to illustrate in various ways, always with my intention of “Multiculturalism” and reaching people's eyes, hands and hearts.
My illustrations travel around the world in art exhibitions, books and awards.
That's it and LONG LIVE CULTURE!!!
Monika Papescu
Born in São Paulo, Brazil and lives in Naharyia, Israel.
Monika is the illustrator of approximately 60 books published in Brazil and USA.
She also illustrates for cultural events such as: storytelling festivals, libraries, plays and
animation, sets, records and graffiti.
She creates and develops “Paper Papo Toys” for the publishing house Papo Abissal.
Exhibitions:
"10th International Art Festival" in South Korea November 2024
World virtual museum - המוזיאון הוירטואלי העולמי
תקזה" תומר בן הורין אמנות", Hayfa, 2024
"מילים שלא הובנו" Nahariya, 2023.
Prizes:
"Literary Highlights of the International Academy of the Brazilian Literature" in the illustrator category, Focus New York
First place in the “Arte à Flor da Pele II” Award from IGES (Gaucho Institute of Higher
Education) in the illustration category 2021.
The “Cultural Trajectories, Master Griô Sirley Amaro” Award (2021)
The “AELN Cultural Highlight” Trophy (2018) as a writer/illustrator
The Gaúcho Electronic Art Award for best animation
The Award for “Best Amateur Theater Costume – São Paulo”
She was one of the nominees for:
The “AGES Partners of Writing Award” (2017) as best illustrator and best illustration
IEL's “Minuano Award” as the best illustration for the book “Jesuína e a Cabaça”
The following projects were chosen from Call for Creation and Training Diversity of Cultures carried
out with resources from the Aldir Blanc Law:
“Recipes from the Land”
"Trajectories" with the virtual exhibition of her works
In 2014, Monika launched the publishing house Papo Abissal!
She is a member of the International Association of Brazilian Writers, Imbrascimg, Bando de Brincantes, the Poder Mulher Network, and the Nahariya Beach Cleanup Group in Israel.
Monika teaches illustration and Art in Israel.
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