For yet another year, and this is the 30th, at García de Pou we wanted to elevate the cover of our catalogue to the category of art. Javier Mariscal, Forges, Antoni Pitxot, Quim Hereu, Leonard Beard and countless other artists have illustrated the cover in previous editions. On this occasion, it is the prestigious illustrator Jordi Labanda who is in charge of attracting all eyes and inviting them to take a look at the new García de Pou Catalogue 2021.
«I think it is a fantastic initiative that García de Pou is using visual artists to create its covers. This decision, so brave if you take a retrospective look, gives the brand an extra quality and excellence. The union of art and big business has always yielded interesting results», says the artist.
«This cover is a hedonistic ode to the pleasure of eating and drinking together, something that is even more relevant nowadays. In this illustration I wanted to reflect that irrepressible desire we humans have to share experiences», says Labanda about the times we live in.
We are proud to have Labanda to illustrate our letter of introduction and what will be our customers’ bedside book. Firstly, because we believe that his drawings convey everything we want to transmit with the design of our products: modernity and freshness. But above all because he is one of the most recognised illustrators. Proof of this is that Woody Allen himself has chosen him to create the poster for his latest film, Rifkin’s Festival, presented just a few months ago at the San Sebastian Festival.
Poster for Woody Allen’s latest film Rifkin’s Festival.
His unmistakable pop style when it comes to portraying our society, with just one snapshot, makes him unique. And in this reflection there is also a critique of our contradictions, which Labanda always approaches with a fine sense of humour. His drawings are full of iconic characters, references to fashion, industrial design, architecture and advertising.
«My illustrations try to be a portrait of the era in which I live. I like to see reality through a lens of sophistication that allows the viewer to enjoy and dream with my work. In the case of this cover for García de Pou, I also wanted to emphasise the ecological and pluralistic factor of the brand, giving great importance to gastronomic and healthy outdoor consumption, human relations and respect for nature», says the artist.
«I have always enjoyed working on corporate projects. Illustration is still commercial art, art at the service of a client who wants to spread a message and get it across to their audience in the most innovative and eye-catching way possible. Whenever a brand commissions me to do a job, I take on the challenge with great enthusiasm, knowing that I’m going to give my best», Labanda explains.
He has designed for brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Moncler, Neiman Marcus, Knoll International, Grand Marnier, Nissan, American Express, Reebok, Zara, Adidas and Pepsi.
Jordi Labanda was born in Uruguay but has lived in Barcelona since he was three years old. In the 90s he worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for important publications such as The New York Times, Sunday Magazine and Vogue USA. Currently, as an editorial illustrator, he collaborates with prestigious fashion publications such as Vogue Japan, The Daily Telegraph’s, Bergdorf Goodman Magazine or Harper’s Bazaar.
The artist Jordi Labanda, illustrator of the cover of García de Pou’s Catalogue 2021.
Over the last few years he has published several books with his illustrations, in which he talks about subjects such as compulsive consumerism, new technologies, the tyranny of fashion or the jet set.
Jordi Labanda’s works are exhibited in galleries and museums all over the world, from New York to Paris, Tokyo, Barcelona, Madrid, Florence, Buenos Aires and Mexico City.
