- Juan Ballesta
Juan Ballesta, cartoonist, Spain (Almeria, 1935).
Illustrator, writer, journalist, painter.
His work is first published in Madrid’s "Informaciones" in 1953. In 1956 his cartoons appear in "Don José" and later in "La Codorniz". In 1958 he moves to London where he enrolls in the "Saint Martin School of Art" and where his work starts to be published in the "Daily Mirror" [http://www.mirror.co.uk/] , "The Tatler" [http://www.mirror.co.uk/] , "Lilliput Review" and others.
In 1965 he travels to Italy on a scholarship granted by the Juan March Foundation to study etching in Perugia. He remains in Italy until 1978. He works in advertising and contributes to magazines and publishing houses: "
L’Espresso ", "Linus", "Rizzoli", "Panini ", "Feltrinelli ", etc.In 1978 he returns to Spain and joins the news conglomerate "Grupo16". Between 1980 and 1990 he contributes regularly to "Cambio16", "Motor16" and "Diario16". In 1979 he becomes "Cambio16"’s art director and retains that position for several years. Since the dissolution of "Grupo16" he devotes most of his time and effort to painting.
Ballesta’s cartoons have also appeared in "
Le Monde ", "The Washington Post ", "The Herald Tribune" and "Courrier International".His work can be seen at "Basel's Museum of Humor", the "Paris National Library" and "University of Alcalá’s Foundation".
2000 International Press Club Award.
In 2002 he represented Spain at the world cartoon exhibit at the "Museum of Contemporary History" in Paris.
He does pro bono work for "Amnesty International" and "Reporters Sans Frontières".
Besides satirizing national and international politics, Juan Ballesta also devoted many of his cartons to dissecting relationships.
Books on the couple:
* LEI E LUI (Glenat Milano 1987, Mondria Amsterdam 1987).
* LEI E LUI CHE STRESS! (Glenat Milano 1989).
* LA PAREJA QUE COÑAZO (Lumen Barcelona 1991).For more than 20 years his car cartoons appeared every week in Motor16. Some of them can be seen in his book Tu Mi Turbo (Glenat, Milan, 1989).
Books for children:
* Tommy e l’elefante (Emme Milan 1978, Jean-Pierre Delarge Paris 1979, JM Dent &Sons London 1979, Lumen Barcelona 1988).
* Pedro y la mariquita (Glenat Milan 2003, EDEBE Barcelona 2005).Ilustrations:
* Nel paese di borgocitrullo (Emme Milan 1977).
* Las hormigas de la belleza (Novatex Madrid 1985).Books written by José Agustín Goytisolo with Juan Ballesta’s illustrations:
* El lobito bueno (Laia Barcelona 1983, EDEBE Barcelona 1992-2006).
* El príncipe malo (Laia Barcelona 1983, EDEBE Barcelona 1992-2006).
* El pirata honrado (Laia Barcelona 1984, EDEBE Barcelona 1992- 2006).
* La bruja hermosa (Laia Barcelona 1984, EDEBE Barcelona 1992-2006).
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