SPEAKERS 2024

Born in the village Van in Rajasthan, Tejubehan is from the Paua tradition of bards and mystic singers. When she was 10, a terrible drought and famine forced the family to move away from the village in search of food and a living. They wandered around until they reached Ahmedabad, where the family lived in a makeshift slum. Tejubehan met the artist and singer Ganesh Jogi there, and the two became childhood friends, finally marrying when she was 16. It is very unusual for women in their community to sing or otherwise participate in public life.

Tejubehan has a fine voice, and encouraged by her husband Ganesh, she began singing along with him. They performed in restaurants and on the streets. Like Ganesh, she met the well-known artist Haku Shah. Tejubehan initially copied her husband's style of art, but then learned to sit by herself and evolve her own style. From the beginning, she loved drawing women, and this has been her inspiration ever since. In 2020, her first book, Rear Window, was published by Ansten Press. Rear Window is an illustrated anthology observing life in the converted old Arsenal Stadium, during London lockdown. A series of illustrated short stories.

Zarina Saidova is an illustrator with a love for storytelling, bright colors, and charming characters! Her own story spans from Kazakhstan to North Norway, before settling in Oslo. She has completed her master´s at the Art Academy, where she received funding for the best project of the year. Zarina`s inspiration comes from mythology, folklore, and surrealism. She likes to switch between digital and analog techniques, depending on the theme and project.

Træsh Forlag is a small underground publisher based between Trondheim, Oslo and Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was established by Ingrid Dyrseth and Zarina Saidova to create a space for new and established comic artists, working with abstraction and exploring storytelling and the comic format.