Tomorrow is the very last day of the exhibition of artwork from The Iliad. A huge thank you to John, Jessica and all at the excellent Illustration Cupboard for all their hard work. It looks fantastic!
Last chance to see !
This week is your last chance to see the exhibition of illustrations from The Iliad, retold by Gillian Cross and Illustrated by neil packer. The show is currently running at the Illustration Cupboard in London, but finishes on Saturday 24th October.
Literary Features Syndicate – Review of The Iliad
Rediscover Homer’s epic poem that pitted the ancient Greeks against the fearsome Trojans in this superb retelling of The Iliad by Carnegie Medalist Gillian Cross, who also refitted the Odyssey for a younger audience. Cross has managed to take this daunting work and wrangle a fluid and enjoyable version full of action and adventure. The book opens with helpful a character map and concludes with the Greek alphabet and an appendix dedicated to discussing whether or not the Iliad was based on a true story. Illustrator Neil Packer, who collaborated on Cross’s Odyssey (2012), returns here to render the scope of human emotions with his instantly recognizable gouache and pen and wash art. (His work ought to be familiar to Folio Society fans: previous commissions for that publishing house include Umberto Eco’s The Name of The Rose (2001) and 2004s illustrated version of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22.) Here, Greeks and Trojans locked in eternal battle are rendered in bold colors and appear as if they’ve been plucked directly from some ancient amphora, and it’s wonderful. (Readers interested in seeing Packer’s art for themselves can do so through October 24 at the Illustration Cupboard in London.) Printed in a large-format volume, this Iliad is a welcome addition to the picture-book world, filling the void between overly sanitized editions and those with blood practically oozing from the binding. A masterful gift for the ages.
Thank you to the Literary Features Syndicate.
Wimbledon Books
Spotted over the weekend, a fine display of Iliad’s in the window of the fabulous Wimbledon Books, 40 The High Street, Wimbledon Village SW19 5AU.
Short film about the artwork from the Iliad.
A short film by Marie-Cecile Embleton with the assistance of Jessica Jane Charleston, about Neil Packer’s recent work for The Iliad. Click on the links to watch the film or visit the Illustration Cupboard to see the artwork.
Packing a punch: Neil Packer’s Iliad: from the Illustration Cupboard’s Blog
A splendid and insightful reading of my work from the wonderful Illustration Cupboard, follow the link to read the article, or visit the gallery in the next month to see the exhibition.
Neil Packer in the Illustrator’s Lounge
A very nice article about me in the Illustrator’s Lounge today, highlighting work from the Iliad now on show at the Illustration Cupboard.
Neil Packer / Iliad exhibition starts at the Illustration Cupboard, tomorrow.
Exhibition and sale of artwork from “The Iliad” retold by Gillian Cross, illustrated by Neil Packer goes on show tomorrow. See it at the Illustration Cupboard 22 Bury Street, St. James’s London SW1Y 6AL. From 7th – 24th October 2015.
INIS READING GUIDE / ILIAD REVIEW
‘This retelling of Homer’s Trojan War epic is beautifully put together, a treat for those familiar with the story as well as for those reading it for the first time. Cross has done a fine job of adapting the text into modern prose, but it is Neil Packer’s illustrations that really stand out, breathing new life into the story. His artwork blends classical aesthetics with modern illustration techniques to great effect, entirely appropriate for a retelling of a classical text for a new audience.’ Inis Reading Guide
Odysseus ran to untie the horses
“Odysseus ran to untie the horses”, an image from THE ILIAD retold by Gillian Cross, illustrated by Neil Packer, published by Walker Books in the UK today 01/10/15 and available now in all good independent bookshops.