Illustration: The Companion

"The Companion" by London-based Maria Tiurina

"I guess that this is my biggest work to date. It’s an A1 format ink in cardboard - a drawing that took almost half a year to complete. Also used watercolor, pencil and markers.

I call it “The Companion.” A story about two friends - a girl and her imaginary pet - who traveled for a long time, saw many beautiful places and met a lot of new people, creatures and animals who joined them as their journey continued. They arrived to something that resembles the edge of the world, and at first it might seem that their adventure has come to an end, but the girl is pointing at something high above that we cannot see, showing to her companion that there are more things to discover and enjoy together if only they wish to continue moving forward.

It’s a metaphor for the life experience and the luggage of our imagination. Everyone has a friend - the creature of mind - that follows them from the first day of their life, picking up experience, memories and emotions. We decide for ourselves what to load the vessel with, what the faithful creature of mind and memory will carry along with us to the edge of our existence.

Travel, see, feel, collect everything you find in your life - you never know what things you will want to have with you when the journey comes to an end."