Thomas
Winding is an artist and illustrator. On other occasions he is an author. When
he chooses to he writes and lets a colleague illustrate the pictures. Or he
does the opposite, or both. And one constantly hears his voice, which is
recognised throughout the country by everyone, children and adults alike.
Thomas Winding is The Voice. His voice has been used in numerous tv-series.
You
should only disturb children if you really has something to say, says
Thomas Winding. His pictures have a naivistic simplicity – and his texts have
an odd form of shared secret – that come from the heart.
He is good at being precocious at child level. Nothing is beyond him.
A Danish
neo-classic picturebook appeared in 1978. Odas historie was written by Thomas
Winding and illustrated by Rina Dahlerup. The book was so obviously different –
unique in its blend of comic strip with a gentle undressing of male chauvinism.
It has given a lot of fathers something to think about! Since then Thomas
Winding has produced a few books. He was also involved in all sorts of
activities at Danish Folk High Schools, doing film or television work for many
years. But during the last ten years it has been children’s books. It is as if
he has been hit by a poetic frenzy. One year ten books by him were published.
And he does
not do it to disturb children.
Thomas
Winding has two sets of brushes to work with as illustrator and artist. He says
that there has to be physical well-being and love in his pictures. And he
adds, The child must want to put the book in its mouth …
This is
most clearly seen in his four books about Teddy Bear for the very young. There
is almost no text, but the few words there are and the vigorous pictures in
strong colours create a physical nearness that makes one want to eat some of
the water melon Teddy is lying with on the cover of the ”burp”-volume.
That is what the pictures look like that Thomas Winding
feels need expressing. There is always seriousness even when things are funny.
The three books about the dog Boss (Mester) are Thomas
Winding’s great achievement. He has also illustrated them. These books about
Boss are translated into numerous languages. They are books for the family.
One starts with a dog that looks for an ”owner”, then one
introduces an elderly man with habits and slippers, then one lets them live
together and discuss everything. This could be about two such important
subjects as food and the sofa. When the elderly man needs a break he tells a
story. This way he gets a bit of peace, as a logical dog is a handful. It asks
’why?’ all the time. These books are examples of conversation and quiet togetherness
between grown-ups and little ones. There are two ends to a lead. But Boss, the
dog, makes sure not to beat the other end.
This is the way father and child , no, excuse me, man and
dog, talk together. Here, one
chews pictures and walks about off the lead. This, in all its simplicity, is Thomas Winding’s important message.
Steffen Larsen, 2001
