Narwhal

The equipment manager at an athletics club was once a celebrated javelin thrower – until his career came to an end following an injury. He becomes completely withdrawn until a hurdler from his club attracts his attention. She catches him spying on her in the changing room and sees the tragedy of his fate. So she sends him to a shaman who has also helped her to ‘see the light’. The shaman wants to cure him of his physical and mental injuries by taking him to the world of the narwhal.

Wide Vercnocke is a true artist whose books are praised for the poetry in both their words and pictures. He subtly builds up a story in which, through the shaman’s sessions, the tragedy of the equipment manager is connected to the iconic narwhal and its spear-like tusk. Here, too, Vercnocke’s depiction is all about physicality and rejecting absolute rationality. A surprising and highly original story.