Sergio Garcia Sanchez (Guadix 1967), one the most important icons of comic, drawing, and illustration in Granada, was awarded the National Prize for Illustration at this Tuesday’s jury meeting. The Ministry of Culture and Sports has awarded the prize with 20,000 Euros.

Garcia was praised by the jury for “expanding the book format through graphic narration to other places, and multiplying the possibilities in illustration with images that narrate themselves”.

The jury also noted that the work has its own language and a technique that has a linear richness that reaches into infinity. This prize is awarded by the Ministry of Culture and Sports to recognize and distinguish the entire work of a Spanish illustrator working in the field of books and letters.

Sergio Garcia graduated from the University of Granada with a degree in Fine Arts. He is now a full professor at the Drawing Department. His professional activities include editorial illustration, comics, and children’s illustrations. He has worked with The New Yorker and The New York Times as well as Toon Books, Dargaud. He was awarded the APIM, Society of Illustrators and NH, APIM, Society of Illustrators awards.

He has been a part of exhibitions in Paris, Angouleme, New York City, Brussels and Frankfurt, Geneva, and Barcelona.

Maria Jose Galvez Salvador was the General Director of Books and Reading Promotion at the Ministry of Culture and Sports. The jury included Daniel Torrent Riba, who was appointed by the Professional Association of Illustrators of Catalonia; Nuria Castro, for the Professional Association of Illustrators of Valencia, Marina Hernandez Avila for the Professional Association of Illustrators of Madrid, Jose Tomas Diaz Teijo for the Federation of Associations of Professional Illustrators, Genoveva Tusell Garcia, by the Center for Gender Studies of the Royal Academy of San Fernando; Karla de Gamboa Vazquezquezquezquezquezquez de Gamboa Vazquezquezquezquez for the Spanish Organization for Children’s Books and Carme Sole Vendrell for the Ministry of Culture and Sports (OEPLI).