Kati Kovács

KATI KOVÁCS (b. 1963) has lived and worked in Rome for 30 years. Kati can’t remember ever really wanting to do anything in life but play with the monkeys or draw. After buying a one-way ticket to Rome in 1986, she never returned to Helsinki to complete her graphic design studies. She’s still on that journey. Her works – which have been translated into Swedish, German, French and Hungarian – have been published and featured in exhibitions across Europe and in Hong Kong. She won the prestigious Finnish Puupäähattu Prize for Exemplary Work as a Comic Artist in 1999 and the Graphic Novel Finlandia Prize for her work Who’s afraid of Ydal Dlo? in 2010. In 2014, she was the winner of Finland’s first-ever State Prize for Comic Art.

“The strong female characters in Kovács’ work challenge traditional gender roles, already inspiring two generations of young comic artists to question the standards of the industry.” – The Finnish State Prize jury

Kovács also conceived and scripted a stop-motion animation opera: Lisa Limone & Maroc Orange: A Rapid Love Story. The production deals with immigration in Europe, and was awarded the prize for Best International Animated Feature Film in 2014 at the Monterrey Film Festival.

Works

Kaya (Kaya, WSOY 2024)

Animal Alphabet for Adults (Eläimelliset aakkoset aikuisille, WSOY 2021)

Quo Vadis, Katalin? (Quo Vadis, Katalin?, WSOY 2019)
– published in French in 2021
Kamilee’s Labyrinth (Kamileen labyrintti, WSOY 2016)
– published also in French
The Delta Twins (Deltan kaksoset, WSOY 2014)
– published also in French
Who’s Afraid of Ydal Dlo? (Kuka pelkää Nenian Ahnavia?, Arktinen Banaani 2010)
– published also in French and Swedish
Fortune’s Gifts 2: Fight like a man! (Onnen lahjat 2: Tappele kuin mies!, script by Pauli Kallio, Suuri kurpitsa 2009)
Jungle Woman in the Vatican’s Shadow (Viidakkonaisena Vatikaanin varjossa, Arktinen Banaani 2008)
Coloured Dreams (Väritetyt unet, script by Pauli Kallio, Arktinen Banaani 2007)
Eye Out (Silmä ulos, Asema 2005)
Fortune’s Gifts (Onnen lahjat, script by Pauli Kallio, Arktinen Banaani 2004
Josef Possessed’s Story (Josef Vimmatun tarina, Arktinen Banaani 2004)
To Be a Maneater in the Circus (Miestennielijäksi sirkukseen, Arktinen Banaani 2003)
– published also in Swedish
Where Are You Headed, Marion Meat? (Minne matka Laura Liha?, Suomen Yrityslehdet 2001)
Cardboard Child (Pahvilapsi, Like 2001)
– published also in French and Swedish
Carou-Cell (Karu selli, Like 1996)
– published also in German and Swedish
Green Rhapsody (Vihreä rapsodia, Like 1994)
– published also in Hungarian and Swedish

Awards and nominations

2017 Shortlisted for the 2016 Graphic Novel Finlandia Prize
2014 Finland’s State Prize for Comic Art
2010 Graphic Novel Finlandia Prize
2004 Nordic Comics Competition Lempi Grand Prix prize
2001 Winner of the Nordic Comics Competition in Kemi
1999 Puupäähattu Prize for Exemplary Work as a Comic Artist
1998 Urhunden Prize in Sweden for best foreign comic (Karu cell)
1996 Ministry of Education’s ‘Young Art in Finland’ prize