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Embracing Humility: Reimagining Classic Literature and Deconstructing Visual Humor

For as long as I can remember, comedy has always been a language that I wanted to understand and pursue further, and I frequently regard it as one of the most engaging and intelligible forms of communication. The inherent humility in humor provided me with an outlet to express myself in a way that brought me comfort, and encouraged me not to take life too seriously. These are all notions I considered while visually re-adapting Nikolai Gogol’s “The Nose,” A surrealist 19th century Russian short story which illustrates the detrimental effects of social hierarchy. Gogol narrates the tale of an arrogant Collegiate Assessor by the name of Kovalyov, who wakes up one morning without his nose. He later finds that it had not only developed a life of its own but has apparently surpassed Kovalyov by obtaining the rank of state councilor. The overarching moral of the story resonated with me deeply, as Gogol ultimately urges his audience to be more conscious of their surroundings so they do not become desensitized to the way society dictates human sympathy through class. I aim to preserve Gogol’s message through my illustrations, along with embracing the outlandish and obscure themes of the story through my own creative liberties.

Bio

Ella Cetchovich is currently an Illustration Major at Maine College of Art & Design, and is expected to graduate in spring '24. As an aspiring cartoonist, she gravitates towards cartooning as a means of personal expression and enjoys exploring sardonic wit in her work. She considers humor a subversive weapon and uses it as a tool to communicate emotions that are difficult for her to verbalize and enjoys experimenting with visual portrayals of humor. Ella primarily works in classic pen and ink, working gesturally and exhibiting a range of organic and scratchy lines.