Celebrating independent creativity and powerful storytelling, ‘Zodiac’ bridges cultures and voices through art and activism.
“Zodiac” has been included in the Austin Public Library’s reading recommendations for International Zine Month, featured in a curated selection of zines, graphic novels, comics, and artist books dedicated to independent creativity and micro-publishing.
The recommendation comes from the Central Library in Austin, Texas, one of the most active public libraries in the United States in promoting independent comics, illustration, and author-driven publications, supporting projects that narrate the world through original and engaged perspectives.
The Austin Public Library is a cultural landmark for the city and the state of Texas. Opened in its new building in 2017, it is recognized as one of the most innovative public libraries in the United States, with a sustainable design and spaces created to host exhibitions, talks, and cultural activities. Over the years, it has developed a collection that pays close attention to independent voices and marginalized narratives, becoming a meeting point for readers, artists, students, and researchers.
A small sign that “Zodiac” continues to travel and find readers around the world.
“Zodiac” is a book written by Ai Weiwei and Elettra Stamboulis and illustrated by Gianluca Costantini, published by Ten Speed Press (Penguin Random House) in 2024. The book transforms the twelve signs of the zodiac into a political, personal, and artistic journey. The project was born from the collaboration between Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist and activist; Elettra Stamboulis, a writer and curator who has dedicated much of her work to graphic storytelling; and Gianluca Costantini, known for his commitment to graphic journalism and human rights through drawing.
In the book, the twelve zodiac signs become a starting point to tell twelve stories that intertwine symbolic dimensions with reflections on freedom, identity, repression, and collective memory, in a continuous dialogue between Chinese culture and a universal reflection on rights and power. Costantini’s graphic line powerfully and delicately captures the tensions and visions of Ai Weiwei, accompanied by Stamboulis’ editorial curation, creating an intense work that uses art as a tool for resistance and testimony.
“Zodiac” has been presented at international festivals, independent bookstores, and cultural spaces, and is now available in public libraries across the United States, demonstrating the power of comics and drawing to cross borders and cultures, opening spaces for reflection in uncertain times.
