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Not pure joy

Artwork by Rob Bidder

  • Comic
Six panel comic. The first panel shows a character in a yellow hat and purple coat standing in a forest. Text reads 'Walking through the Iron Age ringworks'. The second panel shows an outdoor setting with a character in the foreground wearing a brown hat watching another character planting a seedling in the ground. There is a small fire behind the gardener and several houses. Text reads 'No state, no passport, no corporations, no charities, no police'. Panel 3 shows a hand touching a plant seedling. Text reads 'I don't know how to grow, gather or forage food, make structures or tools, build or care for communities'. Panel 4 shows a character in an orange hat and purple jacket taking a picture on a mobile phone. Text reads 'It's not laziness, it's not an accident, over worked, out of time, body sore, alienated and unskilled by design'. Panel 5 shows the character with an orange hat and purple coat standing in the forest. Text reads 'I sit on wet moss, watch the woods bend. No lesser, no more than a bird, a worm, a fern and I'm surprised by joy'. Panel 6 shows painted brown and orange leaves on an yellow background. Text reads 'Not "pure" or "unfettered", uncomfortable, complex, grief-joy, layered rage-joy, but joy'.
Joy. © Rob Bidder for Wellcome Collection.

About the illustrator

Black and white portrait of Rob Bidder sitting by the sea holding an ice cream cone in one hand and a white mug of tea in the other. He has the hood of his jumper over his head and is wearing a pair of sunglasses.

Rob Bidder

Rob Bidder is an artist, person-centred counsellor and educator based in Glasgow.