Pajarita
Esteban Borrero (Illustrator), Felipe Herreño at Taller El Primitivo (Printing), and Ginger Blonde
Artist’s country of origen: Colombia
Materials: printed in screen-printing technique with coca leaf–based ink
Medium: Print / Graphic Work
Size: 21.5 cm x 27.9 cm
Year: 2024
Line of Inquiry:
Pajarita is a coloring book published by the Ginger Blonde collective, printed using ink made from coca leaves. The publication proposes a playful and educational way of engaging with this ancestral plant beyond the stigmas that surround it, especially reaching younger audiences through art and play.
The illustrations were designed by artist Esteban Borrero, who explores his imaginative interpretations of Colombian birds as a way to connect the project with children and other young audiences, incorporating elements of the plant’s anatomy and subtle references to its close relationship with Andean farming communities. The publication was printed at Taller El Primitivo using ink prepared by mixing coca leaf flour with screen-printing ink on paper, reinforcing the book’s sensory and material experience.
The Artist
Ginger Blonde
Ginger Blonde is a design and visual communication studio founded in 2021 by Mónica Suárez and Daniela Rubio. Based between Bogotá and Panama City, the studio works from a cooperative, interdisciplinary, and predominantly female approach, focused on social innovation, responsible design, and territorial transformation.
