In this episode, we welcome German graphic artist and writer Susanne Kulendahl to discuss her graphic adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. Kulendahl shares her path from studying visual arts and illustrating calendars and children’s books to creating graphic novels. She explains how a publisher’s Virginia Woolf biography project led her to read Woolf’s work, with Orlando becoming her favorite, and describes translating the novel into images. We discuss how Orlando treats gender change as natural, Woolf’s ironic tone, and why the story remains relevant today.
Susanne’s Books
Orlando: A Graphic Novel Adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Queer Classic
Death in Venice: According to Thomas Mann
Where to Find Susanne
https://susanne-kuhlendahl.de/
Timeline
00:00 Welcome to Liberation is Lit
00:20 Meet Susanne Kulendahl
00:56 Why Graphic Classics Work
01:24 Susanne’s Creator Journey
02:34 Finding Virginia Woolf
03:43 Adapting Orlando in Images
04:57 Reading as Inner Cinema
06:22 Storytelling and Social Change
08:52 Favorite Scenes to Draw
09:51 What She’s Reading Now
10:30 Staying Grounded as an Artist
11:50 Where to Find Susanne Online
12:24 Podcast Wrap Up and Farewell
