Polina

Bastien Vivès’ Polina, published by Casterman beginning in 2011, is a spare, elegant graphic novel that follows a young Russian dancer’s rigorous training and emotional journey toward becoming a ballerina. With Vivès as both writer and artist, the series distills the physical discipline and quiet ambition of its protagonist into a visually restrained, emotionally resonant story. Though it comprises a single volume, its influence endures as a celebrated European comic that captures the silent intensity of artistic pursuit.