Account of the shipwreck of the merchand ship Mytilida

• A mussel keeps a ship’s diary about the activities of the sailors on board until the ship sinks.
• The breathing flow of this book offers insight into the sharp and sometimes mischievous twists and turns of the mind of a mussel.
• The illustrations capture the sensitivities of humans and mussels in robust yet nuanced brushstrokes.

A postcolonial shipwreck story told from the perspective of a mussel.

A mussel sticks to the body of a ship and keeps a diary about events that happen above and below deck. The sailors fill their days with lowering sails or tightening ropes. They tell stories not only a mussel would think are uncanny. After a while, the wind calms down and the nets remain empty. There almost is no more food left, and certainly not for sailors in chains. When a huge storm breaks out, the ship turns over. An enslaved woman is the only one to come up. After a gnawing hesitation, she decides to save a child sailor. Will they survive the distressed journey?

WINNER of the NAMI CONCOUR 2026
The Nami Concours has been in existence since 2013 and has already awarded prizes to well-known illustrators from Poland, Brazil and South Korea. In 2026 there were more than 2.000 entries.
The jury describes the work of Astrid Verplancke as powerful, expressive and dynamic. They praise her thoughtful combination of painting and drawing techniques, developed with a strong visual language. Rooted in a tradition of Flemish expression, they see the work as surprising and challenging and say that it makes them, as jury members, reflect on themselves.