BD and Manga meets Louvre : French and Japanese artists in the Museum
© Musee du Louvre Editions / Futuropolis
© Musee du Louvre Editions / Futuropolis /LUCKY LAND COMMUNICATIONS 2009 by HIROHIKO ARAKI
The Kyoto International Manga Museum will hold an exhibit to introduce Bande Dessinee (BD), another name for French comics, co-organized by the Louvre Museum in France.
In the past, we have worked vigorously to introduce and promote foreign comics, especially French BD, through exhibitions and lectures.
Comics in France are considered the "Ninth Art"; thus, the Louvre, one of the world's preeminent museums, recognizes it as a respected art form. As part of a project with Futuropolis, publishing company in France, the Louvre asked representative BD artists to create original works with "The Louvre Museum" as their theme, which will be published in a book. This exhibit will focus on displaying these works including original works, rich with the individuality of the five artists. In addition to the four French BD artists, Japanese manga artist Araki Hirohiko will also take part in the series.
In addition to the four distinguished French and Belgian BD artists, Araki Hirohiko, a Japanese manga artist who stands out for his work on series such as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, is also taking part in the exhibition. This has made international news as a symbol of Japanese manga's growing popularity and influence around the world. We hope you enjoy seeing the skills of the BD and manga artists in this collaborative project.
| Period |
November 5 - December 3, 2010 |
| Venue | Kyoto International Manga Museum, 1st Floor, Multipurpose Room |
| Admission Fee |
Free *However, General Admission Tickets to the Museum are still required. |
Organizers: Kyoto International Manga Museum, The Louvre Museum, and the KYOTO CMEX 2010 Commitee
With Support from NHK (JAPAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION) Kyoto Station
With Cooperation from INSTITUT FRNACO-JAPONAIS DU KANSAI, Institut franco-japonais de Tokyo
And Special Cooperation from Futuropolis
Commissioner Fabrice Douar (Deputy Manager Publishing Department)
©Musee du Louvre Editions / Futuropolis
Participating Artists:
- Nicolas de Crecy (Glacial Period)
- Marc-Antoine Mathieu (The Museum Vaults)
- Eric Liberge (On the Odd Hours)
- Bernar Yslaire (The Sky Over Louvre)
- Araki Hirohiko (Rohan at the Louvre)
©
Musee du Louvre Editions / Futuropolis /LUCKY LAND COMMUNICATIONS 2009 by HIROHIKO ARAKI
Works in the Exhibit
The original artwork. (Before and after coloring, including some reproductions.) About 60 works. A slideshow of the work after the final digital processing. Over 100 volumes of the five artists' representative works, including the Louvre series. (Available to read at your leisure.)
Related Event: Live Painting
Bande Dessinee Meets the Manga Museum
Three of the visiting French BD artists, Nicolas de Crecy, Marc-Antoine Mathieu, and Eric Liberge, accepted our invitation to take part in a "Live Painting" event. This is a rare opportunity to experience the artists' creative process for yourself.
| Date | November 6, 2010 2pm - 5pm |
| Venue | Kyoto International Manga Museum |
| Guest Artists |
Nicolas de Crecy (BD artist) |
| Admission Fee |
Free *However, General Admission Tickets to the Museum are still required. |
About the Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum is a National Museum in Paris, France. In addition to being among the oldest museums in Europe, it is also, along with the Metropolitan Museum in New York, one of the largest museums in the world. The Louvre Museum is a veritable treasure trove of internationally famous works, such as Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," and so their opportunity to exhibit some of their collection has drawn much attention within Japan. Based upon the research conducted by each artist, the BD and manga works will present stories that take place in The Louvre.
About the Artists and their Work
Nicolas de Crecy /Glacial Period
Nicolas de Crecy was born in France in 1966. After studying for three years at an art school in Angouleme, he worked in various positions in the field of animation. In 1997, his BD comic pauvre et malade (Poor, Ugly and Sick) won the prize for best album at the Angouleme BD Festival in 1998.
Glacial Period takes place in a future where a team of archaeologists discover the Louvre buried beneath ice. They attempt to understand this "ancient culture," but somewhere along the way they go a little off track...
Marc-Antoine Mathieu / The Museum Vaults
Born in France in 1959, he studied sculpture in art school. Afterwards, he was belonged to studio where he worked graphic and set design. While working in interior design, he also produced many BD works.
With his eloquent use of black and white The Museum Vaults, he addresses the Louvre, a huge, ever-changing institution, ironically in a fantastical setting, thus making the reader reconsider art, the flow of time, and our inheritance of knowledge.
Eric Liberge / On the Odd Hours
Liberge was born in 1965 in France. From 1990 onwards, he began accumulating experience contributing work to fan and amateur magazines. He founded the publishing company Pointe Noire in 2000. His work covers a broad range, from fantasy to adventure, and from the Middle Ages to World War II.
On the Odd Hours is about a deaf boy who visits the Louvre Museum overnight, and is bewildered by a world that mixes both fantasy and art.
Bernar Yslaire / The Sky Over Louvre
Yslaire was born in 1957 in Belgium. He debuted in Spirou magazine in 1978 with his series Bidouille and Violette. He broke new ground in 1986 with his epic roman history series Bernar Sambre. Yslaire is also known as a pioneer for his experimentation with digital production.
The Sky Over Louvre, written by Jean-Claude Carriere and illustrated by Yslaire, takes place in the Louvre Museum during the French Revolution, including historical figures such as Robespierre and the artist David.
Araki Hirohiko / Rohan at the Louvre
Araki was born in Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture in 1960 in Japan. His debut manga, Armored Poker, won second place in the 20th Annual Osamu Tezuka Awards in 1980. The next year it began to be published in Shonen Jump Weekly Magazine, where he also published Magical Boy Beaty in 1983. His series Jojo's Bizzare Adventure started in the same magazine in 1987 and has continued until today; the 7th installement is now running in Ultra Jump Magazine.
In Rohan at the Louvre, one of Araki's characters from his Jojo series, a manga artist with special abilities, searches for a mysterious painting that is said to be stored in the Louvre, in order to unravel its secret.
© Musee du Louvre Editions / Futuropolis
© Musee du Louvre Editions / Futuropolis /LUCKY LAND COMMUNICATIONS 2009 by HIROHIKO ARAKI
*The schedule and details of this event are subject to change. We apologize for any inconvenience.
