(From the series "Ribambelles", published by Les Détails © Loïc Gaume)
Is there discord in the ranks? Is the schism a fact? Or is this just the first step towards the complete annexation of Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles? The latter is certainly worth a brainstorming session, but for the time being, it is no more than an encouraging fact that the Cultures Maison festival is commandeering not only the Maison des Cultures, but also La Maison du Livre – and for a whole month.
It would be difficult to think of a more appropriate location for “Ribambelles”, an exhibition designed with obvious respect and love for paper, books, and illustration. The show was carefully moulded to full maturity in the capable hands of graphic artist and comic book creator Loïc Gaume. The self-proclaimed book aficionado has previously published beautiful editions that blend comic strips with illustration and publication – see his eleven-part topographic autobiography Collection Wafel and 37 Piers, a fantastic accordion edition featuring an inventory of all 37 piers on the British coast.
Ribambelles: Loïc Gaume in all seriesness
(From the series "Vélux", published by The Hoochie Coochie (september 2014) © Loïc Gaume)
At “Ribambelles” – of which there is also an exhibition catalogue, published by his very own Les Détails – he again indulges in his fascination for architecture, with dozens of meticulously drawn façades of buildings in Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek and a series that is teasingly entitled “Vélux”. “No, indeed, there isn’t a single velux to be seen. [Laughs] The series focuses on roofs: buildings’ openings to the sky,” Loïc Gaume tells us when we go to check things out. “The other series is a depiction of the neighbourhood where I live, portrayed in façades, i.e. totally frontal observation. I never went out with the specific purpose of finding beautiful façades; they are all just buildings that caught my eye and that had something so particular about them that they made me want to draw them.”
Simplicity, refined fantasy, and hypnotising multiplicity form the heart of “Ribambelles”, French for series. “As I did in 37 Piers, I wanted this to be a kind of illustrated inventory. I wanted to eschew the backstory and focus completely on the drawings. Starting from that multiplicity changes your artistic practice: you can explore a subject much more profoundly; exhaust it, in the good sense of the word. Right to the heart of the matter.”
At “Ribambelles” – of which there is also an exhibition catalogue, published by his very own Les Détails – he again indulges in his fascination for architecture, with dozens of meticulously drawn façades of buildings in Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek and a series that is teasingly entitled “Vélux”. “No, indeed, there isn’t a single velux to be seen. [Laughs] The series focuses on roofs: buildings’ openings to the sky,” Loïc Gaume tells us when we go to check things out. “The other series is a depiction of the neighbourhood where I live, portrayed in façades, i.e. totally frontal observation. I never went out with the specific purpose of finding beautiful façades; they are all just buildings that caught my eye and that had something so particular about them that they made me want to draw them.”
Simplicity, refined fantasy, and hypnotising multiplicity form the heart of “Ribambelles”, French for series. “As I did in 37 Piers, I wanted this to be a kind of illustrated inventory. I wanted to eschew the backstory and focus completely on the drawings. Starting from that multiplicity changes your artistic practice: you can explore a subject much more profoundly; exhaust it, in the good sense of the word. Right to the heart of the matter.”
(Loïc Gaume (on the left) and Aurélien Débat (on the right) © Suky Deprez)
As Loïc Gaume does, together with eight other exceptional craftsmen of different generations, who all indulge in their obsessions in their own unique way. Stephane De Groef outs himself as a football coach, the father of self-publishing Benoît Jacques exhibits a playful bestiary, Philippe Weisbecker keeps it deliciously simple, Guillaume Trouillard goes in all directions, Jochen Gerner plays with airport novels, Aurélien Débat creates buildings from stamps, Vincent Pianina makes some marvellous cheese, and José Parrondo draws knots and other complications. Why this should be compulsory viewing? As an earlier visitor attested: “Incredible! It is a vision of the world I had never expected.”
RIBAMBELLES
> 4/10, We > Fr 14 > 18.00, Sa 10 > 13.00, La Maison du Livre, Romestraat 24-28 rue de Rome, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles
CULTURES MAISON • 12/9, 18 > 22.00, 13 & 14/9, 13 > 22.00, Huis van Culturen Sint-Gillis/Maison des Cultures de Saint-Gilles, Belgradostraat 120 rue de Belgrade, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles, www.culturesmaison.be
As Loïc Gaume does, together with eight other exceptional craftsmen of different generations, who all indulge in their obsessions in their own unique way. Stephane De Groef outs himself as a football coach, the father of self-publishing Benoît Jacques exhibits a playful bestiary, Philippe Weisbecker keeps it deliciously simple, Guillaume Trouillard goes in all directions, Jochen Gerner plays with airport novels, Aurélien Débat creates buildings from stamps, Vincent Pianina makes some marvellous cheese, and José Parrondo draws knots and other complications. Why this should be compulsory viewing? As an earlier visitor attested: “Incredible! It is a vision of the world I had never expected.”
RIBAMBELLES
> 4/10, We > Fr 14 > 18.00, Sa 10 > 13.00, La Maison du Livre, Romestraat 24-28 rue de Rome, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles
CULTURES MAISON • 12/9, 18 > 22.00, 13 & 14/9, 13 > 22.00, Huis van Culturen Sint-Gillis/Maison des Cultures de Saint-Gilles, Belgradostraat 120 rue de Belgrade, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles, www.culturesmaison.be
Read more about: Events & Festivals , Expo
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