2018
Catalogue of the exposition ‘Une Quête de l’Épure’; on the occasion of the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée in Angoulême
Authors: Vladimir Lecointre, Stéphane Beaujean, Ralph Doumit, Dominique Radrizzani et Nicolas Rouvière
Published by 9eArt+ éditions
128 pages, 25 x 35 cm, 1500 copies
This catalogue is an excellent guide through the works of Cosey, just like the exposition. The approach of the exposition (and the catalogue) is thematic, and within the themes, the curators and writers point out interesting relations and connections between albums. Some of the themes are an obvious (but unavoidable) choice (like Mountains), others are more surprising (like Ornaments or Typography).
The themes that are treated in the catalogue:
- Derib et le debuts (Derib and the first works)
- Écrivain – voyageur (Writer- traveller)
- Les personnages (The characters)
- Jonathan
- Personnages féminins (Female characters)
- Les personnes âgés (Elderly persons)
- Mickey
- Les États-Unis (The USA)
- Voyages (Travels)
- Son et musiques (Sound and music)
- Typographie (Typography)
- Ornements/abstraction (Ornaments/abstraction)
- Le blanc, le vide, la tace (Whiteness, emptiness, trace)
- Tintin au Tibet (Tintin in Tibet)
- La montagne (The mountains)
The only theme that I missed in the exposition and in the catalogue is ‘Colour’. I understand it is difficult for an exposition that shows the original artwork (black and white line drawings), but why not expose some ‘bleus de coloriage’? Or if that is not possible, something could have been done with reproductions or silk screen prints.
All in all: this catalogue is a must read for everyone interested in the works of Cosey, it is not just a souvenir for visitors of the exposition.