The Wonders – Isabelle Arsenault’s Exhibition
For the first time in Italy, from the 5th of April to the 7th of May, in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna spaces, The Wonders, personal exhibition of Isabelle Arsenault’s works.
Regarding both comics and illustration, Arsenault’s work can be identified by a peculiar use of colours, vehicle of her characters emotions, almost always teenagers trying to cope with parents, family and the world around them.
An unexpected meeting with a fox, daydreaming around the town, binge-reading a novel, are all moments that have to be underlined with bright and intense colours, becoming sudden revelations of wonders.
In the artist illustrations, the presence/absence of colour emphasizes the transitions: from a state of reality to one of imagination and dream and viceversa, from repetitiveness to exceptionality, from insecurity to full selfconsciousness.
Isabelle Arsenault’s gardens come to life from a dreamy dimension: alternative realities made of organic elements, fragile plants and coloured flowers. Profound stories and tough subjects are narrated with sensitivity and tact by the author, thanks to her personal and characteristic style.
In the exhibition you will find the original artwork of her first graphic novel, Jane, the fox and I, but also the one of her last publication Louis parmi les spectres, both created with the Canadian writer Fanny Britt.
A special space will be destined to the two biographies illustrated by the author: Cloth Lullaby, The woven life of Louise Bourgeois (written by Amy Novesky, winner of the BRAW 2017 as best art book), and Virginia Wolf (written by Kyo Maclear).
Alpha (a book of NATO phonetic alphabet published by La Pastèque) will be displayed in the museum rooms, among musical instruments and scores.
During the Book Fair, Isabelle Arsenault will take part to different panels and to a workshop for young illustrators that will take place at Cineteca di Bologna on Sunday, April the 2nd.
More info : hamelin.net
Programme
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April 2nd
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Workshop with Isabelle ArsenaultHow can an illustrator keep a creative space between the different steps in creating a picture book or a graphic novel? Improvisation! Thirty five years ago some actors created a professional league for improvisation matches in Quebec. It quickly became world known and a staple of the “Quebecois” creativity, being able to use improvisation in a way that can benefit any form of creation. Isabelle Arsenault has been trying to develop this approach for the last fifteen years in her creations and her specific style that are celebrated in Bologna this year. From a blank piece of paper and text or an idea, she deploys a wave of improvisation throughout many steps that will lead to the final book. She would like to showcase this very “free” approach in a playful workshop where constraint will be part of an improvisation game to explore and find new ways to tell stories. Alongside the many rules developed in the improvisation league, she will lead students to explore the theme of “memories”, recurring in her creations. More info: hamelin.net |