Marc-Antoine Mathieu: comics and dimensions | Tangente

Marc-Antoine Mathieu, born in 1959, has long made his home in the gentle region of Anjou. He is a multifaceted artist. In his youth, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts d’Angers (Maine-et-Loire). From the outset, he developed a highly personal visual language and universe, winning numerous awards in the comics world, including the Coup de cœur Alph-Art award at the 1991 Angoulême Festival for the first volume of his landmark series, "Julius-Corentin Acquefacques," published by Delcourt. A master of black and white and a gifted graphic artist, he is also internationally renowned for his singular inventions.

The adventures of the characters who inhabit Marc-Antoine Mathieu’s panels provide an endless source of innovation. The book—both as an object and as a symbol—is constantly reinvented, while the language of comics itself drives the plot twists. Mathematics (the author often uses the singular) regularly enters the picture, and Mathieu readily agreed to discuss this aspect of his work with us.

Scenography ---------------------------

Comics are not Marc-Antoine Mathieu’s only medium. Interested in three-dimensional form and its representation in perspective, the cartoonist is also a sculptor; he even speaks of "poetic clay" when describing "mathematics." He also works with Philippe Leduc and Elisa Fache at the Lucie Lom studio (www.lucie-lom.fr), based in Angers—the city of Good King René—since 1985. Their exhibitions and urban installations stand out for their poetic, theatrical character. Here, too, concerns with form and three-dimensional space intersect with soundscapes, lighting and the movement of visitors… In short, it is a collaborative exploration of space and time. Among the projects then under way was the staging of an exhibition on the Apocalypse at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris) in 2023.

Among a host of varied themes, science sometimes finds its way into sculpture as well. This was the case with the "Ombres et lumières" exhibitions (2005) at the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie and the Centre Georges-Pompidou. Poetry, reverie and moments of wandering feature in many of these installations; as in the Julius-Corentin Acquefacques albums, visitors are invited to let go, immerse themselves in another language and ask themselves questions.

Reading for inspiration -------------------------

Marc-Antoine Mathieu: comics and dimensions | Tangente

The visual worlds of Marc-Antoine Mathieu

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