On from May 29 until Nov 4th 2024 at Centre Pompidou, Paris is the Bande Dessinée Exhibition (1964 – 2024), a celebration of comics spanning a 60 year period. The official poster and art work is a piece titled Starwatcher (1986) by the legendary comics artist Jean Giraud ( Moebius ), who has influenced a whole generation of other comic artists like Hayao Miyazaki, Katsuhiro Otomo, Katsuya Terada and Yukito Kishiro, just to name a few. I’m a very big fan myself, needless to say.

This big softcover volume is the official art book/catalog for the exhibition, with 300 illustrations/comic panels spread across 288 pages.

Book synopsis – A brilliantly illustrated survey of the international comic book landscape over the past sixty years. Published to accompany a major exhibition at Centre Pompidou, Paris in May 2024, this is a timely reframing of the international comics landscape over the past six decades.

From the mid-1960s, the world of comics rapidly evolved into a highly creative art form for a sophisticated readership: in France, the magazine Hara-Kiri provided new terrains for graphical humour, while the adventures of Jean-Claude Forest’s Barbarella were published in albums by Éric Losfeld; the launch in Japan of Garo in 1964, an avant-garde monthly, presented the concept of auteur comics; and the release of Robert Crumb’s Zap Comix in 1968 established his reputation as the leader of the underground comics movement in the United States.

For the first time, this major historical survey of the ninth art establishes a dialogue between the three leading regions of comic book culture – Europe, Asia and America – and offers an immersive odyssey of the medium through its development over six decades ranging from the explosion of the twentieth-century counterculture scene to the most abstract contemporary styles.

Built around twelve themes encompassing the many worlds of the comics imagination, Comics: 1964–2024 features artists including André Franquin, Gotlib, Claire Bretécher, Osamu Tezuka, Moebius, Edmond Baudoin, Alison Bechdel, Ulli Lust, Art Spiegelman, Marjane Satrapi and Chris Ware, as well as introductions on each theme by leading authorities of the form, a brand new interview with renowned cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco, and a foreword by Paul Gravett.

Exhibition synopsis from the organizers –

The Centre Pompidou celebrates the 9th art in all its spaces and on all levels. “Comics (1964 – 2024)”, a major exhibition on level 6, provides a veritable journey through the modern and contemporary history of the medium. Immersion in multiple universes ranging from the clear Franco-Belgian line to Japanese mangas, from the graphical explosions of the underground to the most abstract contemporary styles. The presentation highlights diversity, presenting large ensembles of plates, cover drawings, sketch books and documentary elements.

This exhibition is accompanied by a rich programme of original events. Presentation in the heart of the museum. a live programme in the Forum and on level -1. In a similar spirit, the Bpi presents an exhibition dedicated to Corto Maltese, Hugo Pratt’s emblematic figure.

Sadly it was not possible for me to attend the actual exhibition, but this art book is the next best thing. I hope to spend a lazy weekend ( or two ) to indulge in all the book has to offer and be fascinated by the world of comics. The comic panels and illustrations are all beautifully reproduced and the big print size makes it a really enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

If you are lucky enough to visit the exhibition in person, let me know how it goes ! Here is the official website for the exhibition.

“Bande Dessinée Exhibition 2024 Catalog Book ( Comics 1964-2024 )” book details :

– Dimensions – 30.0 x 24.0 cm
– softcover, 288 pages ( 300 illustrations )
– Full color, In English Language

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