Cartoon illustration is also affected by contemporary trends in art and image-related creativity. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon is aware of this and for over 20 years has been opening its doors to the “ninth art”. From 13 February to 19 April it brings together work by five artists: Stephane Blanquet, Francis Masse, Joost Swarte, Gilbert Shelton and Chris Ware. Different in terms of nationality and educational background, all share an interest in the comic strip, one of the privileged narrative form of our era.

“Quintet” is therefore an exhibition dedicated to five artists, their iconographic universe and their most recent works. The common denominator is an interest in different media, a desire to experiment and address diverse forms of art. Stéphane Blanquet, a French cartoonist, much appreciated and translated in the US, has been invited to create a space made up of drawings, paintings, murals, photographs and Chinese shadows. Francis Masse meanwhile presents a series of sculptures (that since the 1980s has been his main occupation) that form a dialogue with around a hundred illustrated pieces. The two American authors showing, Gilbert Shelton and Chris Ware, bring to Lyon their refined graphic and illustrated universe. Finally Joost Swarte, the Dutch aesthete (as critic Florence Cestac described him), designer, architect, graphic designer introduces visitors to his subtle sense of humour with around twelve pieces. ES