Grafixx EXT.: Exhibition @ LUSTR International Festival of Illustration and Comics
with LUSTR International Festival of Illustration and Comics
© Alžběta Zemanová & Alexandra Šliková
Grafixx traveled to Prague this autumn. For its festive 10th edition, LUSTR invited 10 curators and art festivals who selected artists from their respective countries for Metafest, the festival of festivals. Illustrators, cartoonists and curators from Hong Kong, Spain, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, Taiwan, France, Greece and Hungary gathered in Prague to celebrate LUSTR.
Grafixx proudly showcased the work of Brecht Vandenbroucke (courtesy of Literatuur Vlaanderen), Ephameron and Martha Verschaffel.
Brecht Vandenbroucke gave a lecture and workshop during the festival. And Grafixx explained its operation and mission in a conversation with the other curators of Metafest.
Ephameron
Ephameron is a Belgian artist and illustrator who sensitively explores the world by documenting small and intimate life dramas. She works as a visual artist, teacher, illustrator, curator and author. Her graphic novel about her father’s struggle with dementia, Wij Twee Samen (2015), translated as Us Two Together (2019), received acclaim from Belgian critics. In the publication re/collection (2017), she collected 320 pages from her travel diaries. Her latest book, Nooit meer alleen (2021), is part of her practice-oriented doctoral research in art and visualises experiences of early motherhood.
Brecht Vandenbroucke
Visual artist Brecht Vandenbroucke graduated in art and design from St Lukas in Belgium and is mainly into painting, comics and illustration. He likes to work with references to pop culture, drawing inspiration from Disney cartoons and pop art. His work alternates comic and dark contexts and often focuses on themes of labour, social class and sexuality. His art is both humorous and socially critical. Vandenbroucke’s illustrations regularly appear in national and international newspapers and magazines such as The New York Times, Wired, Tetu, De Morgen and Knack.
Martha Verschaffel
Martha Verschaffel lives and works in Ghent, Belgium. She draws and creates stories where images suggest rather than clarify the story. Dark and alienating pencil drawings stem from dreams, nightmares or obsessions. Her drawings are minimalist and beautiful, sometimes as monotonous as minimal music. Publisher Bries has released two graphic novels by Martha: Lily (2015) and Passages (2021). She also produces her own zines and visual publications. Her latest book Passages was nominated for a Henry van de Velde Award for Graphic Design (2023).
