The SNCF had never deployed so many means to highlight comics. Partner of the Angoulême international festival for 15 years, the public company wanted to support the meeting which will be held in two episodes, at the end of January 2021 for the awards ceremony, and from June 24 to 27 for the public. To keep fans waiting and arouse the curiosity of others, she exhibits the 75 comics selected for the Fauves (the prices) of Angoulême in 41 stations, including 11 in Ile-de-France.
“This project is almost an activist action to support culture,” emphasizes Sylvain Bailly, director of cultural affairs at SNCF Gares et Connexions. We had exhibited photos at Avignon TGV and Gare de Lyon, when the Rencontres photographiques d’Arles had been canceled. This time, we had the time to anticipate and invest in 41 stations, with a very strong presence in the provinces. “
In Austerlitz, where a dozen authors are brought to light, we discover the disturbing drawings of “Repas des hyènes”, by Aurélien Ducoudray and Mélanie Allag. Gare du Nord (all Parisian stations are concerned), travelers are invited to look up on Cyril Pedrosa’s boards. His magnificent drawings of the “Golden Age”, an epic and dreamlike medieval tale crowned with the Fnac-France Inter Prize, are suitable for large-format reproduction. A huge design adorns the main facade, outside. The artist is delighted.
Reach a new audience
“A station brews people and offers unprecedented visibility to my work. The public space gives little to see the image and exhibiting it arouses emotion and curiosity among passers-by. Cyril Pedrosa and Roxanne Moreil released volume 2 of “The Golden Age” on November 6th. The comic book has already sold 40,000 copies. Volume 1 published in 2018 exceeded 165,000 sales.
Even if the sales of comics did not suffer from the health crisis, these exhibitions make it possible to reach a new audience. Dupuis, publisher of “l’Age d’Or”, also shows his comic strip “Olive” by Véro Cazot and Mazel, in Angers, “The last Atlas”, by Fabien Vehlmann and Gwen de Bonneval, in Nantes, “But where is Kiki ”, by Blutch and Robber, in Saint-Lazare. In Dijon, the drawings of “Cascade” (published by L’Association) are displayed in small format on the windows. The SNCF has also added a dozen comics events to discover, such as in Strasbourg station “Vernon Subutex”, by Virginie Despentes et Luz, “Citéville” and “Citéruine”, by Jérôme Dubois, or “1984”, by Fido Nesti , in Gare de Lyon.
If at Gare du Nord, Monday afternoon, travelers do not sit down to admire the graphics, they appreciate when they take the time to look away from the telephone or display screens. “I thought they were paintings,” smiles Pauline, 21. It’s pretty and decorative and it’s a change from advertising! Paul, sixty-year-old from Oise, applauds the initiative. “It’s great to open the door to art to the general public. We have a lot of time to waste at the station between waiting for trains and buses. The panels make you want to sit down to read. We tend to think that museums and salons are reserved for an elite. There must be more exhibitions like these so that people can discover the artistic wealth of France. “
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Comic strip exhibitions of the 48th Angoulême festival, in 41 stations in France, including all Parisian stations. Until February 15th. garesetconnexions.sncf
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