Benjamin Lacombe: "Freaks", the illustrator's free exhibition at Daniel Maghen Gallery, our photos

He's an illustrator and author of comics and children's literature, and the exhibitions devoted to his work always attract large numbers of fans and enthusiasts. His name is Benjamin Lacombe. Now 41, he published his first book when he was just 19. Since then, the man many consider one of the leading exponents of new French illustration has written and illustrated some fifty books, selling over three million copies worldwide! Given the popularity of his work, Benjamin Lacombe regularly exhibits his work in France and abroad.

This winter, the artist returns to Paris, and more precisely to the Daniel Maghen gallery, to unveil his bevy of strange and fascinating beings, such as monsters, mermaids and witches, in a brand-new exhibition simply entitled " Freaks " . Benjamin Lacombe is no stranger to this Parisian gallery, located in the capital's 1st arrondissement, having collaborated with it for 14 years and already exhibited there more than 5 times, such as in 2018 for the " Curiosités " exhibition and in 2021 for the " Shizen " installation.

With this new exhibition, on view free of charge from December 14, 2023 to January 13, 2024, visitors are immersed in a strange and fascinating world as they discoveraround a hundred illustrations and sketches, all from Benjamin Lacombe's most recent works, such as " Histoires de Femmes Samurai ", " Les Sorcières ", " L'Enfance des Méchants, des Vilaines et des Affreux ", " La Meilleure Maman du Monde ", " La Petite Sirène " and " Cécité Malaga ".

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Strange beings trying to find themselves and their place in a society that rejects them take over the entire Parisian gallery, transformed for the occasion into a veritable freak show, with kakemonos hanging from the ceiling! Dracula, the Bogeyman, the Queen Witch and the Cyclops are all straight out of " L'Enfance des Méchants, des Vilaines et des Affreux ". An opportunity to ask who is the monster: the person who is different, or the being who behaves monstrously?

Opposite, we find the world of Alice in Wonderland, which so fascinates the illustrator. For the occasion, the gallery and the artist have created a beautiful scenography based on Lewis Carroll's imagination. Just next door, we admire some incredible sketches, as well as three works from the " Cécité Malaga ", where Benjamin Lacombe worked in particular on sight.

Further on, we're taken by the world of Japan, with sublime illustrations from " Histoires de Femmes Samurai ". Alongside, Benjamin Lacombe unveils several other works, this time from " La Meilleure Maman du Monde ". For this series, the artist worked around the animal family, prompting visitors to ask what motherhood really is. By sketching spiders, mice, rabbits, bears and even foxes, Benjamin Lacombe aims to convey gentleness and feelings through a single, fixed image.

We end with the world of Hans Christian Andersen and his famous Little Mermaid. For the occasion, the gallery and the artist plunge us into an aquarium to discover underwater creatures, where the colors blue and pink predominate.

For most of the works on display, Benjamin Lacombe used gouache and oil techniques. The illustrator has also opted for large-format originals, larger than usual, and different, carefully selected frames according to the universes proposed.

To top it all off, incredible one-off sculptures, presented in the form of articulated volumes and created in collaboration with sculptor and miniaturist Julien Martinez, are exhibited on site. Please note that signing sessions with Benjamin Lacombe are already scheduled at the Daniel Maghen gallery on Saturday December 16, from 2:30pm to 6pm, on Wednesday December 20, from 4pm to 6pm, and on Saturday January 13, from 2:30pm to 6pm.

To discover Benjamin Lacombe's fascinating"Freaks" exhibition, head to the Daniel Maghen gallery, for one month only, from December 14, 2023 to January 13, 2024!