McBESS

Mc BESS presents THE FOLDING KNIVE
August – September  2011

This August, highly regarded French illustrator, McBess (aka Matthieu Bessudo) will be exhibiting previously unseen canvas work, prints and 3D objects at The Book Club. His fascinatingly intricate work provides snapshots of his own experiences and is a contemplative diary of illustrative creations. The Folding Knife contemplates both current and childhood memories from which the title of the exhibition was born. A folding knife was a childhood keepsake of Matthieu’s and also reflects the detailed nature of his work. Don’t Panic commented on McBess ‘he’s so wonderfully French that he can make what would otherwise be freaky cartoon porn seem lovely and whimsical’.

A collection of his art from the last three years will be published this July by Nobrow and The Book Club will be lucky enough to have the original cover design adorning the walls. Having shown previously at galleries across the globe such as Issue in Paris and Nucleus in LA as well as having his art on the cover of Design Week this month, this French gentleman certainly has an exciting buzz around him.

McBess has also invited artists and close friends who have inspired him, to create new works for the exhibition. In keeping with the McBess format, all pieces created will be black and white. Please see below for further details:

Éditions Copains was founded in July 2010 in Paris, by two friends (Ugo Gattoni and Guillaume Singelin). They are most famous for their elaborate 10 metre illustration in which the characters are a minuscule 1cm each! www.editionscopains.com

KOA http://www.koadzn.com/ works very much in the fantasy genre where monsters are masters and humans are slaves. Religious and occult symbolism as well as ghosts, flying fish and dwarf hip hop masters feature heavily in his art depicting a very tongue-in-cheek style. He is currently working on book, Sang Noir.

ROTOPOL http://www.rotopolpress.de/en/ Michel Meier http://www.rotopolpress.de/en/kuenstler/michael-meier, Lisa Röper http://www.rotopolpress.de/en/kuenstler/lisa-roeper, Rita Füstenau http://www.rotopolpress.de/en/kuenstler/rita-fuerstenau, graduates of Arts and Design Kassel in Germany originally came together to create Rotolpress to publish their own art. Now they work as an independent publishing company to help unknown illustrators publish their work. They will each be creating one illustration for The Folding Knife.

NICOLAS TUAL http://www.dekoreone.com/ Since 2008 Nicholas has been part of the illustration label TOY.