ECC Cartoonbooks Club: CARTOONS Without Words

Monday, October 20, 2014

CARTOONS Without Words - by Luc Vernimmen

It's always a great pleasure to attend a book presentation. If it's a brand new cartoon book,it's an even bigger pleasure. Yesterday I was invited at Luc Vernimmen's cartoon book presentation and cartoon exhibition in Antwerp (Belgium). Luc is a Belgian cartoonist and graphic artist with an impressive list of national and international awards on his behalf, including major prizes at the Knokke Heist Cartoon Festival and that of Kruishoutem. The book contains a selection of his award winning cartoons from the past ten years.

I way pleased in 3 ways.

First of all: the location. Luc lives in Antwerp, in a district called Zurenborg. In the southern part of this district you find many of the most beautiful art nouveau houses in Belgium. Especially the Cogels Osylei (lei = street), where the event took place in number 73 - Zaal 7 is a pleasure to walk through.

Lovers of architecture should watch this YouTube slide show of the houses I talk about. Before the event I took some time to walk around and enjoy the buildings...

The exhibition, Cogels Osylei nr. 73.

Luc Vernimmen

Second: the introduction. After a fine classical concert by the Helix Strijkkwartet (with Luc's son Jeroen playing violin), mr. Marc Schillemans, a friend of Luc, actor and director, gave a more then outstanding speech about the meaning, the respect and the praise of the cartoon, the cartoonist and the cartoon book. Congratulations Marc! This was one of the best essays about cartoons I ever heard.

Marc Schillemans - great speech!

Third:The cartoons. Last but not least it must be said that the cartoons are excellent. All just little colourful paintings. This is something you have to figure out for yourself of course... take a look at Luc's website to enjoy more of his cartoons.