I heart Belgium. Honestly- where else are so many amazing comic artists and comic lovers packed into such a small place? in the last month I was lucky enough to be invited back twice for two different projects. First up was the world renowned Passa Porta literary festival featuring a host of brilliant writers from all over the world including the wonderful A S Byatt- swoon. We were invited for the festival, to run workshops and give talks and to see our work displayed at the stunning Belgium Strip Centre.

Passa Porta and Ilke Froyen in particular were responsible for bringing the world of comics to the world of literature with the Brussels in Shorts project that I wrote about in an earlier post. It was one of the best organised projects i’ve ever had the pleasure to be part of and included a 2-week residency, published book and exhibition of the 12 international artist’s work. It was great to finally meet the other artists who were brilliant and included: Frederik Van den Stock, Tomáš Kučerovský, Elric Dufau, Stedho, Conz, Paula Bulling, Salissou Maman Oumarou, Eva Hilhorst, Wauter Mannaert, William Goldsmith, Antonio & Carlos Segura Donat.

Next up was the T+A+G event at Beursschouwburg I was invited to along with the wonderful British artist Hannah Berry. It was organised by a group of Belgium students who I had once lectured to on the comic degree at Sint Lukas in Brussels. Each of the 14 artists involved had to design a tote bag which was auctioned off (mine was a blue portrait of Frida Kahlo). The ‘popularity contest’ of an auction was incredibly nerve wrecking for Hannah and I, as I’d never experiences it before. But it was great to see all the fantastic young artists the country keeps churning out and to be able to visit Brussels again.

I also managed to make my first Lino cut at a workshop held by the talented Sien De Luyck and Hannah and I managed to pay a visit to Belgium’s own pee meister as this was her first time in Brussels. Thank you so much to Sarah Vierstraete and the T+A+G team for inviting us!

I was lucky enough to be invited by the British Council to the fantastic Kosmopolis literary festival in Barcelona on March 14th-16th. It’s incredibly exciting to see more and more literary festivals all over the world embracing comics, and even better to see the British council supporting them too! I travelled along with the lovely Paul Gravett, Peter Stanbury, Paul Rainey and Dave Mckean who all provided fantastic conversation over some incredibly tasty dinners.

Carlos Cazurro

I ran a workshop titled: ‘Experimenting with comics: from sculpture to digital’ where we looked at how the medium of comics could determine the message. You can read a description of it here (in Spanish… or with the aid of Google Translate!): http://www.cccb.org/kosmopolis/es/noticia?idg=43559. The group who attended where so enthusiastic and thoughtful and that combined with the venue’s breathtaking views over the rooftops of Barcelona as the sunset really left me buzzing! Dave Mckean also popped along and enthusiastically joined in the debate over the definition of ‘comics’.

You can see a video (part English, part Spanish) about comics with us all in it here. Although Spain is facing such difficult times economically it is great to see so much enthusiasm at the festival for the importance of culture and storytelling in all it’s forms. Many, many thanks to the lovely Isabella Petith from the British Council and Juan Insua from Kosmopolis for inviting us!

First up I was invited to host the ‘50 Shades of Comics’ panel with the amazing Aline Kominsky-Crumb (Dirty Laundry, Need More Love, Drawn Together) and novelist Evie Blake (who adapted Guido Crepax’s erotic comic into a novel, Valentina). I suspect I was asked to host it as my book had a few naughty bits in it, but being a bit of a secret prude I was a little nervous about how I’d fair. Melinda Gebbie was also supposed to talk about her collaboration with husband Alan Moore on Lost Girls, but family obligations meant she unfortunately had to pull out. We talked about the inclination for women to have submissive fantasies and the roll of hate in sex and sex in hate. And Aline taught us how yoga can erm… aid oral sex. Fascinating stuff!

We were then invited by the Korean Cultural Centre to another COMICA panel/networking event with 5 fantastic Korean Manhwa artists: Lee Doo-Ho, Hyung Min-Woo, Chae Jung-Taek, Suk Jeong-Hyun and Jude Friday. I was pair up with the wonderful Chae Jung-Taek who I chatted to during the panel. His more recent comic is called Mr Kimchi and his comic about a sex-obsessed high school was turned into a movie. Check out this surreal clip below! It was great to see that Korean Manhwa had such strong ties with their sophisticated film industry. I am now dreaming of visiting!

Next up was a Jonathan Cape Festival of Ideas event held in Bristol. I had the pleasure of appearing alongside Katie Green, Simone Lia, Hannah Berry, Joff Winterheart, Bryan and Mary Talbot, Ravi Thornton and Othon… and Alison-friggin-Bechdel! I gave Alison a copy of my book and then was terrified as she read it on our train journey home. Fortunately she really liked it. Phew! But then I had told her the (true) story of how I wrestled my copy of Fun Home back from a gang of Mexican muggers who made off with my wallet/camera. Check out her new book Are You My Mother?

Then we went up to my old university home of Leeds for Thought Bubble were I shared the Jonathan Cape table with Simone Lia and Hannah Berry and had 1000s of chats with 100s of shiny, happy comicey folk! Man I love you guys. (photos below with Ben Dickson and Hannah Berry).

And finally last night back in London I talked at the Hannah Bery/Comica Book Trust event. Packed out and good to have a few new literary brains to wash in the ways of comicy propaganda Read Hannah Berry’s fantastic and hilarious Book Trust Resident Blog here:http://www.booktrust.org.uk/writing/online-writer-in-residence/blog/

Here’s a photo (left) pre-panel with the lovely Simone Lia and Hannah Berry (Sarah MacIntyre also spoke with us). And (right) later in the pub with rather red looking Megan Donnolley, Posy Simmonds and Simone Lia (Sarah McIntyre was taking the photo!). Pretty dramatic to witness Posy flying across the room to alert a young man whose double base had caught on fire. I kid you not. Could only happen in a pub full of storytellers!

]]> http://www.karriefransman.com/?feed=rss2&p=2326 http://www.karriefransman.com/?p=2313 http://www.karriefransman.com/?p=2313#comments Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:47:09 +0000 karriefransman http://www.karriefransman.com/?p=2313 The lovely folk at Comica festival joined forces with Foyles book shop to create a history of Foyles in comic form. I was invited to draw 2 panels alongside some amazing talent such as Steven Appleby, Bryan Talbot, JAKe, Hunt Emerson, John Miers, Krent Able, Woodrow Phoenix, Oliver East, Warren Pleece, Hannah Berry, Rob Davis, Donya Todd and Rian Hughes.

Plus the project got a mention in Creative Review! Congratulations to all involved. Do go check it out on Charing Cross Road next to Foyles.

Just returned from the lovely Shamballa festival to find two of my comics articles have been published:

The first is a 4-page article for the lovely Psychologies Magazine where I lived by four rules for one month (Page76) including giving up social media to giving away my possessions. The second is a 2-page comic for the New Statesman on aggression in comedy in their political comic special (Page 28). I interviewed Josie Long and Robin Ince among others and asked if we should be consuming comedy ethically.

It’s fantastic that more and more papers and magazines are open to the idea of graphic journalism and all it has to offer, and I hope to see more of it! Talking of which do check out this amazing Dutch website which has some fantastic examples of comic journalism sometimes embedded with audio and video. Truly inspiring! http://www.cartoonmovement.com/comic

This is a comic review of the Hay Literary Festival Beirut I did for their sponsors- The Telegraph.

A wee teaser of the 4-page comic article I wrote for Psychologies Magazine that will be out in September.

Part of a 2-page comic review I did for the wonderful Strumpet anthology out… soon?

A commission in water colours.

Another commission in water coloured pencils.

I watched lots of interesting ‘customers’ while putting this display up at Gosh in the heart of seedy Soho. One who came to browse in the comic store while waiting for his slot in the brothel across the road. Should have recommended Chester Brown! My granny, Mrs Dubach, did not approve.

I was more nervous putting this comic than usual as I felt responsible for represnting their stories. But great to see The Guardian’s supporting graphic journalism and showing what we can do with this great medium! I’ve got some similar projects in the pipeline so keep your eyes out!