Le Chat du Rabbin, Petit Vampire, Klezmer, Gainsbourg, le Niçois... Joann Sfar 's heroes are numerous, and all relate to an autobiographical aspect of his life, most often Judaism and the city of Nice - his birthplace and heartland. From October, the Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaïsme (3rd arrondissement) is devoting a comprehensive exhibition to the work of the novelist, cartoonist and film-maker:"Joann Sfar : La vie dessinée".
From October 12, 2023 to May 12, 2024, Sfar's readers will be able to discover more than 250 original and sometimes unpublished plates, as well as notebooks, photographs and working documents. All this will enable visitors to retrace the author's entire life, and put his work in context with the last thirty years of his life: his youth in Nice, his training at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, his various workshops where he collaborated with big names in comics(Riad Sattouf, Mathieu Sapin, Lewis Trondheim and many others), and the themes dear to his work: monsters, fantasy, but above all the place of Judaism in today's France and the excesses of anti-Semitism.
Our opinion
Exhibitions devoted to the work of comic strip authors are rare, especially when they are still alive. That's why the one devoted to Joann Sfar is so symbolic and unique for the Musée d'Arts et d'Histoire du Judaïsme.
Even if you're familiar with his work, you should know that what you see here may not mean a thing to you. Indeed, the vast majority of the 250 original plates exhibited in the Mahj have never been shown to the public or published in his books. You'll learn all about his working methods and themes, which are closely related to Joann Sfar's life. "It's the subway map of my work," said the author when presenting the exhibition to the press. Immensely cultured and talented, Sfar reveals himself and his love of monsters. He also talks about his love of music, having directed the fabulous biopic on Serge Gainsbourg.
But that's not all: the exhibition is dedicated to the life of the author, cartoonist and filmmaker, as much as to his work, and also traces the work of his various inspirations(Fred, Jack Kirby, etc.), as well as his long-standing collaborators (Riad Sattouf, Christophe Blain, Marjane Satrapi, etc.). All of them provide a better understanding of Sfar's universe. Wandering around the carefully designed exhibition space puts stars in our eyes, and the author's distinctive drawings fill us with wonder. This is an exhibition for the general public, made for fans, but not only. If you're interested in graphic art, or a certain vision of contemporary Judaism, you'll find plenty to interest you. There's even a corner dedicated to children, where they can read Sfar's comics or watch his latest film, the animated Petit Vampire.
And if you're a fan of Joann Sfar's work, you should know that the Mahj bookshop is the only one to have the author's complete reference list, comprising almost three hundred and something books.
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Dates and Opening Time
From October 12th, 2023 to May 12th, 2024
Location
Museum of Jewish Art and History
71 Rue du Temple
75003 Paris 3
Access
Metro line 11 "Rambuteau" station
Prices
€5 - €10
Official website
www.mahj.org
Art: 10 not-to-be-missed back-to-school exhibitions in Paris and the Île-de-France region
Bookshops: where to buy second-hand comics and manga in Paris?
