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Of comic strips and drawings

FRENCH INFLUENCE A piece by Vishwajyoti Ghosh

Alliance Française de Trivandrum in association with the French Embassy in India is organising `Paris: Mysteries, Mythologies & Memories'- an exhibition of drawings and comic strips by Vishwajyoti Ghosh from 9 a.m. to 6p.m., from April 18 to 29 at Alliance Française de Trivandrum.

Vishwajyoti Ghosh represents a group of Indian comic artistes who use comic book format to tell modern stories. Deeply influenced by French New Wave comics, particularly the work of Badouin and Guy Delisle, he develops a merciless look at the absurdities of life, politics and people, in strips regularly published in `The Little Magazine' or `First City.' It is for the first time that an Indian comic artist spent time in France working with his idols - Delisle, Cabu, Got- and with the satirical newspaper `Charlie Hebdo.'

Inspired by Loustal and his famous `Carnet de Voyage,' and Cabu's books on India, these are drawings and perspectives of the very modern and splendid Paris. It takes the past and references of the present in a single drawing in an endeavour to portray the essential spirit of this city.

The drawings are accompanied by six comics. These are short letters from Paris, rendered in a comic form, as interesting insights on things like French history, the Eiffel Tower, Pierre Lachaise, death, love and companionship of a metropolis, immigration and dreams... rendered much in the auto biographical styles of Immanulle G, David B, Marjane Satrapi and Guy Delisle, all stars of L'Association and the contemporary French comic scenario.

Having been influenced and inspired by their works, this is truly a tribute to them. In short, this exhibition is a short note of a short life in a big, faraway city.

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