Isabelle Douillet-de Pange

The extraordinary sculptures of Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon The first half of Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon’s (1934–2005) career was devoted to posters, illustrations, and television animations that brought him international acclaim for their diversity and virtuosity; his illustrations appeared in magazines including The New Yorker, Fortune, and Esquire. In the 1990s, he pivoted to sculpture, focusing on statuary and working with both direct carving and modeling, which he then translated to bronze or stone. This is the first publication to explore the entirety of Folon’s sculptural work. Drawing inspiration from the Cyclades, the Etruscans, from African masks and Indian totems, Folon’s sculptures are characterized by their frontality and corporality. Distributed for MercatorfondsExhibition Schedule:Villers-la-Ville, Brussels (October 24, 2020–February 21, 2021)

The astonishing fame enjoyed by Manneken-Pis is inversely proportional to his size. However, as surprising as this may seem, his story is still largely unknown. During which period did the statue first appear? When did he receive his first costumes? When was he first used to symbolise that mischievous and irreverent spirit that the inhabitants of Brussels have claimed for themselves? In a more general sense, when did he first embody the city's image abroad? This book invites you to discover the many facets of the Manneken-Pis phenomenon. Text in English, French and Dutch.