'Rain Flowers', a Unique Walloon-Dutch Co(mic)production

During the state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to Belgium last June, the Netherlands Embassy in Belgium and the city of Charleroi organized the multidisciplinary cultural festival Canaux, Pays-Bas X Pays Noir. In preparation, they asked DutchCulture to organise a visitors programme for cultural professionals from Charleroi (Wallonia, Belgium) in March, to get to know the Dutch cultural field and find Dutch artists to invite to the festival.

One of the programmed parts of the festival and the royal visit was the unveiling of a mural made by a Dutch and a Walloon comic artist. During the visitors programme in March, we brought together graphic novel artist Christian Durieux (B) and illustrator and comic book artist Dido Drachman (NL) who created the monumental and colourful mural Rain Flowers on the building of the Institut Saint-André school in Charleroi together. We had the chance to get hold of them for a lively dual interview just before the two Royal couples unveiled their collaboration's wonderful and unique result.
 

Christian: “I had the chance to be chosen to create the poster for an exhibition about Éditions Dupuis, one of the oldest comic editors in Belgium, at the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels a while ago. Then I received a call from someone at the embassy, explaining that the Netherlands wants to offer a wall fresco to Charleroi as part of the state visit of the Dutch Royal couple and the resulting cultural exchange with Wallonia. It holds great symbolic significance in Charleroi, because Dupuis is actually located in this city, and the whole world knows Spirou (Robbedoes). So there is a relation between my poster and this wall painting here. But because it was an exchange I was meant to collaborate with a Dutch artist. During my visit to Amsterdam, I met quite a few Dutch comic artists. I don't know why I chose you, Dido, it's a miracle, ha-ha! No, I chose you because after having seen your website and reading your book Zwanendrifters, I thought our styles might complement each other while still being different. That excited me more than choosing an artist who was too similar to me. I believe there is a perfect balance between difference and similarity in our work.”

Dido: “I agree. There is this kind of motion in our work, a playfulness. You like to draw dancing and there’s that same sort of motion in my work. Even though you have more of a clear line, and my work is more painting in general.”

Christian: “Luckily the embassy gave us carte blanche. So we were looking for a connection between the two countries. That’s how we came up with the earth for the Charleroi area, which was a mining region for centuries. We have always been digging up the earth. And of course, the water is symbolic of the Netherlands.”

Dido: “Yes, the real connection between Belgium and the Netherlands has been the waterways for so long. We were the same country for a long time anyway. I think in the beginning the water we drew was more a reflection of the mountain, but then I wanted it to be like a river and rain, because it's really Dutch.”

Christian: “Yes, it went really fast and smooth actually. I sent you the first sketch, and you worked on it. Then you proposed another sketch…”

Dido: “We just played back and forth basically. It was a really playful process.”

Christian: “For me, it's a new adventure, working this size. I don't often do illustrations. My job is really comics, comics, comics, all day long. You know, small-size drawings, me hunched over the table. This is definitely a new experience. I thought it was going to be a problem at the beginning, but then it turned out to be easy.”

Dido: “I actually do a lot of illustration work, because in the Netherlands living of illustrations next to comics is quite common. But it was an eye-opener to see how easily we could work together. And it was so much fun to work with someone else and see how your work complements another’s, how it changes in working together, in the choices you make or do not make. I've done collaborative work before but not with someone that I just met. I would love to make more collaborative work, it's so inspiring. It gives me a lot of energy to work on something new and it’s a wonderful way to meet new people.”

Christian: “Yes, it gives you new ideas, thinking about your work in collaboration. For me, it's cool to think of how to capture one idea in one drawing. In comics, one has much more space to explore, how to tell a story. Now it needs all to be told in one image. All your ideas, sensations, feelings, colours.”

Dido: “I'm very used to that, to tell a lot in one image. But the idea that it’s for this school, on this huge wall, and that it will last for such a long time… that’s a bit unreal, to be honest!”

Christian: “It’s good that it is in a school. The image is very colourful, I think it's a great vibe for kids.”

Dido: “Yes, and a nice reminder that the future doesn't have to be all creepy and bad. I've seen a lot of other murals in Charleroi. I think it’s a beautiful city that could definitely use a little bit of fleur.”

Christian: “Your work is very sensitive and delicate. Very true and sincere in terms of feelings and human interaction.”

Dido: “I love your fine eye for detail. I think there's such beauty in the way you tell the story, these beautiful backgrounds and the colours that go with it. That’s something I’d love to do, but I'm not the best when it comes to details.”

Christian: “It's another style. Details are important for me because I like a clear line, but sometimes I would like to let myself go. But I'm such a control freak.”

Dido: “Next time we will work together physically, then I'm going to force you”!

Christian: “We can put the paper on the ground and go!”

Dido: “Seriously, I would love to work together again. It will be so much fun to pass things back and forth again.”

Christian: “With pleasure!”

Are you a cultural professional interested in an international collaboration with Belgium? Feel free to contact our Belgium Advisor Astrid Mörk or check our Belgium country page.