Thierry Groensteen , born the April 18th 1957 with Uccle (Brussels), is a Historien and theorist of the Cartoon of Belgian nationality and French.
It contributes in the Années 1980 to the emergence of the theory of the cartoon while directing Cahiers of the cartoon , then by working for the world . Through various reviews, institutional missions and conferences, it continues since its work of theorization and legitimation of the cartoon. It is the French-speaking theorist of the most visible cartoon and most important of these thirty last years.
After its baccalaureat, he studies starting from 1975 journalism at the Institute of the high studies of the social communications, with Tournai, of which he will be graduate in 1979. After having been trainee for the Evening in 1978, he works with the Head office of the Information of the Commission of the European Communities until 1983. However, as of this time, it is directed before any worms the cartoon.
In 1980, his/her Didier friends and Daniel Pasamonik, who have just founded Magic Strip, publish its first book, a monograph of Jacques Tardi. The work, approaching the author by forsaking his biography, inaugurates a “new criticism” as a cartoon, on the models of Roland Barthes, Umberto Eco or Maurice Blanchot. In 1983, it writes the essence of editorial of Spirou . It carries out in the first years of the decade some scenarios in (TO BE FOLLOWED) and publishes in 1982 at Glénat Antoine and Victor , with the draftsman Jean Lucas. Lack of success of this album, and the awakening by the author of its limits push it to specialize in the speech on the cartoon.
In January 1984, it takes in hand the the Books of the Cartoon , old fanzine of Jacques Glénat in perdition after 55 numbers. Distributed in kiosk to 12.000 specimens, the review proposes, under the direction of Groensteen, an approach criticizes very thorough of the cartoon. She entirely renews - if she does not inaugurate it - the theory of the cartoon and takes part of the process of recognition of this Article At the same time for reasons of time and dissensions increasingly strong with her editor, Groensteen gives up the task in December 1988, after 28 numbers. The review survives only a few months its departure. From 1986 to 1990, Groensteen also ensures the monthly chronicle of cartoon of the Monde .
In 1987, it organizes the conference “Cartoon, account and modernity”, (of 1st with the August 11th 1987) in Cerisy, there still founding document of the theory and the critic modern French-speaking people. Jean-Christophe Menu become acquainted there with Lewis Trondheim. The acts of the conference are published by the Futuropolis editions. It organizes of them some others thereafter, of which the “Cartoon in Europe”, in January 2001. From 1986 to 1989, sign at the Institute of the High Studies of the Social Communications the language of the cartoon, only then at the sides of Thierry Smolderen. It is its first experiment of teaching.
In September 1988, the National center of the cartoon and the image (CNBDI) of Angouleme, fascinating in consideration its preeminent place in the landscape criticizes French-speaking, recruits it like “advising scientific”. Groensteen settles in Angouleme the following year and teaches the history and the theory of the cartoon at the University of the Image of October 1989 in June 1993. It assembles in the Center of Cultural activity of the city its first exposure in 1990, Little Nemo and other dreams of Winsor McCay . To Angouleme, it also returns to its first theatrical loves.
In 1991, it publishes at Casterman the Universe of Mangas: an introduction to the Japanese cartoon , first work of French language entirely devoted to the Japanese cartoon, and this before the massive arrival of the Manga on the French-speaking market . This work, which passes then rather unperceived, remains however a reference at the end of the Années 2000. The book is updated in 1996.
In 1992, it resigns of the CNBDI and supports in Toulouse Mirail a report of D.E.A, the system spatio-topic of the cartoon , in order to ratify its professional assets universitairement. In 1996, it supports there in Modern Letters its thesis Système of the cartoon in front of Mireille Dottin-Orsini, Pierre Fresnault-Deruelle, Bernard Magné and Pascal Ory. This one, which obtains the “very honourable” mention with congratulations of the jury, is published in with the university Presses of France in 1999 pennies the same title. The work, rather complex in its subtlety, proposes an approach Sémiotique of the cartoon.
In 1993, it is one of the founding members of the Oubapo, Ouvroir of potential cartoon, groups founded on the model of the Oulipo. It writes in 1997 the foreword of the first publication of the group, the Oupus 1, published by Association. It is put on leave of the group in 1999. At the end of 1993, it reinstates the CNBDI, of which it is named director. In 1994, it creates and directs, with Henry Dougier, the collection “Stories graphic” with the editions Autrement. Five titles are published until 1997. The same year, it directs with Benoît Peeters a work on Rodolphe Töppfer.
In 1996, whereas Groensteen has just obtained French nationality, the first number of the review 9 appears {{E}} Art , that it directs. Taking again the heritage of the Books of the cartoon]], the 9th Art , published by the CNBDI, is annual luxurious carrying a glance criticizes advanced as well on the inheritance of the cartoon as on her most contemporary demonstrations.
Multiplying its institutional participations, Groensteen enters in the Center of Study of the Writing (group of research Paris VII-CNRS) as associated researcher in 1998, and holds as from 1999 the chronicle of cartoon of Vient to appear , published by the Association for the diffusion of the French thought (ministry Frenchwoman of the Foreign affairs).
In 2001, he resigns of his position of director of the Museum of the cartoon, his Projet scientific and cultural of 1999 not having obtained supports it discounted. During its years at this station, it organized or taken part in many exposures, which gave works on George Herriman, Caran d' Ache, the history of the French cartoon, etc Receiving a purse known as “of sabbatical year” of the National center of the book in June 2001, it is devoted to the writing. In 2002 a work appears on the Cage of Martin Vaughn-James and the following year another devoted to the face in the cartoon.
In 2002, after being become administrator of the House of the Authors, it creates, always with Angouleme, its structure of edition, the Éditions of Year 2, which publishes contemporary cartoons (in alternative mobility “”), republishes philosopher's stones of the past, and proposes various critical works, of Groensteen or Harry Morgan. Year 2 Co-publishes the 9th Art as from 2003, and the review becomes semi-annual with number 8. However, the lack of success stops its publication in 2005 and Year 2, in difficulty, approaches Actes Sud in 2005. An annual formula reappears in January 2006. The same year, Groensteen published a new critical work on the laughter hergéen and a cultural object not identified , which takes stock of thirty years of legitimisation of the cartoon, and explains why the stereotypes perdurent. December 28th, 2006, Groensteen files for bankruptcy however, and the publisher is absorbed by Actes Sud, and becomes one of its collections.
Less taken by its trade of editor, Groensteen takes again a station at the higher European School of Arts and technologies of the image in October 2007 (in 2005, it had ensured some courses the Université of Orleans). Its leading activity, remains very sharp. At the end of 2007, it publishes with Harry Morgan a work on Alain Saint-Ogan.
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