Graphius Magazine n°04 EN

magazine

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CONTENTS

04 Continuous growth Luxury print work in Brussels

08 Wild yeasts Brewers of lambic beers look towards the future

44 Life in the fast lane

Joining numerous rock stars on tour

25 Everything

but mundane Flamboyant interior design

14 From here to there

Putting pencil to paper

10 Art of mythical proportions Win

Original layer discovered during the restoration process

books & catalogues You can win some of the books that are reviewed in this magazine! Quickly browse to www.graphius.com/contest and grasp the opportunity to win art books, photo books, children’s books, catalogues, comic book albums and gift baskets of beer!

34 Blue uniforms Placing the American Civil War in perspective

38 Extra dimension A penchant for complex projects

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: Members of the Graphius Group: Geers Offset, Sintjoris, New Goff, Druk In De Weer, De Duurzame Drukker, Deckers Snoeck, Boone-Roosens, Etiglia, Dereume Printing, Stevens Print and GuidoMaes.Printingdeluxe.***** Publisher in charge: Denis Geers, Eekhoutdriesstraat 67, 9041 Ghent, Belgium. Editor-in-chief: Thomas Dewitte. Editorial board: Sarah Claes, Sven De Potter, Magali De Reu, Thomas Dewitte. Design: Arnout Nilis. Subscriptions: Free subscriptions can be obtained via magazine@graphius.com.

Graphius, Eekhoutdriesstraat 67, 9041 Ghent, Belgium. Tel. +32 (0)9 218 08 41. info@graphius.com, www.graphius.com Printed with vegetable-based organic ink on a Heidelberg XL 106 10-colour press with a 250 LPI hybrid screen. Cover: Invercote Creato double-sided 300g.

Interior: Arctic Volume Highwhite 1.12 150g. Split cover: Munken Kristall 170g. Blistered in starch-based biodegradable foil.

BOOKS

the difference is CARLI HERMÈS

in the detail

Terra and Mendo The sensuous photography of Carli Hermès is poised on the edge of eroticism. In addition to advertising campaigns for leading brands, he was also commissioned to design numerous covers for such magazines as Playboy. His more traditional portrait photography is just as carefully considered and equally razor-sharp. The unconventional Dutchman considers all his photographs to be works of art: he allows himself to be inspired by his fascination for body shapes and paints using the entire palette of colours.

Graphius printed not only the “regular” book, but also an XL limited edition measuring 43 cm in height.

UNE HISTOIRE DE MARIN Orep Éditions On the third day, God created water, and the French painter of seascapes MarinMarie saw that it was good. The artist, who also received considerable acclaim as an author, lived on the Chausey islands in Lower Normandy, but always considered the briny deep as his true

An avid sailor, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice in the 1930s. As a painter, he

home. The minute he set foot on land,

produced numerous oil paintings and – how could it be otherwise – water colours.

he would captivate numerous audiences

The compilation of his archives was awarded several prizes at the international

with his maritime adventures.

Étonnants Voyageurs de Saint-Malo book and film festival.

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FRANCIS PICABIA Mercatorfonds Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction are the words printed on the cover of this catalogue. The head of Francis Picabia must have looked like a perfectly inflated football, because the train of thought of this French painter is unfathomable. Picabia is a master of Impressionism, Dadaism, Fauvism and Abstract Art – or, as his good friend Marcel Duchamp described his work: “a kaleidoscopic series of art experiences.” With his immense versatility, Picabia paved the way for modern art 100 years ago. His exceptional legacy can be admired at the MOMA in New York, Kunsthaus Zürich and in the catalogue of Mercatorfonds.

À PARIS ! MAIS AVEC …

Les Éditions Marie-Louise Nathalie Infante and Thierry Dancourt invite the readers of this book, written especially for young people, to join them on a walk along the most idyllic locations of Paris. Accompanied by five characters and eighty-one cats, they stroll along the banks of the Seine, during a fond tour of discovery and rediscovery through the French city of lights.

This love story and the elegant illustrations will enchant readers of all ages, with a magic spell that might very well never be broken.

VERLEIDELIJKE VITRINES Snoeck Ghent features numerous significant buildings from every time period since the early middle ages. The city of Artevelde, Flemish statesman and political leader, keeps itself alive on a cocktail of authenticity and modernity, as demonstrated by its many still intact, renovated and trendy shop fronts. Seven centuries of shop architecture pass the review, as if time has stood still reflected in the shop windows.

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4

interview with Marc Naumann and Fabienne de Morteuil

Solid reputation in

the luxury industry “It’s simple: we are nothing without our customers.

This is one of the main reasons why we, as a family-owned company, are so customer-oriented. We put our customers in first place. Period. To us, expansion does not mean creating more distance between us and our customers. On the contrary.

Every one of our customers has a fixed point of contact at our company, who knows perfectly how to respond to each question and exactly what is expected of him.

We wouldn’t want it any other way”, explains Marc Naumann, managing director of Dereume Printing.

“By continuing to grow and develop, we will even be a match for the international competition.”

Dereume Printing joined the able to achieve this for more than Graphius Group several months a century. Our secret? Being pasago; a step taken with absolute sionate about our profession!” conviction. “In today’s economic Marc Naumann and Fabienne situation you have to get ahead; Naumann-de Morteuil speak evolve along with the latest with suitable pride and gratitude Marc Naumann developments. This has always for the commitment and dedibeen our business philosophy. cation of the generations that Our customers expect innovation, and they are right to do came before. Dereume Printing is a family-owned business so. Over the years, we have implemented new technology that has been a permanent fixture in the Belgian graphics several times to optimise the printing process, or to finish our industry for the past 110 years. When it was founded in 1906 products in an even more sophisticated manner. Being part by Alfred Dereume, great-grandfather of Marc and Fabienne, of a larger organisation is a logical next step if you aim to the emphasis was on art books. Although these were pubremain both innovative and profitable.” lished only in small volumes, they were of a superior quality from the very beginning. His daughter, Marguerite Dereume, Co-managing director Fabienne de Morteuil agrees: “We took over the printing house upon her father’s death. She was deliver the highest standard of quality, with regard to both only 18 years old at that time. Later on, her sons Raymond products and service, and are proud of this. We have been and André Naumann followed in her footsteps.

5

“If we aim to maintain our position as a leading player in this fashionable sector, our print work will have to continuously retain its luxury allure.”

Currently, the fourth generation is the future. Graphius has taken the standing at the company’s helm. courageous decision to invest in Fabienne Naumann-de Morteuil economies of scale and industrialijoined the company in 1987 to sation. It goes without saying that streamline its commercial activwe will be happy to accompany ities, and succeeded her father them on this journey.”

Raymond after he died in 2010.

Marc Naumann, the son of André, What are some of the sectors took over the management of that your customers represent?

Fabienne de Morteuil Dereume Printing from his father in Fabienne lists: “We focus particu1990. A fascinating family history. larly on what you could call the Marc Naumann: “Our history actually runs concurrently with luxury themes: fashion, jewellery, design, automotive, archithat of Graphius, which was formerly known as Geers Offset. tecture, art… In other words, we are specialised in high-end This is also one of the reasons why we did not hesitate very long magazines and catalogues, as well as art books and beautiful in making our decision to join forces. We recognise ourselves in coffee table books. Books that you take pride in. If we aim to Graphius’ philosophy. In fact, Graphius is to the Flemish market maintain our position as a leading player in this fashionable what we are to the Brussels market: a supplier of high-quality sector, our print work will have to continuously retain its luxprint work, with a comparable customer segment. Graphius has ury allure. The paper, the photographs, the layout, the text, the expanded considerably in the past few years. To remain a profit- cover, the binding: every aspect must exude the same sophistiable business in the graphics industry you have to look towards cated and lavish appeal.”

6

INTERVIEW

In 2017 Dereume will relocate to a new building on the premises of Boone-Roosens in Lot, where they will join forces to become Graphius Brussels. Marc sees many advantages to this: “First of all, the location is a vast improvement. Although the site is located only around three kilometres further away, it is much easier to reach. Thanks to the consolidation, it is only logical that our administrative costs will also be reduced.

The biggest advantage is modernisation. We will be investing in an entire fleet of new high-tech machines. This will allow us to continue operations as before and assure our customers of perfect quality print work - only faster, more sustainably, in larger quantities and with even more possibilities than ever before.

Fortunately, no jobs will be lost due to the merger. We will be taking everyone along to the new production site. To us, this is only logical.”

us in a very open and confidential way, with regard to their expectations as well as to prices. We will not be making any changes with regard to this personalised service. Dereume will continue as an independent entity. The only difference is that we will now be able to help our customers even better than before.”

When we sounded out Fabienne and Marc about their plans for the future as a sub-printing business of the Graphius Group, Marc identified some realistic but positive prospects: “In today’s graphics industry, you have to fight to retain your position on the market, particularly in the Brussels Region. We understand this like no other. You have to be able to offer a high level of quality, be open to innovation, embrace sustainability – and charge reasonable prices. It is not easy for small businesses to remain ahead of the competition. With the support of Graphius, we are now planning to further consolidate our position on the Brussels and Belgian markets. By continuing to grow and develop, we will even be a match for the international competition.”

Fabienne: “We received a tremendous deal of positive responses from our customers when we told them about our relocation plans. We have known the majority of our clientèle for many years. They are used to discussing new projects with

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report

From agriculturist to

brewer

Lindemans produces lambic beers that appeal not only to a wide public, but also score highly with beer connoisseurs. This is thanks to a perfect marriage of flavours, with the tart taste of lambic complementing the tangy sweetness of fruit beers. This is only appropriate, because the history of this brewery also has its roots in a marriage. “That was the first merger”, confirms co-owner Geert Lindemans with a smile.

After Joos Frans Lindemans asked brewer Petrus Jacobus Vandersmissen for his daughter’s hand in marriage in 1822, the newlyweds moved into a farm in Vlezenbeek called ‘Hof ter Kwade Wegen’. Joos spent many an evening at the farm learning how to brew lambic beer (a type of beer that is fermented spontaneously after being exposed to wild yeasts and bacteria, ed).

It was not until four generations later that René and Nestor Lindemans put a definitive stop to their great-grandparents’ agricultural activities. This was no easy decision: “At that time, the future of lambic was uncertain, due to the popularity of lager, which was sold in bottles’ recalls René’s son Geert, who currently heads the brewery, jointly with his cousin Dirk. “Our parents brewed lambic, stored it in barrels and delivered it to the pubs they supplied, sometimes by horse-drawn cart. They would transport these 150 or 400-litre barrels by rolling them - dangerous work!” In the early 1980s, when breweries started bottling geuze and kriek (geuze is a blend of lambics fermented twice; kriek is a lambic made with sour Morello cherries, ed.), the greater public rediscovered traditional beers. “We then started exporting our beer to France and America. The Americans apparently liked the sweet fruit beer better than the tarter variety. We systematically decided to go with this approach. The sweet lambics gained in popularity by leaps and bounds. To accommodate this, we transformed part of the farmyard into an additional production hall. We now have two filling lines for various types of bottled beer, and one for barrels.”

Despite the global expansion - Lindemans currently supplies its beer directly to 40 countries - the brewers remain loyal to Brussels, for several reasons: “We link our image to our capital city, and more specifically, the Art Nouveau movement. This has become our house style, and is incorporated into all our labels”, explains Lindemans. “Of course, Brussels is

also the largest city in the vicinity of the Zenne valley, the only region in the world where lambic spontaneously starts to ferment. Thanks to the high concentration of wild yeast, we expose our product to the open air to allow the natural yeasts and bacteria to ferment our beer. This method has been used since the middle ages. What Épernay is to champagne, Brussels is to geuze and lambic.”

According to Lindemans, Belgium is still considered the number one beer-brewing country in the world, but we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. “We have to be vigilant that we do not become the old continent of beer.

Craft brewers are popping up all over the world, all of whom intend to distinguish themselves from the competition and harbour entirely novel ideas about brewing beer”, warns Lindemans.

In other words, the diversity in beer types and tastes in which we formerly excelled, is no longer unique. “We have to retain our originality and stop limiting ourselves to beer as a category. Lindemans recently started producing botanicals. These are traditional geuze beers with a twist. Our geuze beer with basil, for example, is a highly refreshing and aromatic beer that is selling incredibly well. We also distil our own gin from Oude Kriek Cuvée René. We want to demonstrate that we have our ear to the ground with regard to the market.” The nephews are doing everything except sitting back. “We are experimenting with a number of new flavours. We also hope to retain some of our botanicals, and are currently exploring new markets.”

Etiglia, Graphius’ label and carton department, prints export labels and barrel hoops for Lindemans.

We can treat three readers to a gift box with a selection of flavours. Cheers!

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catalogue

Glorious

adoration

The Mona Lisa may enchant hordes of tourists every day, but the Ghent Altarpiece is a work of art that never ceases to enthral art historians and sleuths alike. The exterior wings of the retable were recently restored and the entire polyptych in Ghent’s St. Bavo’s Cathedral will once again be complete in 2019. All except for one certain panel, of course ...

The Ghent Altarpiece, also known as the The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, owes its mythical fame among the public to the theft of The Just Judges. This panel, together with the one portraying St. John the Baptist, was stolen in the night of 10 April 1934 by unidentified thieves.

The thieves initiated secret negotiations with the diocese and, as a token of goodwill, or to spur the diocese to pay the ransom they demanded, they returned the panel with St. John the Baptist during the negotiation process. The Just Judges was, however, never recovered.

On his deathbed, Arsène Goedertier, a sexton turned stockbroker, confessed that only he knew the location of the panel. Unfortunately, the alleged thief drew his last breath before he was able to reveal its hiding place. The story appeals to the imagination, and it is nothing short of remarkable that the disappearance of The Just Judges has not yet been picked up by Hollywood. Any visitor to St. Bavo’s Cathedral taking the trouble to view the church from the perspective of a thief will wonder how the thieves could possibly have escaped through the tiny door to the right of the huge entrance gate. The streets surrounding the cathedral would make an ideal backdrop for one of those old gangster movies. The mysterious screenplay would be brimming with intrigue, considering the numerous connections that authors of various books later established with the ambitions of the perpetrator, the stock market crisis in the 1930s, the death of King Albert I and even the Holy Grail.

alderman of Ghent. It is assumed that Hubert van Eyck sketched the overall design and painted a portion of the work, but after his death in 1426 his younger brother Jan gained tremendous acclaim with its completion as the standard-bearer of the Flemish Primitives. He raised the technique of oil painting to an unprecedented level: the Ghent Altarpiece is the first work whose colours are – and still remain – so bright and powerful. Thanks to the materials that were at his disposal and because of his expert knowledge of such aspects as the necessity of observing the drying time of paint, Jan van Eyck succeeded wonderfully in this endeavour. Aside from this, he was a master in portraying reflection and the incidence of light. The reflection of the light in the jewels perfectly mimics the natural incidence of light in the Vijd Chapel, where the retable was initially displayed.

The iconography used is, above all, highly unusual and innovative.

There can be no doubt that van Eyck consulted numerous experts throughout the painting process. This is illustrated particularly well by the fingering used by the angel at the organ, which is inherent to the polyphonic music of that era.

To properly understand The Ghent Altarpiece, it must be interpreted from the outside going in. The retable recounts the transition from the Old to the New Testament, with the Book of Revelation as its apotheosis. The interior shows the garden of Paradise – take note of the palm trees in the foreground – and various groups of people adoring the lamb sacrificed for the salvation of mankind. The lamb, of course, symbolises Jesus Christ. The dove represents the Holy Ghost.

The remaining symbolism in the details is unprecedented. Of course, we cannot discuss every unique facet of this altarpiece, but there is one detail we would like to highlight to illustrate the profundity of this work. Behind this central figure, representing the Divine Lord on His throne, you will see several pelicans pecking at their breasts. (see the cover of this magazine)

Unprecedented detail To art historians, the tale of The Just Judges is no more than an annoying anecdote, because it detracts the attention from the polyptych itself. The altarpiece obtained its legendary status almost immediately after its creation.

Around 1420, Hubert van Eyck was granted the commission for the painting by Jodocus Vijd, a wealthy patrician who was then the ­principal

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According to legend, pelicans feed their young with their own blood: an unambiguous reference to the sacrifice of Christ.

Not all art historians are in agreement with regard to the central figure.

The Lord is wearing a papal crown, which can be interpreted at numerous levels and does not necessarily point to God the Father. Almost 600 years after its completion, the altarpiece in its entirety has served as a continual source of inspiration for artists and art lovers, while providing ample food for discussion among theologians and historians alike.

Later on, the polyptych was the subject of much political debate and became a veritable puppet on the international stage. Joseph II, the French revolutionaries, the Treaty of Versailles and the Second World War, among others, all exercised a significant impact on the altarpiece. Throughout its history, panels had been removed, sold, sawed in half lengthwise and even stored in a salt mine, with detrimental consequences for the physical condition of the work.

Successful masterpiece

Mirror of European history

Few major works of art have experienced such a turbulent history. When the condition of the Ghent Altarpiece was inspected in 2010, it came as no surprise that a thorough restoration was deemed necessary. Eight restoration professionals from the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage perform precision work in a studio housed in the Ghent Museum of Fine Arts. Their work is observed by a committee of experts from all over the world and by the visitors of the Museum of Fine Arts, because the restoration is being carried out publicly to the greatest extent possible. The initiators have also decided to share all scientific findings with the rest of the world.

To the tremendous surprise of the entire art world, the specialists discovered that almost 70% of the exterior wings had been painted over.

The Ghent Altarpiece continues to astound, because the original brush strokes appear to have been preserved in rather good condition.

The fascinating history of the polyptych has been the subject of much attention, even long before the theft of The Just Judges. In the years following its consecration in 1432, many renowned ecclesiastical and political figures visited the painting. In the sixteenth century, Ghent Chronicler Marcus van Vaernewijck wrote that “the fascinating painted altarpiece has no equal in all of Europe”. The Ghent Altarpiece drew huge numbers of visitors to Ghent during this time. Philip II admired the work so greatly that he wished to have it brought to Spain in 1557. Ultimately, the church council was able to appease him with a copy. Just before the Iconoclastic Fury hit the city in 1566, the altarpiece was hidden safely away. It can almost be considered a miracle that the Ghent Altarpiece survived these turbulent times.

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CATALOGUE

The restored panels of the Ghent Altarpiece were photographed under optimum conditions in the restoration studio. The most advanced equipment guarantees the most accurate result possible with a view to displaying the colours and details at actual size.

These photos, unique in the world today, were taken and distributed exclusively by the image bank of the Flemish museums and heritage associations: Lukas-Art in Flanders.

Lukas-Art in Flanders collaborates closely with 70 partners (museums, churches, cathedrals), making these collections accessible to the public and distributing them worldwide via www.lukasweb.be. The institute applies a layered license model for this purpose.

Publishers and printers make use of Lukas-Art in Flanders’ digital collection for images of works by the Flemish Primitives, the Flemish Masters, James Ensor, Rik Wouters, etc.

Collaboration is also frequently sought with the Flemish image bank for international projects and exhibitions. All images are made available free of charge for educational purposes.

Info: www.lukasweb.be

The experts have decided to expose the original layer painted by van Eyck. In this, they are leaving nothing to chance: using photographic recording techniques, scans and chemical analyses, every detail is investigated and documented. This may be causing tremendous delay, but the result will be well worth the wait. The sharpness of the brush strokes demonstrated by the van Eyck brothers, and the clarity of their colours have been restored to their former glory.

Visitors to St. Bavo’s Cathedral today are given a unique opportunity to view the beautifully restored exterior wings. The Caermersklooster is also hosting a fascinating exhibition about the restoration and the way in which every layer reveals a new secret. In the meantime, the restoration work has progressed to a second stage. Following restoration of the interior wings and the lower register, the upper register will be tackled in Phase 3. A team of specialists is currently investigating the possibility of returning the altarpiece to the Vijd Chapel.

The exhibition Restoration/REVELATION: the exterior wings of the Ghent Altarpiece will run until 28 May 2017 in the Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre in Ghent. Graphius printed the exhibition catalogue and is allowed to give away five copies to interested readers on behalf of the Province of East Flanders and V&V Maat. Read more on page 1.

St Bavo’s Cathedral Ghent © www.lukasweb.be - Art in Flanders vzw, photos Hugo Maertens, Dominique Provost, KIK/IRPA

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social involvement

When refugees put

pencil to paper Numerous initiatives to give refugees a voice have been launched in response to the refugee situation. However, a picture can speak more loudly than a thousand words. This is precisely why the S.M.A.K. Museum for Contemporary Art in Ghent provided the inhabitants of several refugee centres in Belgium with pencils and paper.

Could the book act as a catalyst for opening up discussion around the refugee problem?

The objective of Van hier tot daar is not necessarily to resolve the problematic situation of refugee centres and their polarising image. As a museum, we cannot fulfil the role of a missionary. A book of drawings is not sufficient to achieve change on this scale. I am, however, convinced that those people need more than only food and clothing; they simply need a pencil and a piece of paper. After all, drawing offers one of the simplest means to express yourself, and that will offer a refugee the opportunity to reach out to a world full of political and language-related barriers. Take a look, for example, at the old drawings made by Spanish refugees who wanted to escape Franco’s fascist regime. Those pictures will tell you much more than the academic texts written about this era.

The drawings they made were compiled in the book Van hier tot daar (From Here to There). “As a museum, we have to hold up a mirror to people to make them regard the world with a more critical eye�, says Philippe Van Cauteren, the artistic director of S.M.A.K. S.M.A.K. introduced the book on World Refugee Day. What was the result?

No less then five hundred people made their way to our museum that day. I found it amazing to see how countless prejudices were transformed into positive perception of what refugees experience, or what they have had to endure in the past. Some of the people present had never come into contact with a refugee before. To me, the encounters taking place there were the absolute highlight of this day. During events like this, the museum acts as a remedy against prejudice and similar forms of racism and xenophobia. This event once again proved that the more you give things concrete shape, the more tangible they will become and the sooner prejudices will melt away.

How do these drawings portray exactly what the refugees have experienced?

What is remarkable is that what these drawings exude, more than anything else, is optimism. In this book, you will see very

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SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT

few traces of violence or tragedy. The artists shared their background through their drawings, in which happiness and the small things in life take centre stage. I can only assume that drawing emotions has had a therapeutic effect on some people.

I heard about a woman, for example, who had seen her friend being murdered and was not even given the opportunity to give her a decent burial. She told me how she was able to process this tragedy by putting pencil to paper. In that context, these drawings are a fragile witness to someone’s existence. Through Van hier tot daar we recorded emotions, in much the same manner as a seismograph measures the earth’s tremors.

them. I hope that people buy this book out of solidarity, social involvement and empathy.

Will similar initiatives help you bring new perspectives to contemporary art through S.M.A.K.?

This is something I will not really know until I stop. Neither do I personally want to receive acclaim for everything that S.M.A.K. has achieved today. We have a team of 65 people who ensure, every single day of the week, that the museum is gaining in importance. It is not up to us to judge our success. As the museum’s artistic director, I would prefer to leave this to the critical voices all around us.

Have you noticed any changes in the general public’s attitude towards refugees?

I believe that our Western society is slowly beginning to understand that the refugee problem is not something that affects only people in faraway countries. There is a chance that you and I could also become refugees tomorrow, and that we might have to instantly give up our snug everyday lives to be thrown into miserable conditions. However, not everyone is willing to think about this, and therefore it is our duty to hold a critical mirror up to

Van hier tot daar was printed by Graphius and is on sale at S.M.A.K. and through Mercatorfonds, for the benefit of Rode Kruis. Graphius supports the project initiated by the three parties above and purchased five copies, which we will distribute among our readers.

Flip back to page 1 to take part in the competition.

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news A ROYAL VISIT TO THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR The last edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the most important book fair for professionals, shone a spotlight on Flanders and the Netherlands as guests of honour. While a group of Belgian and Dutch writers introduced their translated works under the artistic leadership of writer Bart Moeyaert, Belgian and Dutch printing businesses, bookbinders, publishing houses and other professionals in the book sector can be equally proud of their accomplishments on the international book scene. Our outstanding reputation abroad was reinforced by the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, the Dutch King Willem-Alexander, the Flemish Prime Minister Geert Bourgeois and the Flemish Minister of Culture Sven Gatz at the official opening.

GRAPHIUS GROUP IS EXPANDING In the past few months, we not only welcomed Dereume Printing, Stevens Print and GuidoMaes.Printingdeluxe.***** to the flock, there are now also several new faces at our headquarters in Ghent. This is the second time that a group of employees has embarked on a GRAFOC training course, and we advertised 15 new and varied job openings, several of which have since been filled. More info: www.graphius.com/contact/jobs/vacatures

STAND AT THE ANTWERP BOOK FAIR

PAPER TRAINING

Graphius has participated as one of the se-

printing business is not the only thing that

lect stand holders at the Antwerp Book Fair in

matters. Selecting the right type of paper

November. The 80th edition of Flanders’ most

for your communication is almost equally

important book festival drew 150,000 visitors.

important. This knowledge prompted us to

The fact that so many people took out time for

invite our customers for a free basic training

a book, in analogy of the trade fair campaign

session about paper. The training session

‘Book time for a book’, is once again evidence

discussed various themes, from production

that printed books are still alive and kicking –

and refining to the characteristics of paper

and perhaps even more so than ever before.

and ecology.

When you order print work, your choice of

NEW CO2-NEUTRAL SHRINK FILM With a view to further streamlining our sustainability strategy, Graphius is switching to a new environmentally-friendly “bio-based shrink film”. The granulate for this film is made from sugar cane. As this film does not contain any finite raw materials, it is compostable, biodegradable, oxo-degradable and photo-degradable (meaning that it can be broken down through UV light).

The bio-based shrink film can easily be recognised by the words I’m green printed on it.

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print on demand

Safeguarding the quality of the house style The digital wave in technology-based trends and innovations has also left its mark on the printing world.

Graphius recently implemented a new web tool: an e-commerce platform that guarantees the flawless automation of print work. François Pczycki, project leader at Graphius, considers this a “successful solution”.

“In this era of digitalisation, each and every company should review its processes with a view to continuing to satisfy the ever-stricter requirements imposed by its clientèle.”

With Graphius’ new web tool it is now possible to print an entire series of documents in the house style of your company, in the blink of an eye. Numerous companies and suppliers are using the application to quickly fulfil their print work needs and those of their customers.

For the web tool, both the intuitive interface and user-friendliness are strictly monitored.

“Every detail has to be right, and in this case, it certainly is”, says François with pride. “Even users who have not received any training can quickly and easily learn how to work with the portal. And, if they encounter any difficulty, they can always contact the Graphius help desk for assistance.”

Graphius aims to gain recognition through this centralised solution as “the safeguarder of house styles”.

François believes that this will enable Graphius customers with multiple branches to switch gears much faster. The graphics department of the main branch will no longer be bombarded with questions about layout and house style. Every branch can be allocated its own login code that will enable it to generate the necessary documentations at the click of a button.

Expansion of services Considering that Graphius can already look back at strong results and positive feedback from its clients, the printing company is thinking about expanding its offering with a number of digital services. In first instance, François is considering a supplementary solution that will enable Graphius to help its customers with direct mailings, from the initial strategy down to the minutest details. He is convinced that printing companies should not limit themselves to offering exclusively offline services. “In this era of digitalisation, I believe that each and every company should review its processes with a view to continuing to satisfy the ever-stricter requirements imposed by its clientèle”, he says. “And not only because the market demands this, but also because we as a business enterprise have to keep our ear to the ground with regard to improving the efficiency of our internal processes. We are always on the lookout for new tools and methods that will streamline our business operations. Proactive is always better than reactive. Otherwise, you can be assured of lagging behind at one point or another.”

Efficiency as the greatest asset Multiple customers are already making eager use of Graphius’ brand-new service. With improved customer service, higher productivity and faster run times, there are numerous advantages to the new web tool. However, according to François Pczycki, the greatest asset without a doubt is efficiency – and ultimately, profitability – for the customer. Many companies lose a lot of time checking such items as business cards by various divisions, for example, even before the digital files are sent to the printer’s.

This hassle can now be relegated to the past, and the entire process has become much shorter. Operations such as online printing proofs enable production time to be reduced considerably, while the platform is able to reduce the error margin substantially and the print department’s workload is also reduced. To put it in simple terms: any risk of the result not being perfectly in line with the house style is virtually non-existent. In this sense,

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© Fernando Guerra

magazine

VILLAS

Born from a love for design “Architecture, interior decorating, renovation and design enthusiasts call VILLAS the bible. This is precisely our objective: to provide our readers as much information as possible about a diversity of architectural styles and original, classical or contemporary design”, explains Pascale Deltour, editor-in-chief of VILLAS, with a smile.

“Considering that I have been closely involved with this magazine for over 20 years, I will remain editorin-chief of VILLAS. The collaboration is running very well, and I am convinced that this will produce positive results for both parties”, confirms Pascale. With VILLAS, Edition Ventures will be expanding its portfolio even further, and the magazine will be taken up in a publishing environment with a greater reach than ever before. However, nothing will change with regard to its standard of quality and professionalism. “I am looking forward to a perfect synergy. We ran into each other at the right point in time and were in immediate agreement with regard to our expectations. This could not be described better than in the words of poet Paul Eluard: ‘Il n’y a pas de hasard, il n’y a que des rendez-vous’ or, in English: ‘There are no coincidences, only encounters’.”

When compiling the content for a new edition, Pascale focuses on creativity, coherence, and originality. Every article, whether its subject is in Belgium or abroad, must be of value to the reader and simultaneously boast the necessary creativity and originality. Renewable energy – or sustainability – are also topics that are given substantial attention in our magazine these days. Aside from this, VILLAS aims to provide its readers lots of practical information, while sufficient space will be reserved to examine brand trends according to various themes, news items, addresses and websites. Of course, the magazine will also continue to provide contact details for exhibitions, trade fairs and sales points.

“In the course of all these years, our target audience has expanded considerably: from students and professionals in the sector to consumers seeking inspiration for their interior”, Pascale concludes.

Couverture:© Mireille Roobaert I Extrait de la revue

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N° 92

www.villasdecoration.com

foto © Mireille Roobaert

VILLAS is a permanent fixture as a magazine about architecture, interior decorating, remodelling and design. Raymond Naumann, Pascale’s father, founded the magazine in 1970. Initially, he had two objectives: to indulge his passion for architecture, design and art, and concurrently compensate for the slower periods at his printing company.

Raymond Naumann was the third generation managing director of Dereume Printing, a printing comart design pany that recently became part of Graphius. portes cuisines rénovation “Forty years ago he did everything single-handdécoration architecture edly for ‘his’ VILLAS: He chose the topics, wrote eco-energy the texts and took the photographs. My mother (his wife) Elizabeth handled the publicity”, recalls Pascale. “VILLAS was a pioneer in the genre. In those days, there were hardly any magazines that focused on these topics. Later on, his approach was copied by a number of decoration magazines, with regard to his contribution to the articles as well as the magazine’s design.”

VILLAS quickly garnered a great deal of acclaim, not only due to the high-quality content, photos and layout, but also thanks to the original publicity for famous brands. “Numerous architects, designers, artists and photographers wanted to have their name mentioned in our magazine. Of course, this is nothing like the typical advertising messages that you normally come across in magazines, on pages that readers quickly turn. We create informative, attractive pages that immediately capture the readers’ attention. In this, we provide our readers with something that is genuinely useful to them.”

On 5 September 2016, Edition Ventures took over the publication of VILLAS. This next step in the history of the magazine went very smoothly, of course.

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book

Swimming against the current

in style

Fashion photography, gliding, music, racing, jewellery, skiing: Gleb Derujinsky was a man of a thousand and one interests and talents.

A genuine Renaissance man, a perfectionist who always felt a keen passion for every field of activity into which he ventured. In the 1950s he started working as a fashion photographer exclusively for Harper’s Bazaar, turning the fashion world upside down.

Gleb Derujinsky was born in New York in 1925, the child of Russian immigrants with aristocratic roots. An eye for the fine arts and a taste for adventure were embedded into his DNA. His father, Gleb Derujinsky senior, was a renowned sculptor, and his mother Alexandra a classical pianist and an adventuress through and through.

It was his mother who encouraged him to seek his own path and to view the world constantly from a new perspective: a philosophy that he adhered to throughout his life. And, although his father tried to convince him that photography was not a genuine art form, he also left his mark on Gleb junior in his own way. There was one character trait they shared: the desire to swim against the current, to push boundaries. Or, as his daughter Andrea explains: “They broke the mould.”

When he was six years old, young Gleb made his first camera, and at the age of 10 his own enlarger. He learned to perfectly understand his equipment and the effect produced by light, and to manipulate this to his advantage. Five years later, he became the youngest member of the New York Camera Club.

After serving in the Army in World War II – where he attained

the rank of Staff Sergeant – he established his own photo studio. It was not much later that Carmel Snow of Harper’s Bazaar asked him to work exclusively for the fashion magazine. And so, a new era in fashion photography was born. With his revolutionary vision and controversial images, he astounded the fashion world.

He had his models climb onto high scaffolds and ladders, pose with dangerous animals or passers-by, and travelled the world in search of breathtaking locations for photo shoots. “Just like a film director, he created scenes that appeared to come straight out of the 1940s film repertoire. Each photo­graph mirrors a specific still from a romantic, comical or dramatic screenplay, reminiscent of such films as Bringing up Baby or Swing Time. The models pose in the photographs with the same amount of style and elegance as in those films”, explains Andrea Derujinsky, one of Gleb Derujinsky and ­fashion model Ruth Neumann’s daughters. In addition to working with Ruth Neumann, Derujinsky also regularly photographed Carmen Dell’Orefice, Iris Bianchi and Nena von Schlebrügge (mother of actress Uma Thurman).

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BOOK

Among his most memorable photo shoots were those taken in Paris, the city of light, where he was commissioned to photograph the spring collection for Harper’s Bazaar several times.

He and his models, clothed by such designers as Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent, literally took to the streets.

Instead of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or romantic bridges across the Seine – of which far too many photographs had already been taken – his photos featured subjects such as a pavement artist, a butcher or a cheese merchant. After all, even fashion models are real-life women, who go grocery shopping, visit the theatre or take their children for a stroll in the park!

Gleb Derujinsky’s wife, Ruth Neumann, accompanied him on the trip around the world that he had been commissioned to take by Harper’s Bazaar in order to promote the Boeing 707.

The most exotic destinations and breathtaking views formed the various backdrops for his sensational photographs, ranging from a mountain top in Turkey to a park in Japan, and from Hong Kong harbour and the Buddhist gardens in Thailand to the white sandy beaches of Sri Lanka. From mosques and an astronomical observatory in India to an Athenian temple or a tapas bar in Madrid – he was able to create unique compositions everywhere he went that allowed both the fashion and his models to shine.

Gleb Derujinsky identified opportunities where others saw none.

This was demonstrated throughout the course of his life. When he abandoned his career in fashion photography, he became a gliding instructor, a champion glider pilot, a ski instructor and a jewellery designer. He even designed the first carbon fibre bikes for the 1984 US Olympics Team! He put his entire heart into

everything he did. “I cannot remember my father ever being engaged in fashion photography after he ended his career.

Once he turned a page and started on a new chapter, he never looked back. He would become entirely enthralled in his new passion. He applied his utmost concentration to everything he did and looked towards the future”, recalls Andrea.

After he and his wife Wallace Fairfax Gault died in a car crash in 2011, Andrea discovered her father’s plans for a book. He had been compiling an archive of his photographs. Deeply moved and resolute, Andrea continued where her father had left off.

Although this was a huge project – hardly any original negatives of his photographs could be found – she launched Glamourissime, a retrospective of Gleb Derujinsky’s work, for publication in October 2016. “Unfortunately, fashion photographers today no longer take photographs for art’s sake, with a view to capturing a moment in time on film for eternity. Will that moment continue to interest the generations to follow? Previously, we could not have imagined they would. However, this book is living proof that it is so. Thanks to the composition and the atmosphere of my father’s work, these photos outlive fashion itself.”

Graphius was commissioned to print Glamourissime for the French publishing house Éditions Flammarion.

We are allowed to give away three copies of this remarkable book.

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Daily Life

GERT VOORJANS

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“Daily life”, was the answer given by Gert Voorjans in his last book, when asked what had the greatest influence on his work. “I enjoy creating spacious but intimate interiors, where even serving a cup of coffee on a tray becomes a thing of beauty.”

His new book may bear the title Daily Life but the designs created by this flamboyant interior designer are everything but mundane.

While the gold and green foil seem to jump right out at you from the cover, the edge painting in green with a contrasting purple ribbon marker and the linen/cotton binding are a graphic harbinger of the eclectic yet coherent compositions within. Lavish, top-notch design, with more than a touch of class.

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Gert Voorjans: Daily Life Published by Lannoo Printed by Graphius

newsletter

Royal support for a better world

The King Baudouin Foundation supports numerous regional, national and international projects every year.

However, the activities of Belgium’s largest independent and pluralistic foundation extend far beyond these projects alone.

The motto ‘working together for a better as volunteers in numerous support comsociety’ is featured prominently on the webmittees and management committees, site of the King Baudouin Foundation. These de and the independent juries of the project words explain the Foundation's noble objectenders. Thanks to their dedication and tives in a nutshell. No dead letter, because expertise, the Foundation can be assured of the mission is clearly manifest in numerous making excellent choices, and maintaining activities directed at all layers of the populaindependence and pluralism. tion. The King Baudouin Foundation organThe King Baudouin Foundation commisises seminars, round-table discussions and sioned Graphius to publish its newsletter exhibitions, publishes research results, Champs de Vision, of which four editions BELvue Redécouvrir la Belgique shares experiences and much more. These appear each year. This newsletter provides are only a few of the Foundation’s vast numconcise reports on the numerous projects ber of daily activities. and initiatives that the Foundation sup“The King Baudouin Foundation does not ports. Champs de Vision provides detailed only provide support to projects initiated background information with regard to supby organisations and individuals”, explains port, seminars, publications, partnerships, Managing Director Luc Tayart de Borms. “We enter into partner- and more. Through this newsletter, the King Baudouin Foundation ships with other organisations and institutions, conduct research aims to provide everyone who is interested insight into its activiinto difficult themes facing our society today, collect data, provide ties. The newsletter is available free of charge as an online and offpolicy-related recommendations, etc. Briefly put: we combine oper- line edition, which are available, as it should be in Belgium, in both ational methods with proactive support of associations, individuals Dutch and French. and local government bodies.”

Luc Tayart de Borms: “As a pluralistic foundation acting in the In order to organise all these activities, the King Baudouin interest of the public, we are transparent about all our operations.

Foundation can count on an annual budget of 49.8 million euros You will find everything you need to know about the Foundation in 2016. Of course, the Foundation does not decide itself where on our websites: who we are, how we work, whom we support, the funds will be allocated. The Advisory Board and the Board of our partnerships, publications, etc. Background information about Governors of the King Baudouin Foundation lay down the guide- all these activities can be found in our newsletter, which also fealines. For their implementation, the Foundation can rely on more tures numerous interviews with philanthropists, grantees, jury than 2,000 experts who contribute their knowledge and experience members, researchers, and so on.”

Champsvision N° 106- 3e TRIMESTRE 2016

Revue trimestrielle Bureau de dépôt Bruxelles X, P309439

kbs-frb.be • bonnescauses.be

TO U R D ’ H O R I ZO N D E S A C T I V I T É S D E L A F O N D AT I O N R O I B A U D O U I N

Sous la présidence d’honneur de S.M. la Reine Mathilde

bv106_september_2016 FR.indd 1

19/09/16 16:19

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interview

Living on the cusp of

dream and reality Raoul Cauvin. Does this name ring a bell?

And what if you link it to Lambil? That should evoke the image of the co-creators of the highly acclaimed Dupuis series ‘De Blauwbloezen’.

At the age of 78, Cauvin is still one of the best and most prolific comic strip authors in Belgium today.

Have you always worked like this?

Yes. I am not the only one in the world to prefer an alternative mode of work. I know that Jean Van Hamme (Thorgal, XIII, Largo Winch, etc., ed.) likes to pace up and down his office, and another colleague prefers to work sitting in the corner of a roadside restaurant. We all tend to look for the place where we feel best.

For me, this is here, at home, in silence. Without any music, without the TV on. I can’t stand to hear any noise around me. I need my rest.

De Blauwbloezen, Sammy, Agent 212, G. Raf Zerk, Vrouwen in ’t Wit: these are only a few titles from this comic strip author’s rich oeuvre. These days, he does not spend more than half a day each week at Dupuis, the publishing house where it all started for him.

To pick up his letters. On the other days, he spends three-quarters of his time in a horizontal position. Not to sleep, but to think and to work.

“In the morning, there’s no point in sitting at my writing desk”, explains Cauvin. “At that time of day, it simply isn’t productive. I can’t really get started until after lunch. First, I watch the news, read the newspaper, a magazine, well - anything that I can get my hands on. It is at those moments that the ideas start to come. If I want to flesh out the first idea on the next day, I lie down in my favourite comfy chair and this is where I start to digest my ideas, as it were. I give my thoughts free rein, put together ideas as if they were jigsaw pieces, switch on my computer and start drawing. I can’t imagine working any other way. If I try another approach, I start to get cranky. Just ask my wife. Some people tell me that I must have the most wonderful profession in the world. And yes, dammit, they are right”, he says with a broad smile on his face.

You have been working as a comic strip author since the early 1960s. Do you remember your first comic strip adventure?

Yes, that was one in which Eddy Ryssack (Arthur & Leopold, etc., ed.) was the main character. When I started at Dupuis, I ended up in the television department. In those days, the Smurfs were at their height of their popularity. In the evening, Ryssack and I got together with Ryssack to write scripts for the short stories in Robbedoes. After a while, I began to develop a taste for script-writing. When I worked at the television department, I got to know Peyo, Franquin and the legendary Theux. It was a memorable time. I knew that I would never be able to draw as

35

well as they could, but I also noticed that artists of their calibre did not always excel in writing scripts. I saw this as a brilliant opportunity for me.

point or another. In the beginning, finding usable information was quite difficult. When we produced the album The David, about the submarine of the same name, we had hardly any facts on which to base our comic strip. I had to do research on how a submarine works, and Lambil had to find out what it looked like. It was not until afterwards, when the album had already been published, that we received letters from people telling us that they actually had a model of the submarine at home.

Good news, but a little late (he laughs). This is the way it always went. We both found it incredibly important that all the historic details we included were correctly portrayed.

During this time, you became acquainted with Louis Salvérius, a young artist together with whom you developed a new series: De Blauwbloezen.

Salvérius worked at the same studio as Arthur Piroton and Jacques Michel (Jamic). Louis and I had already become friends at that time. I knew that he was a great fan of Westerns, and that the only stories that really fascinated him were about Indians.

When Morris, the artist who drew Lucky Luke, retired he left a big gap at Robbedoes. That was the end of the Westerns. I pulled out all the stops to come up with an idea myself, but not at all with a view to fill Goscinny’s footsteps. Not that this would have been possible! So, I thought up a story, De Blauwbloezen (in English: The Blueshirts, about two US cavalrymen, ed.), and invited Salvérius to come aboard. Because I did not wish to offend any other artists who were currently busy making comic books in the Western genre, I asked Charles Dupuis what he would like best. He told me to go ahead with De Blauwbloezen.

Later on, you wrote several scripts for Guust Flater, which was followed by series such as G. Raf Zerk, Vrouwen in ’t Wit, Agent 212, to name a few.

Yes, but that was something entirely different. When I started, I tried to bring my ideas to the attention of various artists. I felt like a pedlar, going door to door!

My efforts unfortunately came to naught. Everyone told me: “Things will get better as soon as you get some recognition.”

So, when I started joining forces with Salvérius, I firmly decided to never again try to peddle my ideas. And that’s how it’s been ever since. Everyone with whom I have ever cooperated on a comic strip has approached me, and not the other way around: even Lambil.

“When I started, I brought my ideas to the attention of various artists.

I felt like a pedlar, going door to door!”

Coincidence or not: the first edition of De Blauwbloezen appeared in 1968, precisely when the USA was involved in the Vietnam War. This was the heyday of the hippie movement. Did you take this into consideration?

Honestly? I did not even have any knowledge of historical events such as the American Civil War. Above all, I was a fan of the films made by people like Raoul Walsh or William Holden. My first scripts followed their example. It was not until I learned about the Civil War that I started to develop an avid interest in American history. I became acquainted with an incredibly fascinating world, which captivated me entirely. It was the era of the first submarines, the first locomotives, the first boats, and so on. It was a wonderful theme to work with. I have just completed Album 62, and Lambil has just started on the drawings for Album 61.

You have written hundreds of scripts throughout your career.

Where do you get your inspiration?

When I was writing Vrouwen in ’t Wit (a comic strip about nurses, ed.) I based my script on what I read in the newspaper and what I heard from friends who work in a hospital. G. Raf Zerk, on the other hand, sprouted entirely from my imagination. That could hardly have been otherwise. After all, the day when I will be able to get insider information for G. Raf Zerk (a comic strip about an undertaker and the dead people in his cemetery, ed.) will be the day that I myself will be pushing up the daisies. Hardly the best way to get inspired! Some of my other ideas have their origins in the jokes on a block calendar, or TV. I will rarely watch an entire programme, but zap through all the channels like a madman. The pace of films is too slow for me. I need scenes that capture my attention, scintillating dialogues, movement. If the pace is too slow, I fall asleep.

Has your fascination for the USA and its history ever caused you to consider moving to ‘the land of opportunity’?

No, even though I have visited the country several times. All the places Lambil and I visited were portrayed in our albums at one

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INTERVIEW

Would you agree that scripts from the older Belgian’s comic strip series, such as Spike & Suzy, have a more fairytale-like character than those published today?

Aunt Sidonia, Jethro, Ambrose... that is my youth!

Vandersteen’s The Spanish Ghost is a masterpiece! I even remember Jethro’s birth, a truly suspense-filled episode.

Formerly, Willy Vandersteen wrote the scripts himself, but nowadays it’s a genuine animation studio. From the moment that someone takes a series over from the initial creator, its soul disappears. These days, everything is assembly line work. I consider this as a great pity. You can always replace an artist: Blake & Mortimer, Spike & Suzy, Lucky Luke: all those series still exist today. But replacing a script writer? No, that is impossible.

You once started a series together with your companion Lambil, called Lampil. Gags, all of which were based on real life situations.

And all of them were true: this series was about Lambil, myself, his dog, my cat and our wives. Essentially, the entire series reflects his and my disturbed personalities (he laughs).

And about my sofa, of course. I lived in Brussels for a while, and Lambil even drew the staircase in the hall in perfect detail, with its Moroccan ornaments. Sometimes, he would even include a pair of shoes at the bottom of the staircase.

Everything in those series was derived from reality: my spats with Fournier, or with Berck, to name a few. Most of the gags I quoted verbatim. Sometimes, Mr Dupuis would call me into his office, enraged. He would ask me if I wasn’t ashamed of the words I had put in his mouth. Usually, my answer could not be anything other than: “But that’s exactly what you said,

Mr Dupuis!” And he would say: “Yes, but that doesn’t mean you have to tell everyone!” Unfortunately, we had to let that series go. De Blauwbloezen took up too much of our time.

You have certainly enjoyed a wonderful career. At the age of 78 you are still writing scripts.

That’s true, but I no longer attend comic strip festivals. I have not for some time. It was exhausting, and not only because of the work. I always attended with my mates, and we established tradition of enjoying ourselves drinking until the wee hours. Artists are genuine bon vivants, you know! A trip to France or Switzerland is always enjoyable, but after three days we were exhausted. I don’t see these people as frequently anymore, but we really do try to meet several times a year here in Nivelles: Jean-Paul, Lambil, Laudec, Marc Hardy, Berck ...

These are scarce moments that we should cherish.

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CV_TUNIQUES BLEUES_60_NL_t 23/08/16 10:02 Page1

VERSCHENEN ALBUMS:

41. De Blauwen nemen de benen 42. Blutch, zweet en tranen 43. De blauwblues 44. Het oor van Lincoln 45. Oproer in New York 46. Requiem voor een Blauwbloes 47. De Nancy Harts 48. Arabesk 49. Een huwelijk in Fort Bow 50. De klopjacht 51. Een steekje los bij Stark 52. De Blauwen in de mist 53. Blauw bloed bij de Blauwen 54. Miss Walker 55. Mijn broer de indiaan 56. Tand om tand 57. Colorado story 58. Groene vingers 59. De vier evangelisten 60. Carte blanche voor een Blauwbloes

Carte blanche voor een Blauwbloes

20. Black Face 21. De 5 schoeljes 22. Blauwen en vrouwen 23. De neven van de overkant 24. Baby Blue 25. Blauwen en bulten 26. Canadees goud 27. Bull Run 28. The show must go on!

29. Buiten westen 30. De Roos van Bantry 31. Drummer boy 32. Te gek om los te lopen 33. Grumbler en zonen 34. De groene jaren 35. Kapitein Nepel 36. Quantrill 37. Duel in het Kanaal 38. De onderduikers 39. Puppet Blues 40. De stromannen

DE BLAUWBLOEZEN 60

1. Wagen in 't Westen 2. Van Noord naar Zuid 3. Voor 1.500 Dollar extra 4. Outlaw 5. De deserteurs 6. De nor in Robertsonville 7. De blauwe groentjes 8. De hoogvliegers van de cavalerie 9. De grote patrouille 10. Blauw en uniformen 11. Blauwen in zwart-wit 12. Blauwbloezen pakken Kozakken 13. De Blauwen in de puree 14. De melkmuil 15. Rumberley 16. Bronco Benny 17. El Padre 18. Hoe het begon 19. The David

Carte blanche voor een blauwbloes TEKENINGEN: WILLY LAMBIL

SCENARIO: RAOUL CAUVIN

Graphius prints De Blauwbloezen and other comic strip series produced by the Dupuis publishing house. We are allowed to give away the latest album

LAMBIL - CAUVIN

ISBN 978-90-314-3456-5

DUPUIS

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of Sergeant Cornelius Chesterfield and Corporal Blutch to ten lucky fans.

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interview with Jan Stevens

“An unwavering confidence in the power of

creative print work” Adding an extra dimension to print work through technical and aesthetic creativity has been the driving force behind Stevens Print since 1958.

This Merelbeke-based family business has a penchant for complex projects that, thanks to its tremendous professional expertise and dynamic craftsmanship, produces absolute gems of sophisticated print work each and every time. “Even in the throes of the digital revolution, people of all ages will continue to appreciate the added value of the printed word”, affirms managing director Jan Stevens.

“Years ago, it was fashionable to announce that the digital revolution would be dominating the market, but print is definitely not dead.”

In 1958, his father Antoon Stevens laid down the foundations of a small-scale typographic printing business in the direct vicinity of Ghent’s St. Peter’s railway station, where he reached a broad clientèle by continually placing an emphasis on beautiful, solid and stylishly finished print work.

With the support of his son Jan, who joined the business in 1985, he was able to reinforce this philosophy and continue to invest in aesthetic and technical creativity. “It is a great pity that my father died far too young. He was only 59”, says Jan Stevens.

He is currently running the business with his wife Ann De Sutter and heads a team of 22 with solid professional expertise.

became too small, the company invested in an 1,100 m² expansion in 2012. “This crucial step, taken at the apex of the economic crisis, gave us an opportunity to optimise the production flow and further expand the digital division of our company with extra storage for both paper and finished print work.”

“Complexity is our passion” As the managing director of Stevens Print, he has a clear mission.

“I attach tremendous value to creating added value. Our printing company has always endeavoured to offer more than ordinary print work; because we are passionate about our profession and aim to offer our customers the best service possible, we are always prepared to go that extra mile, whether this concerns print work or a combination of various finishing techniques.

To us, quality is not the icing on the cake, it is the ­standard­.

New buildings in Merelbeke As the initial premises did not offer sufficient space for expansion, Stevens Print moved to the site of a former florist’s business in Merelbeke in 1998. When the 700 m² b ­ uilding

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Two years ago we took over GuidoMaes.Printingdeluxe.*****, which focuses on creating deluxe print work, just as we do. By joining forces we were able to substantially expand our offering of services, both in terms of technology and customer base.”

2016 proved to be a pivotal year: Stevens Print is now part of Graphius. “I see this as a one plus one equals three outcome”, says Jan Stevens. “Collaborating with Graphius ensures a fascinating form of cross-pollination, from which both businesses can benefit.”

Stevens Print’s portfolio and possibilities are manifold: the company prints books, magazines, commercial print work, annual reports, folders, once-only print work, mailings, and specials such as ‘corporate identity’ orders. “Our clientèle is composed primarily of companies in the manufacturing industry, cultural organisations, the fashion industry, communication agencies, graphic designers and other printers”, explains Jan Stevens.

“We distinguish ourselves particularly through the added value that we create on all levels. Thanks to a combination of professional expertise, flexibility and being open to take on complex orders, our customers are always happy to come to us for print work that requires just that little bit extra.”

This is demonstrated in the use of specific finishing techniques, the use of scented and/or puffing inks, more complex laser and die cuts, special UV lacquer, etc. “It goes without saying that we apply an excruciatingly meticulous quality control system: we consider a perfect print and a flawless finish, in our humble opinion, to be a matter of course.”

Print is definitely not dead With an extremely wide range of print work – from business cards to posters and exclusive invitations, packaging or books – Stevens Print managed to secure itself a solid position in the highest segment of the professional printing industry. In addition to mainstream print work, expansion into a few niche markets is something that the printing business aims to focus on in the future. Print is definitely not dead. “This is something I honestly believe in, even though it was fashionable a few years ago to announce that the digital revolution would be dominating the market. Ultimately, this did not happen. There have been shifts, but in the past years book sales have once again risen, despite the success of the e-reader. I have noticed that customers are quietly distancing themselves from all things digital, and that they prefer a more personal approach to mailings, in-­ company magazines, annual accounts, corporate identity, and so on. Just look at the tremendous popularity of cookery books, or books about gardening, colouring books for adults, comic

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INTERVIEW

books, or exclusive projects in highly limited editions. Print is alive and kicking, if anything.”

The link to the fine arts sector is something that has been inherent to Stevens Print for many years.

“It is not that we sought out this market specifically”, explains Jan Stevens. “We actually landed in this niche by word of mouth, particularly through the various designers with whom we collaborate closely. One contact simply leads to another. We have consciously chosen to continue to expand in this niche market, because we are not a company that aims to focus exclusively on large volumes. That would actually oppose our business philosophy, in which contributing added value is a priority.”

and not in the least for the fantastic team that works here, giving the best of themselves every day. In the end, Stevens Print and GuidoMaes.

Printingdeluxe.***** exist only thanks to their commitment.

We spent many hours discussing the takeover, and talking about the future of our printing business. Moving to Oostakker is not something we had ever planned, because this would produce counter-productive results. We are working with an excellent team with plenty of expertise, experience, and a great deal of resoluteness and passion. Furthermore, there is enough space here for growth and expansion. One of the most important things in a takeover is ensuring that you will have the continuing support of your existing clientèle. They should never get the feeling that they will no longer receive the same personal attention or, even worse, that they will simply be reduced to a number on an order sheet. Many of our customers come to us because of this personal approach. Fortunately, this is something that Graphius also holds in high esteem.”

Will this make the sum greater than the whole of its parts?

Jan Stevens is convinced of this, although letting go of your “baby” is not always a matter of course. “One could say that I grew up here, and I still work here with a great deal of enthusiasm, sometimes working considerably long hours.

Nevertheless, I still put my whole heart into my work. I have tremendous confidence in a future with Graphius.”

“Thanks to a combination of professional expertise, flexibility and being open to take on complex orders, our customers are always happy to come to us for print work that requires just that little bit extra.”

Printing is an art form Whether Stevens Print and GuidoMaes.Printing­deluxe.*****, thanks to the various technical procedures and exclusive techniques and finishes they sometimes use, can actually be labelled as art, is not something that Jan Stevens wants to claim. What interests him above all is fruitful collaboration and the fact that both can continue to be part of the entire creative process. “Even though I still believe that printing is an art form”, he acknowledges with a smile.

“Our collaboration with Graphius is not based on ‘self-enrichment’. To the contrary. It is about safeguarding a future,

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cross-media

Print and digital media:

a successful partnership

In the era of digital transformation, a business can no longer be seen to be pigeonholing. The ultimate user experience is the product of various media offered in conjunction with one another. Kenzan Studios understands this like no other: with ‘Téo & Léonie’, its adventure-packed series of children’s books, the publishing house has literally given storytelling a new dimension.

“The combination of print and digital appeals to virtually all age groups”, explains Anna Aiello, editor at Kenzan Studios.

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“We find ourselves in a galaxy of all types of media and apps, in which print remains the planet that the other aspects revolve around.”

The fact that children’s books should contribute to the further development of their readers needs no further explanation.

Kenzan Studios takes this one step further. The publisher links physical books to new technologies, such as augmented reality with accompanying tablet applications. This allows the illustrations to pop out of the books as 3D objects, and enables readers to participate in activities and interact with the characters. In addition to this, there is an animated audio book and a platform where users can share their own experiences with others. Kenzan Studios is absolutely convinced that the sum of all the media used contributes to a successful total experience. “Through our books, we demonstrate that reading can really be a pleasant pastime”, explains Ms. Aiello. “Of course, we should not lose sight of the educative aspect as well.”

finished reading all the books, he or she will fully understand that the objects or places he or she has encountered genuinely exist.

What’s more, he or she will be more motivated to see them in real life, in a museum, for example.”

Print is still the key aspect Despite the advanced technology and media currently available, the key aspect of Téo & Léonie will continue to be print.

Pascal Montjovent, one of the authors of Téo & Léonie and head of the R&D department at Kenzan Studios, compares this to “a galaxy of all types of media and apps, in which print remains the planet that the other aspects revolve around”. He confirms that Kenzan Studios believes that allowing traditional channels to be eclipsed by other technological inventions is an unhealthy development. “Our target audience, children aged 5 to 11, still loves traditional books made from paper and cardboard, but also enjoys exploring digital platforms and innovations”, he explains. “Kenzan Studios is keeping close watch over the way in which technology and young people are developing. We aim to continue to focus on the combination of various media, also in the future.”

According to Ms. Aiello, the vocabulary alone is enough to ensure that young readers will gain useful knowledge from this series of books. Furthermore, both the books and the apps feature lots of educational content and even contain historic references. Even if this is a series of fictional books, the adventures of Kenzan Studios’ Téo & Léonie are all based on specific historic events.

Ms. Aiello is convinced of the added educational value: “When the reader has

The Les Voyages Fantastiques de Téo & Léonie series is printed by Graphius.

We have three complete series available for young adventurers to win.

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44

photography

Unconventional

and unwilling to compromise In a world where consumer purchasing behaviour is swayed by the reigning mode, Tony Nourmand, CEO of Reel Art Press, resolutely swims against the current by publishing beautifully designed artistic photography books.

With ‘Total Excess’ by rock photographer Michael Zagaris, he expands Reel Art Press’ impressive portfolio with some remarkable rock-‘n-roll footage.

Some rock photographers are lucky enough to have been born in the right time and place. Michael Zagaris is someone like that.

Although still relatively unknown among the general public, in the 1970s and 80s he accompanied numerous international stars as a privileged spectator, taking iconic photographs of life on tour and backstage. The Clash, Grateful Dead, Blondie, Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, The Velvet Underground, Patti Smith, Led Zeppelin: they were all captured by his lens. British publisher Tony Nourmand, a big fan and a close friend of Michael Zagaris, considered it almost his duty to publish the photographs in book form. To Nourmand, Total Excess is one of the highlights in the brief history of Reel Art Press.

“Michael’s book reflects our own philosophy perfectly.”

Nourmand previously dis­tributed books featuring film posters on behalf of other publishing houses for many years. “Until six years ago, when I received a telephone call from an 89-yearold man. It was Bill Gold, the person who brought to life the posters of such box office successes as Casablanca, A Clockwork Orange, Barbarella, Dirty Harry, or 2001: A Space Odyssey; all films that were part of my growing up. In the United States, giving a designer credit for his work is not common practice. Nobody had ever heard of Gold, or considered the digitalisation and re-issue of old film posters a possibly lucrative venture. I, however, did. I sought funding, made the book and published it. That was the seed from which Reel Art Press, and all the books that followed, sprang.”

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Dedicated

Past and present

“Everyone who collaborates with us, knows that we will never tamper with the quality of our products”, promises Nourmand.

“As a result, our books may be slightly more expensive, but our critical public holds our production methods in great esteem. Reel Art Press has a loyal group of followers. They buy everything we publish.”

Market conditions in 2016 are not good for the profession of rock photography. “Photographers are barely permitted to stand in front of the stage for more than three songs during a concert to take photographs”, complains Nourmand.

“Following every concert, the media publish virtually identical photos, although they have been taken by different photographers. And there’s a lot of rubbish. The only distinguishing factor is the angle from which the photograph was taken.”

“Everyone who collaborates with us, knows that we will never tamper with the quality of our products.”

A strong conviction in the importance of quality and respect for the material also formed the decisive arguments for Zagaris to have his book published by Reel Art Press. “Michael is one of the most colourful and fascinating people I know; he knew that his photographs would be shown off to the best of their advantage.”

And they certainly are! The love for print and photography is clearly discernible in every page in Total Excess. More than just a book full of cool photos, it is a subjective historic archive, bursting with unique images portraying life behind the scenes.

Michael Zagaris, however, was allowed to stand in close proximity to and even among his subjects: he joined them on tour, lived with the musicians, indulged in the same excesses and enjoyed life “in the fast lane”. He went from one band to another, as a valued spectator and confidant. The fact that Lou Reed allowed himself to be photographed while

46

PHOTOGRAPHY

imitating shooting up heroin on stage says a great deal about the intimate relationship between the photographer and his subject, or the photograph of Rick James snorting what looks like a mammoth line of cocaine from a rock. It may be controversial, even if Nourmand would never have claimed to call it so: “It is what it is. Michael took photographs of moments that were entirely normal to many musicians. He never made a conscious effort to seek out controversy.”

Can Nourmand explain what makes Zagaris’ work so magical? “Talent, of course, and professionalism. Michael is a photographer of the old school: he grew up with celluloid. In those days, developing a photograph cost a lot of money. As a photographer, you had to have plenty of professional expertise and always keep in mind that shooting a thousand images of the same event was simply not possible. Learning to look and clicking the shutter at exactly the right moment; that was what it was all about. With Michael, this resulted in photographs that were able to capture precisely the right moment.”

Learning to look Zagaris has provided a brief introduction for every series of photographs in the book: the location of the shoot, who was there, the atmosphere: the photographer offers the reader a unique glance into the life of these musicians. After all, which of you knew that Lou Reed once lived together with a transsexual friend? “It’s quite an enjoyable read”, confirms Nourmand. “Michael was very generous in what he wanted to tell. Total Excess is not only a historic document for people who were around at that time, but also for the generation of twenty-or-thirty-somethings. After all, the heyday of this world is gone forever.”

Just as all the other photo books published by Reel Art Press, Total Excess is printed by Graphius. Rockers of all ages can compete to win three copies in all. Turn to page 1 to take part in the competition.

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magazine

Back to print If you are seeking the ultimate tourist experience, there is no longer any need to travel to faraway, sunny destinations.

Goodbye, a tourist magazine published by the West-Flanders-based agency Travelmedia, proves this. “With a mix of tourist and culinary information, we demonstrate that we know what Flemish travellers are seeking”, explains managing director Olivier Dujardin. ing a print magazine. “Inspiration is the life’s blood of the travel industry and print still plays a significant part in this”, confirms Dujardin.

“Despite the shift towards a digital world we have noticed that our readers, who are generally in a higher segment, share our opinion in this.

The advertising market also prefers to invest in an upscale reach through print.”

With Goodbye, a magazine that comes out once every three months, Travelmedia aims to offer something that is everything but run-of-themill. It proudly invests in providing its own coverage, for which it sends journalists to all parts of the world for first-hand discovery and exploration. “In a media landscape where content is frequently copied and there is an abundance of slick stock photographs, we endeavour to resolutely do our own thing”, Dujardin explains with pride. We have no qualms about leaving white space open, or allowing photographs to fill an entire page if this will benefit the ultimate result. Briefly put: the combination of authentic experiences and photography results in powerful content.”

A striking element is the magazine’s diversity in paper types, all of which boast a natural texture.

“This strengthens the magazine’s sense of authenticity. It differs from the glossy paper that has become commonplace in the market”, explains Dujardin. The managing director also explains how Goodbye makes a statement through its volume in terms of paper: the last edition features 244 pages in all, which makes the magazine a good deal thicker than average. A magazine in the form of a book, therefore, or as Dujardin calls it: a magbook.

Inspiration with a magbook Although Travelmedia has been focusing on online marketing and digital media since 2007, it decided to turn the tide by publish-

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Als grafische machines en materialen, is Plantin op As aleverancier supplier ofvan printing equipment and materials, Plantin is proudertotrots be able om Graphius tot zijn relaties te mogenBesides rekenen. de printed liefde voor het to count Graphius to his relationships. theNaast love for product, gedrukte geprinte product,role speelt creativiteit in onzeThis samenwerking creativity en plays an important in our collaboration. in order to een give belangrijke rol.products Om zo an úwadditional grafische emotional productenattraction extra emotionele aantrekyour graphics force. kingskracht te kunnen geven.

Business partner of Heidelberg Telefoon +32 (0)2 727 31 11 • www.plantin.be

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