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Sempé and his friends, in Marcq-en-Barœul
Sempé is first and foremost the father of Little Nicolas, this mischievous schoolboy – born from his meeting with Goscinny – through whose eyes we find the poetic and tender world of childhood. The Minorelle gallery is presenting an exhibition with, among ten original drawings and some 70 screen prints, previously unpublished works (in black and white, but also in color!) by the brilliant designer. He also collaborated with Match, Pilote, L’Express and the New Yorker for whom he wrote around a hundred front pages: with his funny and delicate style, he sketches our little quirks and the little things of everyday life… Sempé is came to Marcq with a group of friends, designers (Chaval, Steinberg, Jacques Rouxel, etc.) who share his tender and intelligent outlook.
We’re going there because: It’s the feel good exhibition of the moment, which we visit with a smile on our lips. All generations meet there.
“Sempé and his friends”, Galerie Le Minorelle, 25, rue Raymond-Derain, in Marcq. Tuesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekends, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission. Until May 5. From 4 years old.
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The children of La Piscine in Roubaix
The Roubais museum welcomes five little Parisian impressionists from the Orsay museum for three months! Little vacationers through whose eyes we rediscover the collections nourished by childhood memories of La Piscine. The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years by Degas meets La petite Châtelaine by Claudel who lives here all year round. Renoir’s The Boy with the Cat meets the son of a Roubais industrialist painted by Félix Del Marle. Dialogues which bear witness to the evolution of the status and image of the child of the 19th centurye century to today.
We’re going there because: we realize that it took time for the child to be considered as an individual in their own right and for their rights, their education, their health to be protected, and their words listened to…
The children of impressionism, La Piscine, 23 rue de l’Espérance in Roubaix. From February 17 to May 26. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Prices: €11/reduced: €9. From 5 years.
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“Farès Cachoux, contemporary figures” at the IMA in Tourcoing
This is the first major exhibition in France dedicated to Farès Cachoux, this Syrian artist who denounces the dictatorship of Bashar El Assad. To tell the darkness of war, this painter and graphic designer prefers bright colors. In his pop paintings, which are reminiscent of posters, he points out in his works the oppression of women or the fate of migrants. Women in niqabs play hard rock, Madonnas tell the story of the courage and resilience of oriental women and caricatures of the Gulf states sit on a candy pink background…
We’re going there because: we discover the engaged gaze of an artist who questions our world on the themes of freedom, development and migration.
“Contemporary Figures” by Farès Cachoux, at the Institute of the Arab World of Tourcoing, 9 rue Gabriel-Péri. Entrance: €4/5. Tuesday to Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., guided tour Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Until July 14. From the age of 8.
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Embroider Overflow at the Maison Folie Wazemmes in Lille
Embroidery out of fashion? Not if we believe this very beautiful and surprising exhibition which presents the works of fourteen embroiderers and one embroiderer in the old spinning mill. These artists were brought together by the region’s director, Dominique Cabrera, who puts embroidery at the heart of her film, Women like the others (with Yolande Moreau and Hélène Vincent). It’s amazing what these artists, armed with a simple thread and a needle, can tell about the world around us! Very contemporary, their creations are beautiful, astonishing, surreal, but also very committed.
We’re going there because: we discover what we call “craftivism”, that is to say the fact of putting craftsmanship at the service of activism. As a bonus: workshops are organized to participate in a collaborative work!
“Embroider, Déborder”, at Maison Folie Wazemmes, 70 rue des Sarrazins in Lille, Wednesday to Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission. Until May 19. Workshop: maisonfolie.lille.fr. From 5 years.
