 Bobol has enjoyed a wide reputation in France's southwestern hippy communities because of his work appearing in numerous underground fanzines and magazines. His most famous efforts appeared in 'The Wild Candle' (La Chandelle Sauvage). In it, he tells tales about the aforementioned communities, his travels in Martinique, the Marquesas Islands, and Thailand.
After writing for a while he turned to drawing because, as he says, "it's faster to do things by yourself". So, for a few years, he practiced his style on women's portraits drawn with a 'little-dot' method, which later became known as 'Boboliennes'.
Since he has been living in Phuket, his inspiration has moved from women/girls' faces to a closer look at Thai culture, its local daily life and cultural events: Junks in Phang Nga Bay, Phuket's yearly Vegetarian Festival (he has studied Taoism), Phuket's mosques, Polynesian tribal women, Apsaras and Buddhist temples.
There are often amusing details added subtly into Bobol's visual work – a Mercedes Benz in an old Chinese street; a mobile phone in a religious street procession, a Fuji advertising sign at the rear of a Chinese Dragon's Dance, etc...
Bobol's style is derived from Belgian and French comics: Gotlib, Caza, Manara, Pratt (Corto Maltese!), Moebius... |
