International Journal of Comic Art blog: exhibitions

Exposition Collective Inaugurale. Brussels, Belgium: Martel BXL. November 16 - December 7, 2024.

by Nick Nguyen

If Brussels considers itself as the capital of comics, then a new player has set up shop in town to provide an energizing boost to that claim. Martel BXL is the second comics art gallery founded and directed by Rina Zavagli, whose Galerie Martel in Paris has steadily and rightfully earned itself an influential reputation since opening in 2008. Zavagli's exhibition programming over the years has distinguished itself with an eclectic internationalism in scope and stylistic range that recalls the vision and spirit of RAW, the seminal comics anthology magazine edited by Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman. That and the combination of Zavagli's refined artistic eye, her formidable relationship-building skills, her deep respect for the labour of the artist, and a generous approach to hospitality have established Galerie Martel as a must-see stop for the comics cognoscenti on any trip or layover in Paris. In addition, the gallery's vernissages are intensely attended social events that jam pack its humble space to the point of spillover outside into the small street that bears its name.

Not content to simply rest on the lofty laurels that she has earned, Zavagli has extended her operations with this new Brussels location that aims to carve out its own identity while maintaining the brand consistency with the Paris gallery. This dual operation is a growth milestone that is subtly signaled with the understated adoption of a new name and logo to mark this shift. Jettisoning the word "Galerie" and de-emphasizing the emboldened "art" in "Martel" removes the tautological indices to its function and location so that the Martel name now confidently stands on its own.

To inaugurate Martel BXL, Zavagli wisely chose to present a selling exhibition featuring the work of 40 different artists who have each collaborated with her at one time or another over the years at Galerie Martel. It is a fitting, intelligent and strategic approach to announce her arrival on the Brussels scene as the exhibition pays tribute to the past, present and future of Zavagli's gallery experience. The stable of artists affiliated with the Martel banner represent a mix of established comix veterans and maturing bande dessinée contemporaries who offer access to bodies of work that shape a certain idea of the international history of comics art championed by the gallery. This group exhibition also serves as an amuse bouche for a Brussels comics art community steeped in Franco-Belgian comics tradition to anticipate future collaborations to be presented in Martel BXL

The lineup of artists for the inaugural exhibition as announced on the poster and invitation cards.

The announcement of an exhibition of such collective scope also includes the consideration that it takes an appropriate amount of space to display the work of all these artists. It is in this spatial respect that Martel BXL immediately distinguishes itself from its Paris predecessor as it offers over twice as much display real estate. Situated in the socially heterogeneous commune of Ixelles, the gallery occupies the main floor of a classic maison de maître (townhouse mansion) whose window facade faces out onto one of the busiest thoroughfares in its neighbourhood.

The street view of the gallery offers even the most casual of passersby the chance to clearly see the depth of the space from the entrance right through to the back garden.

The sheer length of the gallery corridor provides the sufficient space to showcase 43 individual pieces with enough breathing room between them so they can stand alone on their own merits while still dialoguing with their neighbors. Each piece was framed to respect its individual style and physical attributes so that the only aspect that was uniform about them all was their eye-level placement along the walls. Each piece was also presented without any immediate metadata to indicate authorship, materiality, or date and context of creation, allowing visitors to engage with them on purely visual and aesthetic terms before being moved to interact with the very knowledgeable and amiable gallery manager Simone Mattotti to discover further information.

Looking into the gallery from the street

Looking toward the street from inside the gallery at its midway point.

From the midpoint of the gallery looking toward the back of the gallery

Looking toward the street from the back of the gallery, where a staircase leads to the storage area.

At the midpoint of the gallery is a central space that widens the corridor to become a room with larger floor space to include a coffee table where BD albums, catalogues, portfolios and sketchbook collections by the exhibited artists are available for browsing. This room also offers an open passage to the working area of the gallery which is situated next to an enclosed open air garden patio, the first of two that were designed by Dutch graphic artist Rudy Vrooman (the second garden is at the back end of the gallery, near the hospitality area).

Side garden patio to the left of the staircase

Garden patio at the back end of the gallery, behind the hospitality area.

The coffee table at the central room of the gallery.

There's no question that Martel BXL has come out of its starting gate with a bang while still being attentive to its integration into the Brussels arts scene. The gallery's artistic identity is so clearly defined that its arrival contributes a unique major presence to the city's cultural landscape without treading on the toes of other established comics art galleries. In this spirit, Martel BXL's immediate plan to follow up on the inaugural group exhibition is to acknowledge and highlight their Belgian artistic collaborative partners. The final day of the group exhibition on 7 December will welcome Herr Seele of Cowboy Henk fame for a special dédicace/book signing session. A week later, the first monograph exhibition to be held at Martel BXL will showcase the work of Eric Lambé, whose newest book ANTIPODES in collaboration with author David B. has just been announced as part of the official selection for the 52nd edition of the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée at Angoulême.

Following this path, the future augers well for the fortunes of Zavagli and her Martel enterprise as Brussels, and by extension Belgium, offers whole new opportunities and markets for collaboration, partnerships and collecting. There is little doubt that Martel BXL, like Martel Paris, will soon feature as a new must-see stop for comics lovers on any trip or layover in the capital of Europe.

-Nick Nguyen

All photos taken by Nick Nguyen.

PS. Below are photos for the curious completist wishing to get an idea of the arrangement and presentation of the 43 pieces that made up the group exhibition.

The full list and description of the works is found here.