NARASINETWORK.COM - It's amazing how comics can bridge the gap between Indonesian and French culture, isn't it? Emmanuel Lemaire, a French comic artist, proves this point with his inspiring works. Through his comics, "Tetanggaku Orang Indonesia" and "France as Seen by Madame Hibou," Emmanuel invites readers to view both countries from a different perspective, filled with humor and touching storytelling. His works are more than just entertainment; they act as a bridge connecting two cultures that may seem distant but share similarities and unique beauty.
In an interview with Erna Wiyono from Narasi Network, Emmanuel shares his story about how his encounter with an Indonesian woman inspired his comics, and how he discovered fascinating similarities and differences between the two cultures. Listen to Emmanuel Lemaire's inspiring story in this interview.
Tetanggaku Orang Indonesia - Emmanuel Lemaire
Part I: Background and Inspiration
Mr. Lemaire, welcome to Indonesia! Could you tell us a little about your career journey as a comic artist, from the beginning until now?
Hello. I am self-taught. I have not studied drawing or art. But I have always been passionate about drawing and comics.
I started by making amateur publications, meeting professionals and drawing every day. So I was able to progress and create more comics until now.
What motivated you to pursue the world of comics?
I like comics because they are an easy and accessible way to tell stories. I have always read them and comics have always been present in my life. In France there are many bookshops specialising in comics, many comic book festivals, it's a profession that is becoming more professional.My mother is Belgian, so that may have made it easier. Belgium is a country where comics are popular, she was able to make me discover it.
Your comic, "Tetanggaku Orang Indonesia," is inspired by your experience with your Indonesian neighbor. Could you describe in more detail how that encounter occurred and how it sparked the idea for this comic?
This story is true. It describes my meeting with a neighbor who lived on the landing. I was interested in telling her life because it allowed us to create a bridge between Indonesia and France. Indeed, she gives us her perspective on my country while making us discover hers which is unfortunately not known in France.On the graphic way, Madame Hibou travels a lot in France so this story gave pride of place to landscapes and I love drawing landscapes.
In your comic, there's a noticeable comparison between Indonesian and French cultures. What, in your opinion, are the most striking differences and similarities between the two cultures?
Indonesia is a country with a bright future ahead of it. The streets are still alive, the economy is moving forward. I am less sure about my country. I regret it because I love it very much.
Indonesia is a huge country, very diverse and yet seems very united. My country should take inspiration from that (there must be problems of course I'm not utopian). Religion and family seem to me to be much more important in Indonesia than in my country. In France we smile much less and we get much more angry than in Indonesia too! But it's difficult to answer clearly. Madame Hibou is used to telling me that you should never confuse culture and character.
Concerning the world of comics, even if it seems less developed in Indonesia than in France, it exists and is very interesting. There are some great Indonesian cartoonists who have nothing to envy French cartoonists. In France the world of books is different, it seems to me to be more protected. The notion of copyright is highly respected and allows authors to make a living from their work. There is a very important law that makes the price of a book unique or that it sells (Lang Law). It is this law that allows my country to have such a large number of independent bookstores, for example. All these elements make comics and books exist in an important way in France
How have these differences and similarities influenced the storyline and characters in your comic?
When I started this comic strip I knew nothing about Indonesia, I didn't even know how to place it on a map. The main character of the story discovers Indonesia like me through the travel stories of his neighbor. In fact, the theme of this comic strip is the unknown. The unknown that scares, attracts, makes curious. These questions energize the story. This comic strip is a story of a motionless journey: that's why there's a lot of off-text.
You also created the comic "France as Seen by Madame Hibou," which tells the story from the perspective of an Indonesian person about France. What were the biggest challenges you faced in portraying these different cultural perspectives?
When I started the second comic it was easier, I knew your country a little better. That said, I was often told off for criticizing France. I even think that some readers were annoyed by this Indonesian woman who looked at them in such a way. It's not easy to talk about differences without making a judgment or feeling inferior or sublime. So that was the whole difficulty.
This comic is also planned to be translated into Indonesian. I can't wait to find out what Indonesians think about Madame Hibou gaze.
How did you ensure accuracy and sensitivity in this portrayal?
When I made the comic strip I always asked my neighbor to re-read it so as not to stray or betray what she thought. For example, once she made me understand in a dialogue that it was not possible for an Indonesian woman to speak like that. I was surprised but reworked the scene by asking her opinion. It was fundamental for me not to put any judgment, any feeling of superiority or anything else. The exercise was complicated but very interesting.
Part II: Creative Process and Drawing Techniques
Could you explain your creative process in making comics? Where do you get your story ideas? How do you develop characters and storylines?
First of all, I try to tell my story in the shortest way possible. I attach the strongest importance to the end. If the end of the story is interesting there are possibilities that the story is good but nothing is won obviously.Besides, I've read a lot of American storyteller manuals that I get inspired by. And I try to read a lot.
Your drawing style is quite realistic. What is the reason behind your choice of this drawing style? Are there any special techniques or tools that you use to achieve this realistic result?
As I told you, I am self-taught. I frequented a lot of discussion forums on the internet, talked a lot with established artists, read books and went to museums. From all this I found a somewhat chaotic method. I try to use both traditional means of drawing and digital.
My drawing style came naturally. I don't know if I'll be able to draw any other way.
In creating a comic involving two different cultures, how do you ensure a balance between cultural detail and an engaging storyline?
The process happened naturally. The fact that it is a true story and that I wrote it by constantly asking for proofreading from my neighbor helped a lot to remove any form of judgment, approximation or exoticism.
Were there any moments or parts of the comic creation process that were particularly challenging for you? How did you overcome them?
There is nothing easy for me in the making of a comic book. Creation is a very hard work but also very exciting.
Part III: Reception and Impact of the Comic
What has been the reader's response to your comics, both in France and in Indonesia?
This is a very interesting question. It seems to me that the book had two different readings in the two countries. In France, we found the adventures of a little woman from an unknown country, very funny. In Indonesia, many readers have seen in Madame Hibou a woman who manages to go to the end of her passions, to live her passions. I received a lot of emails or messages on social networks that emphasized this.
I realized that I had made two different comics; It questioned me a lot.
What are your hopes for the impact of your comic on the understanding and appreciation of Indonesian and French cultures among readers?
I realized that in France we only knew two things about Indonesia: the orangutans of Borneo, the island of Bali. It's not much. I hope that this comic will make French readers want to discover your country. The Indonesians, on the other hand, were very happy that they were talked about in a non-stereotypical and interesting way. I am glad I tried to build a bridge between our two cultures.
Do you have plans to create other comics themed around Indonesian culture or other cultures in the future? What themes might you explore?
I would love to continue on this path in one way or another. I'm thinking about that ????
Part IV: Additional Questions (Optional)
As a librarian and a comic artist, how do you balance these two professions?
I dont sleep a lot.
Are there any interesting similarities or differences between the two professions?
I have always loved books. There is an activity that is a bit adventurous and not very stable, the other is the complete opposite. It is a balance that I try to build.
What message would you like to convey to readers and aspiring young comic artists through your works?
from memory a very great Belgian cartoonist once said "a good cartoonist is a cartoonist who draws all the time", his name was André Franquin, listen to what he says ^^
(*)
Links
wikipedia
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Lemaire
www.instagram.com/emmanuelemaire/
2 french itw in Musée du Quai Branly where you can listen to me and Madame Hibou talking about the comic in french but with IA you can try to translate it ?