Serge Bloch: The Great Journey of a Small Line

France’s most celebrated illustrator, one of its most widely beloved picture book authors, and a creator who has captivated the world with a single line—there are countless ways to describe Serge Bloch. But what stands out most is that he remains, above all, a tireless artist who continues to draw, observe, and respond.

Born in 1956 in the small town of Colmar in France’s Alsace region, Bloch did not come from an artistic family, nor was he a gifted prodigy.
“I never had a calling. No genes, no artists in the family. I don’t know why but I’ve always liked to draw, as a child or as a teenager.”
As this reflection shows, his journey began not with ambition but with a quiet love for drawing. Over time, this daily habit became a body of work that speaks deeply to readers and viewers across the world.

His drawings express a belief in personal freedom, a critical stance toward power, and a deep respect for the diligence and resilience of everyday people. These values reflect his personal background—his family’s history interwoven with modern European upheavals, and his identity as a Jew—which have left a lasting mark on his artistic vision.
Enemy, a powerful satire on the absurdity of war; I Wait…, a delicate meditation on waiting; and One Day, I Found a Line, a quiet reflection on the artist’s life—are among the clearest examples.

These values converge in the four themes that shape this exhibition: freedom, humor, courage, and solidarity.
For Bloch, freedom means the ability to focus deeply on what one loves.
Courage is not about dramatic confrontation, but about quiet, consistent acts of integrity—doing what is right when no one is watching.
Solidarity, to him, is not a coordinated movement, but a quiet connection formed between people who live differently, yet choose to stay near.
And humor—his most constant tool—delivers insight with lightness, never weighed down by solemnity.

This exhibition brings together the full breadth of Bloch’s creative practice: picture book illustrations, editorial art, animation, painting, sculpture, installation, ceramics, and collaborations with Korean artists. Highlights include his latest painting series, works inspired by the traditional Korean moon jar, and a live painting performance created during his visit to Seoul. Together, they reflect an artist who continues to expand the boundaries between illustration and contemporary art.

Serge Bloch does not try to appear grand, nor does he speak as if from a pedestal.
Instead, through vivid lines and agile imagination, he quietly asks:
What are you immersed in these days?
What makes you smile—not out of habit, but for real?
When did you last act with quiet courage?
And who is walking alongside you—are you making space for difference, or turning away from it?

Serge Bloch: The Great Journey of a Small Line invites us to stand with these questions—
and to smile, feel, and reflect, together.