Jean-Claude Götting

Widely celebrated for his illustrative work, Jean-Claude Götting started his career creating comic strips for PLG, a fanzine, and Futuropolis. He was awarded the Best First Book Award at the Angoulême Festival for Crève Coeur. He recently broke new ground with La malle Sanderson. He is noted for his signature style of chalky black and white drawings. But colour is also found in
his work, as in the French covers for the Harry Potter series, or the poster for the musical Oliver Twist. Children’s books such as La cravate de Papa, collections of drawings such as Duel, or regular painting exhibits are all part of his creative output. At the same time, the best of the French press regularly publishes his works.

First memory
My father worked for an optical lab specialised in contact lenses. That didn’t change the fact that my mother wore eyeglasses. They were black and thin on the front, with large side-pieces. Only later, when rediscovering these glasses in old family photos, did I realise the importance of design.

First sensation
The Army “supplied” me with my very first pair of glasses: a social insurance-approved model, complete with flexible metal and unbreakable lenses. They were horrendous, and I was in no hurry to wear them. Later on, I bought myself a pair of “Woody Allen” glasses, that I don’t wear all that much
anymore. In fact, I got used to my slightly blurry world. And when I wear my glasses, people find them ridiculously large on me. Glasses do change a person’s face. When meeting a pretty girl, one hesitates to ask her to remove her glasses, for fear of being disappointed.

Last wish
Glasses to me are like umbrellas : they’re old-fashioned, except you wear them on the nose and ears. Sunglasses are different, and I must say I adore them.