Jean-Michel Folon

Jean-Michel Folon was born in 1934 and passed away in 2005. He was a Belgian painter and draftsman. He left Brussels in 1995 and moved to Paris after giving up on his architecture studies. He drew energetically for five years on a daily basis. The artist produced eclectic creations: watercolors, engravings, theater decors, illustrator of books for Kafka, Borges, Vian, Prévert…

"I simply tried to set my own dreams with the hope that others will join in along with theirs', claims Jean-Michel Folon.

He has illustrated several books and magazines in New York: Horizon, Esquire and The New Yorker. His first exhibition took place at the library " Le Palimugre " in Paris in 1964. Five years later, he was able to exhibit in New York and Japan in 1970. In 1975, he made history in television, by creating the ending credits of the program on channel 2. In 1990, he was extremely successful when he exhibited his watercolors and engravings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 2000, he opened the Folon foundation near Brussels. In 2004, he became the ambassador at UNICEF. A protean artist, he created the decor for "La Bohème", "Puccini", but also open air operas.