Homage to Aline Kominsky-Crumb
1st May to 21st November 2023
Galerie Vidourle Prix, Sauve (30)
4 rue des Bourgades
+33 (0) 4 66 88 76 33
galerievidourleprix.com
I’m deeply honored to be part of a group exhibition paying tribute to Aline Kominsky-Crumb (1948–2022), hosted by Galerie Vidourle Prix in Sauve, France. Aline was a pioneering figure in underground and feminist comics — known for her raw, confessional style and fiercely personal storytelling — as well as the wife and creative partner of Robert Crumb. She passed away in 2022 after a brief illness.
The exhibition features a retrospective of Aline’s original artwork, alongside tributes by over 20 invited artists, including Robert Crumb and their daughter, Sophie Crumb. I’m grateful to have two pieces included in this moving celebration of her life and legacy.
Exhibition Dates: May 1 – November 21, 2023
My first piece portrays Aline as a radiant, colorful presence — her energy spreading from the gallery outward into her beloved village of Sauve, and beyond into the wider world. The drawing, created with dip pen, ink, and watercolor, is a tribute to the warmth and creative force she represented to those who knew her.
The second illustration is more autobiographical. It depicts my last encounter with Aline at Galerie Vidourle, where she proudly wore a dress printed with abortion-themed comic strips she had created in collaboration with her daughter, Sophie. It’s a visual snapshot of a moment that has stayed with me — joyful, bold, and deeply authentic, like Aline herself.
I created both pieces using traditional methods — dip pen, waterproof ink, and watercolor on paper — a process that reconnects me with the way I used to draw before digital tools. Like many, I was heavily influenced by the greats: Searle, Sempé, the MAD magazine legends like Elder and Davis… and of course, Robert Crumb.
My work for this exhibition draws on personal memories — chance meetings with Aline at the market, brief chats around town, shared laughter. It’s these unscripted moments that I wanted to honor in my tribute, more than any stylistic homage.
It’s a privilege to stand among the artists in this collective homage. I hope visitors to the gallery can appreciate not only the breadth of Aline’s work but also the deeply personal ways she touched so many of us — both on and off the page.
Ian David Marsden
April 2023
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