Swiss Review 2/2019

Swiss Review / March 2019 / No.2 10 Culture STÉPHANE HERZOG In November 2018, a small group rep- resenting graphic novels in Switzer- landmet with the Director of the Fed- eral Office of Culture (FOC). The aim of the visit was to convince the federal authorities to acknowledge comic art (or “the ninth art” as it is known in French) as a distinct discipline, with the creation of a Swiss prize for graphic novels and a national grant. It was hoped this development would feature in the 2019 Culture Dispatch published every four years by the FOC. Unfortunately, the team sent by Swit- zerland’s comic network came away empty handed: “The CultureDispatch will mention graphic novels, but that’s all. We’re disappointed because we had hoped to see a real sign of recog- nition for this art form,” admits Jana Jakoubek, artistic director of the Fu- metto festival in Lucerne. “I just hope that when graphic novels finally begin receiving funding like theatre produc- tions, therewill still be some left to see it,” quips Zep, ironically. The creator of “Titeuf” has sold almost 20million albums around the world. He strug- gles to understand the Swiss authori- ties’ reticence, particularly given that “comic book museums from Korea to the USA name Rodolphe Töpffer from Geneva as the very creator of the genre”. Switzerland opens first comic art school Co-founder of the first Ecole supéri­ eure de bandes dessinées (higher in- stitute for graphic novels) in Switzer- land, launched in Geneva in 2017, artist TomTirabosco is fighting for the creation of a Swiss centre for graphic Comic art: Swiss-born, but snubbed by the state Switzerland boasts an exceptionally vibrant and diverse range of graphic novels. However, this storytelling art, created by Genevan Rodolphe Töpffer in the 19 th century, is yet to be granted official recognition. Scene from “Femme sauvage” by Tom Tirabosco. The work will be published by Futuropolis in 2019. Title page of the 15 th volume of the series “Titeuf” by Zep, published in 2017. “Monsieur Jabot”, the first work by Rodolphe Töpffer published in 1833.