Extended: Hugo Pratt, les chemins du rêve

“Hugo Pratt, les chemins du rêve”: extended until January the 5th

The complexity and richness of Pratt’s work are largely due to a subtle and indeterminate interweaving of real adventures which are rooted in history.

Pratt’s universe is inspired by fables, stories and legends, all rooted in mythological tradition. In this latent fantasy which characterises all the Corto Maltese adventures, Pratt repeatedly exploits dreams as a narrative device. His characters frequently fall asleep, plunge, literally fall into a dream which opens up a both fascinating and playful meta-reality. A world in which crows and cats speak, where there are two moons, where time ceases to exist and which is peopled by fairies and knights.

No exhibition of Hugo Pratt’s work has ever focused on the theme of dreams. So “Hugo Pratt, les chemins du rêve” (The tracks of dreams) is breaking new ground. An invitation to experience the labyrinthine and unfathomable geography of Pratt’s dreams, this exhibition uses a careful and rigorous selection of around sixty original watercolours and plates to subtly highlight this basic element which underpins all his oeuvre.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: nature, time and characters. It features mirror effects, in shadow and light, in closed cabinets, creating subtle echoes of the world of Hugo Pratt’s comic strips. This universe is ubiquitous. Through snippets from his interviews, he tells us about his vision of dreams, his dream- and myth-filled reality and his writing and artistic processes.