'Le Chat'.
Philippe Geluck is a Belgian newspaper cartoonist and comic artist, who also enjoys fame in Wallonia and France as a radio and TV comedian. He is best known for his long-running comic strip, 'Le Chat' (1983-2013), which appeared in Le Soir for over thirty years. The newspaper strip was renowned for its verbal comedy, clever satire and absurd monologues. It became both a critical and commercial success, reaching levels of a mania even, although mostly in the francophone world. Geluck is additionally known for his ironic deconstructions of 19th-century illustrations and as the scriptwriter of 'Les Aventures de Scott Leblanc' (2009-2016) by Devig. By being present in many different media, Geluck is one of the most recognizable comic artists among general audiences in Wallony.
'Le Chat'. Translation: "I believe it's a bit offensive to wolves to say: "Humans are a wolf to mankind." It seems better to say: "Humans are human to mankind." But that's a low blow to mankind." (A pun on "vache" ["cow"] and "vachement" ["vile", "abject"],)
Early life and career
Philippe Geluck was born in 1954 in Brussels as the son of the former cartoonist Didier Geluck (better known as "Diluck"), who was also active as a distributor of Eastern European films and a member of the Belgian Communist Party. Philippe's mother was a singer and actress in amateur theater, from whom he enherited the desire to entertain people on stage. His older brother Jean-Christophe (b. 1947) later became a painter and graphic artist. Among Philippe Geluck's graphic influences are Saul Steinberg, Chaval, Folon, Jean Bosc, Jean-Jacques Sempé, Siné, Roland Topor, Ronald Searle, Pierre Kroll, Pierre Soulages, Gary Larson, Bob de Moor, Pablo Picasso, César and Tomi Ungerer.
At age 14, his first illustrations appeared in Azimut, a brochure distributed by the Renault corporation. When Geluck was 18, he and his brother scribbled cartoons in the form of a newspaper on the walls of a public lavatory. A window cleaner noticed them, felt they were hilarious and mentioned it to his friend, comic writer Bob De Groot, who was also chief editor of the humorous magazine L'Oeuf. Soon, Geluck saw his cartoons published in L'Oeuf, followed by cartoons in Clé Pour La Musique. Between 1972 and 1975, he studied at L'Institut National Supérieur des Arts du Spectacle et des Techniques de Diffusion (INSAS), a school for theater, film, radio and television in Brussels. After graduation, Geluck became a member of the Théâtre National de Belgique and had starring roles in their theatrical plays. In 1976, he co-founded the Théâtre Hypocrite, which had a successes in both Wallonia and France with performances of works by cartoonists like Chaval and Copi.
'Le Chat'. Translation: "I have invented this clock with two dials. The first one says what time it is. The second one tells us what hour it will be within an hour."
Le Chat
As early as 1980, Philippe Geluck developed his signature character 'Le Chat' ("The Cat"), when he drew him on the cards he and his wife gave to their guests at their wedding. When Le Soir journalist Luc Honorez asked Geluck to create a daily comic, 'Le Chat' debuted in this newsaper on 22 March 1983. The main character is a chubby, tuxedo-wearing grey cat, whose facial expression never changes. Drawn in a minimalistic style, with hardly any backgrounds or other characters besides the protagonist, 'Le Chat' is a purely verbal gag comic. The cat delivers absurd monologues about daily news events and usually looks directly at the reader. This approach betrays Geluck's theatrical background and in many ways, 'Le Chat' was indeed a paper-and-ink stand-up comedy show. From 1985 on, 'Le Chat' was printed in color. Geluck's assistant Françoise Procureur hand-colored each gag in water paint until 1990, after which Serge Dehaes digitally colored each episode. Geluck and Dehaes also created a junior spin-off about Le Chat's son, 'Le Fils du Chat' (1998).
'Le Chat' quickly caught on with readers. In October 1986, the publishing house Casterman released the first of many compilation books. For three decades, the comic strip remained a mainstay in Le Soir's pages, and the character was also used to advertize the paper, serving as a mascot. To celebrate Le Chat's 20th anniversary in 2003, Geluck illustrated an entire issue of Le Soir by himself. This special edition received publicity and homages by fellow artists like Siné, François Schuiten, Loustal, Goffin, Fred, Tardi and even Moebius. On 3 March 2013, after 30 years continuous publication, 'Le Chat' came to an end.
'Le Chat'. Translation: "I've written down with precision the amount of times I've written a little line on the wall and there's still a lot of work."
'Le Chat' wasn't just a popular item in Le Soir, as the character also became a daily fixture in other French-language papers and magazines, such as Sud-Ouest, Ouest-France, Pour Vous, Info Matin, Siné-Hebdo, Siné-Mensuel and À Suivre. The comic strip was praised by cartoonist Siné, semiologist Pierre Fresnault-Deruelle, and novelist Frédéric Dard of the 'San Antonio' series, who named Geluck "a genius". Le Chat soon reached the status of a cultural phenomenon. Le Chat could also be enjoyed in animated form during the one-minute 3D-cartoon segment 'La Minute du Chat' (2011), broadcast every week day on RTBF and France 2. His voice was provided by comedian Jean-Yves Lafesse. Le Chat was also used to advertize the Belgian chocolate brands Galler (1994-2018) and Dolfin (since 2020).
'Le Chat'. Translation: "My God! Poor being!" - "I'll warn the operational block."
However, despite his impressive popularity, 'Le Chat' mostly remained a French-language phenomenon. Attempts have been made to translate the series into Dutch ('De Kat'), English ('The Cat'), Spanish ('El Gato'), Italian ('Il Gatto') and even Persian, but nowhere else has it achieved such unanimous critical and commercial success. Even across the Belgian language border, in the Dutch-language region Flanders, where 'Le Chat' was published in De Standaard as 'De Kat', he never caught on. Together with Jef Nys' series 'Jommeke', it is perhaps the best example of the differences between both language communities in Belgian comics culture. While 'Jommeke' is a cultural phenomenon and colossal bestseller in Flanders, it has remained obscure in Wallonia, just like the success of 'Le Chat' has been restricted to French-language readers. The gap in appreciation became even more clear when in 2005 the "Greatest Belgian" election was held. While Geluck wasn't even nominated in the Flemish version of the contest, he was at the 22nd spot in the Walloon version. Only two other comic artists scored higher, namely André Franquin at number 18 and Hergé at number 8. A logical explanation why 'Le Chat' didn't find success in translation might be its reliance on verbal comedy and puns.
Geluck homage to Siné, where Le Chat says that he has given Siné everything.
Other comics
While Philippe Geluck is best known for 'Le Chat', he has also made other kinds of comics. Some of his cartoons published in Le Soir are reproductions of old-fashioned 19th-century illustrations, to which he added ironic captions. The contrast between the deadly serious, static imagery and Geluck's witty commentary was a golden idea, which since then has been copied by many other cartoonists. Though Geluck wasn't the first to come up with this idea: the Canadian-American comedian Art Finley did it first between 1962 and 1981 with a daily gag cartoon series named 'Art's Gallery'. Geluck also collaborated on a children's game book, 'Jouez Avec Quick et Flupke' (1984), starring Hergé's Brussels brats. At Casterman, he was also the author of his own 'Encyclopédie Universelle', a mock encyclopedia which features palimpsests and fairy-tale animals. Four volumes have been published: 'Un Peu de Tout' (1992), 'Made in Belgium' (1994), 'Le Petit Roger' (1998) and 'Made in Belgium II' (2007). In 2002, Geluck became editor of the Casterman collection C'est Pour Offrir, which reprinted work by his idol Siné, whose cats were a big inspiration for 'Le Chat'. He also became a cartoonist in Siné's own magazine, Siné Hebdo (2008-2010). In addition, Geluck has written scripts for the comic series 'Les Aventures de Scott Leblanc' (Casterman, 2009-2016), a spoof of classic Belgian comics like Hergé's 'Tintin' and Edgar P. Jacobs' 'Blake et Mortimer', drawn by Devig in a Clear Line style.
Controversy
Once Geluck drew a gag about motor accidents, which was refused publishment in Le Soir because it happened to coincide with a special issue about motor companies. The paper also didn't see the comedy in a cartoon about a Siamese twin unable to urinate because their penises were attached to each other. Geluck even managed to create a cartoon which was refused by none other than his infamous taboo-breaking mentor Siné. It depicted the vaginas of French politicians Martin Aubry and Ségolène Royal, in a parody of Eve Ensler's play 'The Vagina Monologues'. Another joke by Geluck outraged the Flemish Christian democratic politician Eric Van Rompuy, because it suggested that the Belgian coast ought to be divided in a Flemish and a Walloon part. Le Soir brought the two men together to sort the discussion out. Yet it soon became clear that Van Rompuy simply took everything too serious. Even when Geluck hinted that he would give the Flemings the beach at high tide and the Walloons at low tide, Van Rompuy still didn't understand his opponent was joking and got more angry. Later it turned out the politician had no idea who Philippe Geluck was and assumed he was some kind of political activist.
Cartoon featuring two athletes performing savate, but the dialogue spoofs a doctor talking to his patient and checking "where it hurts?"
Television career
Philippe Geluck has also been active in other media. Since 1977, he worked for various productions of the Walloon public channel RTBF. He starred as the clown Célestin Radis in the TV show '1, 2, 3... J'ai vu!' (1977) and was the co-host of the children's show 'Lollipop' (1979-1984) with motor cyclist Joël Smets and a marionet named Malvira (operated by Patrick Chaboud). The program had an absurd nature and featured Geluck in several comedic sketches, intercut with cartoons as well as clips from Roland Topor and Henri Xhonneux's cult children's show 'Téléchat'. Labor-Nathan also published children's books based on this program, with contributions by Geluck.
Geluck additionally played a presenter in a 1989 episode of the TV series 'Le Bonheur d'en Face' and contributed to programs like 'L'Espirit de Famille' (1982). His one-man show 'Un Certain Plume' (1983) was a runaway success and his breakthrough with the general public. Yet it still didn't hold a candle to the praise 'Un Peu De Tout' (1991) received, which won the Golden Rose of Montreux for "Best Comedy Show". During the 2000s, the humorist was a regular guest on the talk show 'Vivement Dimanche Prochain' (1998- ) and the variety show 'On A Tout Essayé' (2000-2007). In 2009, Philippe Geluck and Jacques Mercier presented a 90-second TV show called 'Monsieur Dictionnaire'. In each episode, they looked up the etymology of a French word in the dictionary and fantasized a funnier explanation than the actual origin or meaning.
'Le Chat'. Translation: "Hello? Hello? Is this room 12?" - "Eh, no, this is nr. 14."
Radio career
An all-round entertainer, Geluck's wit could also be enjoyed on the radio. He was a mainstay on 'Le Jeu des Dictionnaires' (1989-2011), a humorous radio show broadcast on RTBF 1, where he starred alongside artists like Laurence Bibot, Juan d'Oultremont, Frédéric Jannin, Marc Moulin, Raoul Reyers, Pierre Kroll, Jean-Jacques Jespers, Miam Monster Miam, Gilles Dal and Thomas Gunzig. Every Saturday morning between 9 and 10 AM, the show had a special broadcast named 'La Semaine Infernale', which featured satirical sketches poking fun at the news events of that week. One of these sketches was 'Le Docteur G.', in which Geluck pretended to be a doctor answering questions from patients. The radio show had such good ratings that it received a TV spin-off. Geluck was a frequent guest on 'On Va S'Gêner' (1999-2014) on Europe 1 and since 2014 on 'Les Grosses Têtes' on RTL.
Cartoon by Philippe Geluck.
Film career
Geluck has acted in a few films, for instnace the comedy TV films 'Le Scoop' (1977) and 'Trois Jeunes Filles Nues' (2006). He played Dragueur in Walter Bal's theatrical film 'Bobo Jacco' (1979) and the title character Jackson in the TV movie 'Jackson et le Mnémocide' (1980) by Jean-Louis Colmant (script by Jean Van Hamme). Geluck also played parts in films by the internationally praised Belgian director André Delvaux, namely the arrested man in 'Femme Entre Chien et Loup / Een Vrouw Tussen Hond en Wolf' (1979) and the father in 'Benvenuta' (1983).
Literary career
Geluck published various humorous books, such as 'Oh Toi Le Belge, Ta Gueule!' (2006), 'Geluck Se Lâche' (2009) and 'Geluck Enfonce Le Clou' (2011). In 2013, Geluck published the book 'Peut-on Rire de Tout?', a funny plea for complete freedom of speech to ridicule everybody and everything. He enjoyed this liberty very much and only a few of his cartoons were ever the subject of controversy.
Graphic and written contributions
Philippe Geluck illustrated Joël Smets' humor books 'Si Tous Les Souliers...' and 'Aussitôt Dits, Aussitôt Vrais' (both published by Labor, 1984). He wrote the foreword to Jean-Jacques Thibaud and Jak's 'J'ai des Pensées Pour Vois' (Grrr... Art Éditions, 2003). He additionally made a graphic contribution to Alejandro Jodorowsky's collective comic book 'Silence, On Rêve' (Casterman, 1991) and the anti-racism comic anthology 'Rire Contre Le Racisme' (Jungle!, 2006). In October 2017, he was one of many artists paying tribute to Ever Meulen during the 'Ever Meulen & Friends' exhibition in Brussels. He was additionally one of several comic artists who illustrated '1001 Visions du Sexe' (Graph Zeppelin, 2014) and short stories about autism by Albert Algoud for the album 'Les Coeurs Simples' (Casterman, 2017). Geluck also wrote a short comic for 'Spirou Defenseur Des Droits de l'Homme' (Dupuis, 2019).
Recognition
Philippe Geluck's comedy show 'Un Peu de Tout' won a 1991 Golden Rose at the Festival of Montreux. He was honored as Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres on 27 October 2003. King Albert II of Belgium named him Commander in the Order of the Crown on 7 August 2009. Since 2005, Geluck is also a member of the Académie Alphonse-Allais.
On 6 February 2009 the album 'Une Vie de Chat' won the cultural award Globes de Crystal ("Crystal Globe") for Best Comic Book. In 2013, Philippe Geluck won a Grand Prix Saint-Michel for 'Le Chat'. Geluck received a special Prix Diagonale (2017) in Louvain-La-Neuve to celebrate the organization's 10th anniversary.
Geluck's art has been exhibited in London, Paris, Milan, Copenhagen and Dallas. In 2003, Le Chat was the subject of an exhibition at the École National Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Between April and June 2020, twenty giant statues of Le Chat were on display on the Avenue Champs-Elysées in Paris.
Legacy and influence
In August 1993, Le Chat received his own comic book mural in the Boulevard du Midi/Centrale Boulevard in Brussels, as part of the the city's Comic Book Route, followed on 27 September 2014 by another mural, located at the Boulevard Général/Generaal Jacques Boulevard. On 11 October 2008, Le Chat received his own statue in the Belgian village of Hotton in the province of Luxembourg. On 29 April 2009, a school in Herseaux, Hainaut, was named after the artist. Since 27 September 2014, a series of 24 large mural frescos with Le Chat can be seen at the Quartier de la Chasse in Etterbeek. They feature a series of humorous gags and panels, often relating to Belgium or the European Union. Some speech balloons are in French, others in Dutch. To help out tourists, translations can be read under each image. On 28 October 2021, vandals attached new speech balloons to one particular fresco, which insinuated that Le Chat "died from COVID-19". Althought the local mayor announced that the fresco would be restored within the week, Geluck didn't really mind and felt it was a "respectful and powerful message from activists", which could be easily removed nevertheless.
Since 2006, Geluck and Le Chat also have an asteroid named after them. Plans have been announced to build a museum around Le Chat, which was to be opened in the Rue Royale/Koningsstraat in Brussels, not far from the Royal Place. However, in 2021 a number of people from the art world organized a petition against the museum. They claimed the money would be better off spent on a modern art museum, rather than the creator of a minimalistic comic strip. This has left the plans of a 'Le Chat' museum unsure for the future.
Philippe Geluck's son Antoine has enjoyed fame as a singer, recording under the pseudonym "Antoine Chance", using the French translation of the Dutch word "geluk" (meaning "luck"). Philippe Geluck has received admiration from veteran artist Patrice Ricord.
Self-portrait. Translation: "It's about time that I try in vain to make people understand why I don't make drawings about current events. Which is why I've decided to make a couple so I no longer have to explain why I didn't."
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