I am a multidisciplinary artist. I met Jann Halexander at the ufology meals in Paris through Emmanuel Leriche, who knew that Jann was looking for a painter or graphic artist to design the poster for his exhibition ‘UFOs in Africa’.

I was immediately enthusiastic about joining the project, as it involved combining three of my favourite interests: illustration, Africa and UFOs.

In addition to a single poster, we agreed to add other works to flesh out both the artistic and the informative and educational aspects (the exhibition already offered a wealth of documentation in the form of texts, audio and video content). The overall structure of the exhibition adds a certain depth thanks to the range of media on offer and the plurality of ‘epi-themes’ revolving around the subject of UAP on this vast continent. The conference and guided tours make up the dynamic and interactive part of the exhibition.

The paintings that I have chosen to create for this touring event are divided into 3 sections:

– A general and free evocation that brings together key elements commonly found in testimonies (luminous spheres, villagers fleeing brutal attacks, etc.).

– The emblematic event at the Ariel school in Zimbabwe.

– A cross-disciplinary approach to the phenomenon, evoking mysterious beings, entities of nature and other flickering lights which, even if they cannot necessarily be linked to the UAPs, still intrigue, surprise and astound generations and question us about the place of the High Strangeness and its complex intricacies, both above and below, on land and in the water.

In the work I have proposed, childhood is largely represented.

It’s a personal choice that echoes my own experience of observation at a fairly early stage in my life (1990) and because my graphic style is somewhere between Naïve Art and Art Singulier, giving a certain coherence through a mirror effect in the reading of the stories told by the children who witnessed it. What’s more, I found it interesting to bring this candid touch, a kind of ‘graphic politeness’, to a serious subject, with the sometimes dramatic stories that punctuate the history of UFOs in Africa. I’m very honoured to be taking part in this adventure, which enriches itself from date to date and enriches me too, both humanly and culturally.

Thanks to Jann Halexander for his confidence.

Marie-Angélique Thuillier