John Howe’s art appeals to all generations, and even offers them a common gateway for exchanges on the themes that fascinate them. He often transmits a literary and poetic heritage – sometimes ancestral – through contemporary vectors acclaimed by the public.
John Howe is one of the world’s most acclaimed artists, notably for his pictorial interpretations of Tolkien’s literary works, presented in illustrated editions, on film by Peter Jackson, on TV platforms, and in board and video games.
John Howe is thus the only artist to have given visual extension to Tolkien’s work through so many vectors, both traditional and contemporary.
The inaugural exhibition at the Tour du Fantastique is dedicated to him, and features over 250 drawings and paintings on four floors, in a totally new layout and scenography.
Complemented by historical works and objects from the city’s museums, this exhibition evokes, among other things, the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien’s trip to Switzerland in describing the landscapes of his novels, notably La Tène, named after the archaeological site discovered on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel, which undoubtedly inspired Tolkien to imagine the lakeside city of Lake Town in The Hobbit.
“The notion of fantastic beings refers to creatures shaped by thousands of years of human fears and aspirations, transcending our qualities and flaws in an allegorical way. Fantastic beings are the generous hosts that allow the imagination to travel freely in these parallel worlds. It’s amazing how much we can have in common with things that don’t exist.”
John Howe
