Travel Book Brussels by Ever Meulen

Born in the little West Flanders village of Kuurne in 1946, the young Eddy Vermeulen loved watching the American cars of the 1950’s that were headed for the seashore. Fascinated by every aspect of their regal bearing, he sketched them to better hold them in his imagination. The artist studied drawing at the Ecole Supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc, where he drew from morning until night. Meulen’s illustrations have garnered international attention and acclaim, from covers for magazines including The New Yorker and Libération to being recognized with the prestigious Henry van de Velde Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.  

For his Louis Vuitton Travel Book assignment in Brussels, Meulen depicts the city in all its helter-skelter glory, tying together city and nature, marrying the Gothic and the baroque, architectural jewels and eyesores.

Meulen captures the city with absolute attention to detail and without fanfare. The artist upends clichés as well as perspectives, plays with scale, “unwittingly” inventing odd angles and improbable base lines, piling up contexts and images within the image. Discreetly he slips in strange and unusual things: a silhouette on the verge of the abyss, a faceless figure, or rain-filled cloud.

“It’s a Travel Book created at home. This stationary journey was a very joyful experience for me.” – Ever Meulen

The Louis Vuitton Travel Book series sends renowned artists and promising young talents from around the world to destinations previously unknown to them.  Through whatever form of expression they choose, and whether exploring remote wildernesses or cities that never sleep, each artist confronts an unfamiliar place sharpened by the surprise of the unknown or stimulated by the pleasure of rediscovery.