Jean-Claude TERRASSE
(1962-1982)

Jean-Claude was a very talented sketcher. As a child, he learnt all about the basic technique, reproducing as many subjects as he could, including comics and cartoon characters.

We ended in the same class at the Lycée Henri IV in Paris in 1975, when we were in our early teens. Jean-Claude was already developing a more adult style, influenced by French comics artist Marcel Gotlib (cf. his exhilarating Rubrique-à-brac).

This could be called his caricature and comics period. He enjoyed drawing funny characters with a lot of small details, caricaturing teachers, French politicians or other famous persons.

We became close friends. We practised sports, mainly football - often with our friend Dinh Le Van.

We also enjoyed music a lot and this was the time we discovered pop music, at our first parties. These years were the turning-point between glittering-rock and the punk and new-wave era. At the end of the 1970's, we were involved with local bands such as the excellent Micropiles.

Jean-Claude had gained more freedom and he was reproducing records sleeves, creating posters for concerts or drawings for our school papers and fanzines. This was his pop music period.

At the very beginning of the 1980's, his style gained even more creativity and freedom. It was a special joy watching him create a work out of a blank page, trying to guess what was going to appear!

We also kept on listening to music, taking walks or even cycling together sometimes.

Jean-Claude had then reached a true maturity, drawing varied subjects in different styles.

After Jean-Claude failed to enter Paris best art-school, he experienced serious health problems and his style radically changed.

In this last period, his work became tormented, some drawings being very gloomy, some others being filled with the grimest humour. He also spent a lot of time drawing eyes or hands.

On our last meeting in early August 1982, we watched the film "Pink Floyd - The Wall", and Jean-Claude and I were greatly impressed.