Collage and colour

Robert Detheux (1932-2010) was a Belgian graphic designer and poster artist who worked in film and theatre promotion from the 1960s through to the 1980s. During that period he produced a small collection of posters for films released in Belgium and to accompany an extensive series for plays mounted by the Théâtre du Jardin Botanique company of Bruxelles / Brussels. The following is a brief listing of some of those works. Little is known of Detheux outside of his homeland, however a collage from 1961 indicates an interest in, and debt to, the Dada and Surrealist movements of the early twentieth century. Dada is, in part, famous for its use and development of collage and photomontage.

Robert Detheux, Apres vous cherie amie, 1961.

Dada and Surrealism were most influential in Europe, including Eastern Bloc countries such as Poland and Czechkoslavakia. During the post World War II years it gave rise to a quirkiness in graphic design not often seen in the West. Movie posters, book covers and avant garde theatre productions and promotional materials were peppered with images and elements which in many instances had little direct connection with the content they were promoting, but instead sought to make a statement which required consideration and though on behalf of the audience / viewer / reader. Polish posters excelled at this from 1947 through to the late 1980s, supported by a government agency which utilised the skills of local artists and largely gave them free rein artistically, within certain political constraints. Likewise in Belgium, though not to the same degree as in Poland.

For example, Detheux's 1961 collage piece Apres vous cherie amie was a precursor to the movie poster he produced in 1964 for the Belgian release of the British science fiction horror film Village of the Damned. That work (described in detail below) features a surreal Giorgio de Chirico collaged landscape dominated by the deep red face of one of the children possessed by an alien presence, with intense, white eye sockets. Whilst the use of the head of the child is similar to most other posters promoting the movie, the surrounding architecture and stick-figure representation of the children is decidedly unique. Detheux's later movie posters reveal an ability to work in a variety of graphic styles as needed - from the typical Hollywood poster featuring head shots of stars and photographic images from the film in question, through to cartoonish and psychedelic drawing-based or collaged works. In addition, Detheux's later theatre posters were more graphically conservative, presented in monotones and featuring large, bold text with a dominant photographic image, once again with surreal overtones.

As noted, biographical details on the artist are scarce. According to a single, identified Robert Detheux blog posting:

He studied fine arts at the Saint-Luc Institute in Brussels and taught graphic expression in advertising at the Tournai Academy until 1996. He worked as a poster designer and decorator in advertising agencies but also at the Theatre de l'Esprit Frappeur, while pursuing a career as a painter. He was successively distinguished at the Young Belgian Painting Prize in 1953, 1954 and 1971. In 1976, a series of sensual paintings on the obsessional theme of the belly and navel attracted the attention of critics. In 1985 he exhibited at Abras (Brussels) a series of dark paintings with clear calligraphy. The following year, at Botanique (Brussels), he staged the Model Girls of the Countess of Ségur in the form of collage paintings with black humor. The experience of graphic designer R. Detheux is clearly visible in his pictorial research where the line and the play of textures are ubiquitous.

Robert Detheux in his studio, circa 1970.

 Film posters

As was the case with many film poster graphic artists, it was common for a work to be produced with no prior viewing of the film in question, but only reference to a story outline, photographic stills or promotional material from other markets. This was most likely the case with Detheux. As a result, he was able to bring his artistic imagination to bear in his work.

1. Village of the Damned, 1964. Offset photolithograph. Size: 14 x 21 1/4 inches. This is the earliest identified movie poster by Detheux.

2. Seven Faces of Dr. Lao, 1964.

3. Viva Las Vegas, 1964.

4. The Loved One (Le Cher Desparce), 1965.

5. Blow Up, 1967. This poster reflects the influence of the psychedelic movement in graphic design, with bright colours - pink, orange, purple - baloon text and a homage to artists then in vogue such as Aubrey Beardsley. Within this, Detheux also includes the famous element from the film where the photographer sits astride a young woman as he takes her photograph.

Theatre Posters

1968 - le desire attrape par la queue de Pablo Picasso - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur

1970 - Le jardin aux betteraves, de Roland Dubillard - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur

1970 - La Nuit des alligators

1971 - Le Pilican, d'August Strindberg - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur.

1971 - L'Obsede, de France Roche (2)

1972 - Britannicus, de Jean Racine

1972 - Ne mets pas ton doigt la dedans !

1972 - Parie bas sinon je crie, de Leilah Assuncao (2)

1973 - Le Pedagogue, de James Saunders

1974 - Echafaudages, de Dorian Paquin

1974 - Loin de la mer loin de l'ete

1974 - Phedre, de Jean Racine

1975 - Irus, de Carlos Aquirre-Lugo

1976 - La Bavure, de Jacques Danois - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur

1976 - Detheux et ses ventres

1976 - Madame de Sade - Jardin Botanique Rotonda.

1977 - Faire-part, de Dorian Paquin (2)

1977 - Et Maintenant Monsieur Brecht: Wuelle est Votre Occupation? - Theatre du jartin botanique.

1977 10 Jours Theatre INSAS - Theatre du jartin botanique

1978 - Big Dady Dada, de Richard Olivier - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur.

1978 - Les Miroirs d'Ostende, de Paul Willems

1979 - Entretiens avec Beethoven, de Bernard Begroote

1979 - L'ephemere est eternal, de Michel Seuphor

1979 - Les Fees ont soif, de Denise Boucher

1979 - Il neigeait sur la fuite en Egypte, de Luc Monheim

1979 - Jeu d'interieur, de Jacques de Decker (2)

1979 - Orphee invisible, de Georges Thines

1980 Les Desirables - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur

1981 - Cameleon, d'apres l'oeuvre de Jean Muno - Theatre de l'esprit frappeur

1981 - Brel en 100 chansons

1981 - Le Passion seion Pier Paolo Passolini

1983 - 20eme anniversaire du Theatre de l'Esprit Frappeur

1983 - Quai des reves

1984 - Calamity Jane (2)

1984 - Le Cuisinier de Warburton

1985 - Les Alles de la nuit

1985 - Noces de sang, de Federica Garcia

1986 - Comptine, d' Yves-Febrice Lebeua

1986 - L'Equateur, de Liliane Wouters

References

Biographie - Robert Detheux a la mode [blog], 4 April 2010. Available URL: http://robert_detheux.eklablog.com/biographie-a1129146. Compiled around the time of Detheux's death.

Detheux, Robert, A l'aube des mouches [At the dawn of the flies], Maison Cauchie, Bruxelles, 1997, 157p. Copies of correspondence between Detheux and some artist friends. Illustrated by Detheux.

Robert Detherux, 79 fiches trouvées pour Robert Detheux, Archives & Museum des Litterature, 1 November 2018. Available URL: http://www.aml-cfwb.be/catalogues/general/auteurs/2260. Lists 76 artworks, publications and documents, including posters, by Detheux.

Robert Detheux, Posteritai [Poster Gallery website], New York, 1 November 2018. Available URL: https://posteritati.com/artist/413/robert-detheux.

Last updated: 1 May 2019.
Michael Organ