Belgium’s Fondation Folon, one of the world’s first ever immersive art experiences, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025 with a worldwide series of exhibitions, a new temporary display at its home in La Hulpe, in Belgium’s Walloon Brabant, and a starring role for its founder, Jean-Michel Folon, at the Arles Festival du Dessin.
Jean-Michel Folon (1934-2005) is one of Belgium’s foremost artists. Having started life as an industrial designer he became a prolific illustrator and mastered a wide range of art forms and media, including stained glass, murals, set design, and sculpture. A specialist in watercolour and silk printing, able to produce sought-after colour fade techniques, his works were not only technically accomplished but showcase his lifelong concern for human rights through the playful use of recognisable motifs, notably the Blue Man, a hat-wearing, solitary figure, as well as a briefcase, bubbles, boats, and machines.
His work appeared in international publications such as The New Yorker and Time magazine, and he illustrated major works by Kafka, H.G. Wells and Ray Bradbury, as well as the International Declaration of Human Rights. Folon’s work was disseminated across the globe. Towards the end of his life, he sought to gather 500 pieces in one place to establish a Fondation with a charitable mission.
With authorities looking for a purpose for an old fortified farm on the Solvay Regional Estate – a 227-hectare parkland that Folon recalled fondly from childhood – the site was found. Surrounded by historic orchards and overlooking a lake, the Fondation opened in 2000.
Immersive journey of ideas and imagination
At the time, the museum’s design was unusual, seeking to immerse visitors in the “storybook” of Folon’s work through a built environment intended to convey a journey of the imagination between giant book covers. Through 15 low-lit wood-panelled rooms, 350 artworks are displayed including watercolours, posters, engravings and sculptures. Sound installations accompany the visitor from room to room.
Across a charming courtyard, a mock-up of Folon’s sculpture workshop reveals a fascinating collection of found objects turned into art, alongside a room dedicated to his cinema endeavours.
Folon’s curation of his own works remains hard to argue with two and a half decades down the line, but the Fondation is also keeping things new, with a temporary exhibition open now and until 31 August 2025. The Drawing Room features cartoonists and graphic artists that are considered his “family in spirit”, from his mentor and inspiration Saul Steinberg, to his friendly rivalries, 13 artists’ works have been brought together to show how the “comic” illustration really is the “art of ideas.”
Visiting the Fondation during its 25th anniversary
With guided visits, family-friendly tours, mixed generational and educational visits, and a workshop space, and set in stunning countryside, the Fondation makes a great day out. It even boasts refreshments and outdoor seating at the on-site Taverne de l’Homme Bleu.
Open Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (last admission at 4:00 pm), and on weekends and public holidays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (last admission at 5:00 pm), the Fondation is closed on 24, 25 and 31 December, and 1 January. Standard entry costs €12, with access to the temporary exhibition available for an additional €3.
Elsewhere, the Fondation is marking 25 years since its inception with new Folon exhibitions as far afield as Japan. As well as shows in Tokyo and Nagoya that have already taken place, Folon’s works will be welcomed at Osaka’s Abeno Harukas Museum from 5 April to 22 June, 2025. Folon’s special relationship with Japan began in the sixties, when his iconic Olivetti typewriter poster developed a fanbase there.
Meanwhile, in the south of France, the Arles Festival du Dessin will feature Folon as its tête d’affiche from 12 April to 11 May 2025, highlighting the ecological and political themes that run through his multidisciplinary œuvre.
