Winner: Léonie Bischoff
What the jury said: Over the years, Léonie Bischoff (born in 1981) has shown a welcome willingness in her creative process and in her graphic and narrative approach to address complex subjects (the place of women in the world of art and culture, the recognition of graphic authors, respect for minorities, etc.).
Her work in comics, which began in the early 2010s, includes several titles. She has contributed to adaptations of Camilla Läckberg's novels, based on scripts by Jean-Louis Bocquet: Le prédicateur (2015), La princesse des glaces (2014), Le tailleur de pierre (2018) and Fjällbacka (2021).
In 2020, Bischoff attracted acclaim for her solo work, Anaïs Nin, sur la Mer des Mensonges (Casterman). The book was a great success, was reprinted in large format in 2022 and was published as a ‘graphic novel’ for wider distribution in 2023.
In 2022, Bischoff wrote La Longue Marche des Dindes, adapted from Kathleen Karr's novel The Great Turkey Walk (rue de Sèvres). This book has enabled Léonie Bischoff to interact with young audiences as part of school programmes and was shortlisted in the ‘La Petite Fureur de Lire’ competition which promotes reading.
The Wallonia-Brussels Federation jury also wished to pay tribute to Léonie Bischoff's involvement in participatory artistic initiatives.
She is a very active member of Atelier Mille, a workshop founded in 2011 that brings together comic book authors. By pooling their resources within a workshop, they can emulate each other and share their experience, which is invaluable in the publishing world. The workshop regularly opens its doors to visitors and welcomes authors on work placements or in residence, providing an opportunity to exchange ideas and support projects.
Bischoff also devotes a great deal of energy to collective fanzine and micro-publishing projects. She also campaigns for gender equality in the arts, and in comics more specifically (she is a member of the Collective of Female Comics Creators Against Sexism).
Bischoff's initiatives and personal investments also deserve greater visibility through this prize.
With this prize, the jury wishes to recognise the solidity of Léonie Bischoff's artistic approach and encourage her to pursue it.
Subject: The Wallonia-Brussels Federation Atomium Prize is awarded to an author or group of authors working in Brussels and Wallonia who have already produced an original and innovative graphic work and who intend to continue doing so. The prize may be awarded for a recent work or for an author's oeuvre. Since its inception, the prize has been awarded based on strict gender parity, with the winners alternating every year. The prize is decided by the Minister of Culture, on the recommendation of a jury made up of specialists from the ‘Commission des Écritures et du Livre’ cultural advisory body. No application is required. The Atomium prize is also one of the ‘Espiègles’ literary awards presented annually by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Prize: €10,000 in cash.
Partners: Ms Elisabeth DEGRYSE, Minister-President of the Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation responsible for Budget, Higher Education, Culture, International and Intra-Francophone Relations.
More information: bandedessinee.cfwb.be
