Longaron and Friday Foster: The Unexpected Heroine

Longaron and Friday Foster: The Unexpected Heroine

From 20th March to 24th June 2024

 

Curator: 
Marc Longaron and Alex Mitrani
Price: 
Included with general and basic admission
Location: 
EducArt Space
PDF icon Leaflet (Pdf - 834 Kb)

Leaflet (Pdf - 834 Kb)

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Exhibition
 
In 1970, the Catalan Jordi Longaron (1933-2019) wrote a significant chapter in the history of comics with the creation of the weekly series "Friday Foster" for the Chicago Tribune Syndicate, with a script by Jim Lawrence. The protagonist, Friday Foster, a brave, sensual and daring African-American detective photographer, transcended the taboos of the time, becoming a disruptive character that caused controversy and rejection in certain sectors.

Friday Foster became the first African-American protagonist in a syndicated strip, proving that there was room for empowered women beyond the stereotypical female roles of the time. Fifty years later, it remains a key piece for understanding the social and cultural transformation that the blaxploitation movement brought about in a country marked by racial conflicts

Longaron, who only travelled to New York once, captured through his art a dreamy America, that of film and television, of glamour and seduction, while hiding conflicts and inequalities. The character created by Longaron with an agile and dynamic graphic style defined a new legend within the Black Power movement.

This small-format exhibition represents a continuation of the work of historical recovery and patrimonial vindication of comics as an artistic genre. Through this exhibition, the Museum continues to explore its commitment to preserving the rich history of comics, highlighting the lasting impact that characters like Friday Foster have had on popular culture.

 

 

 

Scopes
The unexpected heroine

In 1969, The Chicago Tribune Syndicate hired the draftsman Jordi Longaron (Barcelona, 1933-2019) to carry out a new weekly newspaper cartoon strip entitled Friday Foster, written by Jim Lawrence. It focused on a disruptive character, who became the first African-American protagonist of a syndicated cartoon strip in the United States. Friday Foster, a liberated woman, was a brave and daring photographer-detective who transcended the moral and political taboos of the time.

 

Longaron, who was only able to travel to New York once, evoked an idealised America with his cartoons; that of film and television, and of glamour and seduction, which still hid racial conflicts and social inequalities. The character that Longaron drew with nimble and dynamic lines defined a new Black Power myth.

 

These cartoon strips were published up until 1974, but her unexpected success launched her to the movies the following year with the actress Pam Grier as the protagonist. Longaron’s realistic but synthetic style drew on North American influences, which evolved towards an expressive virtuosity of gesture and towards visual continuity, thanks to its shot sequences and angles. Fifty years later, it represents an iconic model of the narrative and evocative capacity of comics.