Sleen Marc

Marc Sleen (pseudonym of Marcel Honoré Nestor knight Neels) was a Belgian artist, born in Gentbrugge in 1922 and died in Hoeilaart in 2016. He was a comic artist, cartoonist, illustrator, caricaturist, painter and photographer. He was educated at Sint-Lucas in Ghent. In the beginning he painted landscapes, figures and animals. He is the spiritual father of the cartoon character Nero. In 1944 he made his debut as a political caricaturist. Over the years his path ran from De Nieuwe Gids, via Het Volk to De Standaard. He created comic series such as De Lustige Kapoentjes, Piet Fluwijn en Bolleke, Oktaaf Keunink, Doris Dobbel, 202 albums with the adventures of Nero, Tour de France, Groot Safari book and Op Safari met Marc Sleen. He was also known as an image safari specialist with flawless photos and captivating film reports. In 2002 he put an end to his 57-year career as a cartoonist. He was manager of the World Wildlife Fund Belgium and of the Belgian Comic Strip Center and honorary chairman of the Club of Flemish Explorators. In 1977 Marc Sleen became chairman of the committee that awards the Bronzen Adhemar, named after Nero's brilliant son, Adhemar. This prize is awarded every two years to promising young Flemish comic strip talent. In 1991 Adhemar received a life-size statue in Turnhout, the city where the prizes are invariably handed out. Sleen himself was awarded a Gouden Adhemar in 1993 for his entire career. A retrospective was held in St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent and in 2003 in Leuven in the Kadoc. He is mentioned in Two centuries of signatures of Belgian artists. (Piron)