Margaux Portron
Margaux Portron is a French artist living and working in London. She writes graphic novels and short stories, and works as Digital Learning Producer at the National Gallery in London. Before that she worked for Art Night, London’s largest contemporary art festival, as Outreach and Participation Manager, and for Artraker, a not-for-profit organisation supporting artists living and/or working in conflict zones. In 2017 she obtained a European Doctorate in Political Philosophy at the University of Paris 8. Her thesis researched drone warfare and its impact on contemporary republics. As part of her research she held fellowships at UC Berkeley (2016), Queen Mary, University of London (2015), and Auckland University (2014).
“I write and draw comics. After studying fine arts for my A-levels, I stopped drawing nearly entirely. I spent these years collecting photos, stories, maps and documents. When I became a mother I decided to tell these stories I had been entrusted with. Using sepia and kraft paper, brown and white pencil, white and turquoise gouache, I try to recreate the feel of vintage photographs, found letters and archival documents, whether I am writing fiction or non-fiction. I am particularly interested in the domesticity of motherhood and marriage, and that’s why hands feature heavily in my drawings: sewing, podding peas, fighting in a boxing game, smoking or gesturing while singing.”
