Benoît Blary is an author-illustrator and cartoonist from the Reims region. At the crossroads of comics and urban illustration, he develops a body of work deeply rooted in reality, focused on the observation of daily life, architecture and scenes of life that shape a city.
Installé à Reims, il s’inscrit dans une tradition d’artistes qui font du territoire non seulement un décor, mais une véritable matière d’inspiration. Armé de ses carnets et de ses pinceaux, il parcourt les rues, s’arrête sur une place, dans un café ou au pied d’un monument, pour en capter l’atmosphère et l’âme.
Drawn to drawing from a young age, Benoît Blary developed an instinctive and direct approach to creation. Where some favor the studio, he prefers the outdoors. He sketches from life.
His work resembles that of a graphic chronicler. He captures the moment, the detail, the shadow cast on a building facade, the movement of a sidewalk, the silhouette of a passerby. This regular practice of sketching “on location” has given rise to a series of sketchbooks and illustrations that constitute a visual record of the Reims region and its transformations.
Over time, his world has expanded to include other places, other atmospheres,
but his approach remains the same: to observe, to feel, to translate reality.
Alongside his personal work, he is also involved in local cultural projects, participating in meetings, workshops, and artistic events, thus actively contributing to the cultural life of the region.
Benoît Blary’s work takes many forms:
– Urban sketchbooks focusing on Reims and other cities
– Illustrations highlighting architectural heritage and daily life
– Contributions to collaborative projects and independent publishing
– Original creations inspired by local events, landscapes, and street scenes
Approach and style
What characterizes Benoît Blary’s work above all is its sincerity. He doesn’t seek to idealize the city, but to reveal its raw, understated, sometimes imperfect, always human beauty.
His approach is akin to a work of memory: each drawing becomes a fragment of history, a visual testimony of a place at a given moment. Through his sketchbooks, he documents the passage of time, urban transformations, but also the enduring nature of certain atmospheres.
An artist rooted in his territory
His work contributes to showcasing the city, its neighborhoods, and its inhabitants, while offering a personal and poetic perspective on urban space.
A discreet yet committed artist, he is one of those essential creators who forge a strong link between art and the land. Through his drawings, he reveals Reims in a new light, from a human perspective, with sensitivity and precision.
