Fabien Karp, a French painter and sculptor who also designs zines, and Sophie Nicklas, a German comic artist and illustrator, met in Belgium and founded in 2024 the project ‘la larp et le lapin’ there.
The name alludes to the French expression ‘entre la carpe et le lapin’, which symbolises the bringing together of two worlds that at first glance do not seem to fit together. Fabien and Sophie aim to build precisely this bridge: they want to bring the often separate worlds of fine art and comics into an equal dialogue.
In their joint works, they express critical views on the social and institutional evaluation of art forms. They experiment with the boundaries and possibilities of the medium of the book, as well as with the positioning of artistic work in the field of tension between autonomous art and narrative illustration.
Fabien Karp is a french visual artist based in Brussels. His work explores the boundaries of painting and sculpture through bold experimentation with materials and textures. Driven by a constant process of reaction and transformation, he engages with the tension between thought and matter. Beyond painting, his practice spans performance, sound, and publishing, always with a focus on strong visual impact and the sensory experience of the viewer. Fabein studied at L’École nationale supérieure d’art et de design de Nancy, France and at L’École nationale supérieure des arts visuels La Cambre, Belgium.
Sophie Nicklas is an interdisciplinary artist, illustrator and comic artist whose work spans contemporary drawing, experimental comics and mixed-media storytelling. She explores new ways of combining traditional techniques with modern approaches and transcending the boundaries between different forms of visual communication. Her work often reflects feminist themes, cultural narratives and interpersonal relationships, connecting different artistic practices across countries and disciplines.
Sophie studied at the Kunsthochschule Kassel, Germany, and at the Luca School of Arts Brussels, Belgium.
Both artists have collaborated on several occasions, including at the ArTown Festival in Romania, where they created a wall design together, and at VROOM Space in Brussels, where they led the workshop ‘From Paper to Theatre’ – an experimental puppet theatre format that combines artistic narrative forms with performative means on stage.
Exhibits within: Showcase – Collectives
