Jacques Tilly
Jacques Tilly in 2010
Born (1963-06-27) 27 June 1963 (age 60)
Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
(now Germany)
Alma materUniversity of Duisburg-Essen
SpouseRicarda Hinz[1]

Jacques Tilly (born 27 June 1963) is a German sculptor and illustrator, known for his politically satirical sculptures that adorn floats in protests and parades,[2][3][4] and is considered the premier carnival float designer in Germany.[5]

Early life

Jacques Tilly was born in 1963 in Düsseldorf, and attended the Comenius-Gymnasium high school.[6] He studied graphic design at the University of Duisburg-Essen, graduating in 1994.[7]

Tilly is an atheist,[8] and a humanist, and is an advisory member of the Giordano Bruno Foundation.[7]

Artistic career

Jacques Tilly's sculpture of the Three wise monkeys one year after the 2021 flood in Germany in the Ahr Valley.

Tilly is known for his papier-mâché sculptures that are featured on parade floats,[3][9] most notably those in Rosenmontag, during Carnival in Düsseldorf,[10][11] for which he has made sculptures since 1983.[7] The sculptures often have overt political messaging to them, and frequently include caricatured depictions of politicians, world leaders, and religious figures, especially those on the far-right.[5][11][12] These themes gained increased attention during the late 2010s, with some of Tilly's sculptures featuring U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.[10][11][12] Other topics of note include Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] In addition to German parades and festivals, the sculptures have also appeared at protests and political events abroad, including one in front of the House of Parliament in London.[14]

Tilly is also an illustrator, and has designed official postcards, calendars, and portraits for several German cities.[5][15]

References

  1. ^ "Eheschließung in Düsseldorf: Jacques Tilly und Ricarda Hinz haben geheiratet". Rheinische Post (in German). 16 October 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Germany ekes some fun out of a quiet Carnival". Associated Press. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b Crossland, David (21 February 2020). "My mission: to make Germans funny, says Düsseldorf carnival designer". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Jacques Tilly: Wagen sind "Wundsalbe gegen Phantomschmerzen"". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Entwürfe für 27 Städte: Bonn-Postkarte von Künstler Jacques Tilly wird im Bahnhof verteilt". General-Anzeiger (in German). 21 May 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  6. ^ Das Comenius Stellt Sich Vor (PDF). Comenius-Gymnasium. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 October 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "Tilly, Jacques". Giordano Bruno Foundation (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Atheist Jacques Tilly ausnahmsweise in der Kirche – wo ihm die Leo Statz-Plakette verliehen wurde". bild.de (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  9. ^ Smale, Alison (2 February 2016). "Germans Eager to See Whose Parade a Carnival Float Will Rain On". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Karneval: satirical floats in Rhine region ready to make Rose Monday parade debut". The Local Germany. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Groß, Tabitha (9 February 2018). "'It caused a real shitstorm': meet the man who skewered Trump at last year's Karneval". The Local. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  12. ^ a b Wetli, Patty (7 September 2017). "Artist's Fierce Floats Earn Death Threats, And He's Here For German Parade". DNAinfo. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  13. ^ Bodenstein, Gisa (16 February 2021). "Rosenmontag im Lockdown: Düsseldorf zeigte acht Mottowagen von Jacques Tilly". Der Humanistische Pressedienst (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  14. ^ Goodman, Adam (5 April 2019). "Goodman: Americans should look in the mirror before mocking United Kingdom". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  15. ^ Trapp, Roderich (8 February 2021). "Spektakuläres Wimmelbild: Jacques Tilly zeichnet Wuppertal". Wuppertaler Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2021.

External links

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