Emil Mbr is a French artist and illustrator, now based in Brussels after completing a bachelor’s degree at ESA St Luc Tournai. He/she joined the team at Les Ateliers du Toner in 2020 following a residency at the venue, where he/she developed an editorial practice to publish his/her books and fanzines. He/she works mainly in gouache, pencil and ink. His/her world subtly oscillates between children’s and adult illustration, through which he/she tells stories in images that often highlight queer identities in a tender, playful and poetic way. He/she creates with the aim of offering diverse representations and leaving room for the viewer to tell his/her own story. Their characters – not always human, sometimes ageless – play with gender norms, undergo metamorphoses, and are free, supportive and utopian. For his/her exhibition “Chèr·e Sol”, he/she looks back on six years living in Brussels in the form of a letter to a friend who has seen them evolve since they first met. The works echo the confidences, everyday moments, questions and shared dreams experienced throughout this friendship.