THE MAGAZINE 
Hello Camille, would you like to introduce yourself?
My name is Camille de Cussac, I’m a freelance illustrator living in Paris. After art school, where I specialized in illustration, I turned to commissioned work. I like to create images that tell a story or convey a message for someone else – a kind of carrier pigeon version of drawing.
You can call me to announce various events: a big party (like the Les Grandes Tables du Monde conference), a birth (like the opening of a new Slow Galerie Rive Gauche), an activity you don’t want to miss (the Little Villette program in Paris), a list of good addresses you want to share (Lump média’s dog-friendly menu)…
And then sometimes, I also need to fly on my own wings, so I do exhibitions or books, sometimes solo, but always well accompanied!
What attracted you to this collaboration with Les Grandes Tables du Monde?
This invitation brought together everything I love: cooking, eating, drawing and partying. How could I refuse a project that brought together all my passions? There was something very spontaneous and joyful about this commission, and I was delighted to dive in.
How did you approach this project?
I always start by creating a world for myself, an atmosphere in which I can wander. Here, I loved observing the statues of Greek gods, thinking about their attributes, revisiting their symbols. I really enjoyed drawing a large banquet scene where mortals and divinities gather around a table for a fabulous evening.
I love banquets, buffets, big tables where you can help yourself. I often hang around when there’s a party going on. I think it’s really funny, this “I’m talking, I’m listening, but at the same time I’m watching what I’m going to eat next” side of things. It’s like a little play being put on, around this central element of our lives: the table, where forks, conversations and glasses meet and clash, the noise of the party.
How does it feel to see your illustrations in print?
It’s a moment I love. Seeing my drawings come to life in real life, on concrete supports like the gala dinner menu or the program adorned with little pompoms, is almost magical. The image becomes an object that people touch, use and manipulate. It brings it to life. And inevitably, this makes me want to go even further: imagine tableware, everyday objects, pieces that extend this encounter between illustration and conviviality…
Did you know the association before this collaboration?
Not at all, I admit. But I’m becoming more and more curious about everything to do with cooking. Maybe it’s because I’m becoming greedier… or simply more attentive to what I eat. I love discovering new addresses, big and small. I’m sure mine are more discreet, but dreaming big is also part of the pleasure. This collaboration opened a door for me that I’m delighted to have crossed.
