“Julian,” by Fleur Pierets: a book of love and death, and of struggle too
Review Julian, who died on January 22, 2018, was the great love of Belgian artist Fleur Pierets. She has dedicated a powerful and poignant book to their story ★★★★☆
Julian P. Boom and Fleur Pierets, in 2017, in New York. FLOWER PIERETS/AFP
Julian had an athletic build, a shaved head, and a magnificent appearance. Julian smelled of soap, read Murakami. Julian sometimes called himself Jim, suddenly less shy in his drag king attire. Julian died on January 22, 2018. She was the great love of Belgian artist Fleur Pierets, who devoted a powerful and poignant book to their story. It was dazzling between them. A meeting at a conference and very quickly it became clear that they were meant for each other. "When I saw her for the first time, the light went on," writes Pierets, who had never before fallen in love with a woman. Once united, nothing seemed impossible. Overflowing with desires and ideas, they created a magazine and left everything behind to devote themselves to the project of their lives, dubbed "22," like the 22 countries that, in 2017, authorized marriage for same-sex couples. They plan to renew their vows in each of them.
Because of Julian's illness, they will only have time to get married in four. Vivid memories alternate with the black hole of agony and mourning in this book of love and death, of struggle too. Fleur Pierets draws the strength to survive her love from the words of others: Audre Lorde, Joan Didion, Christopher Isherwood... And from those the writer Siri Hustvedt said to her one evening in New York: "The people we meet...
Article reserved for subscribers.
Log inSummer offer: €1/month for 6 months
Topics related to the article
Le Nouvel Observateur
