A new comics gallery, dedicated to the ninth art — a term used to describe comics as a form of visual storytelling — opened on September 16 at 19 rue Racine in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. The founder, Antoine Mathon, aims to showcase both classic and contemporary comics artists, with original works such as pages, drawings, and illustrations at the center of its programming. To mark the opening, Mathon is dedicating a major retrospective to Yves Chaland, a significant figure in the comics world, featuring over a hundred pieces. The gallery is located near the Odéon, a historic theater in Paris, and marks Mathon's return to a sector he has been involved with for many years. Previously, Mathon co-founded the Barbier & Mathon gallery in 2006 with Jean-Baptiste Barbier, which specialized in original comics drawings and pages. This new space plans to go beyond selling pages by becoming a venue for exhibitions and supporting authors. Mathon mentioned through the French comics news site ActuaBD that the gallery is committed to defending "fairer remuneration" for artists and providing legal and administrative support, as well as developing collaborations with cultural institutions. The retrospective, titled Yves Chaland, Une œuvre, brings together more than a hundred drawings, pages, covers, advertising works, and documents spanning Chaland's early career to his final creations. It was created in collaboration with Isabelle Chaland, the artist's widow and founder of the Chaland Rencontres in Nérac, a festival dedicated to his legacy. The commercial aspect is limited, with only a dozen original pieces out of the hundred on display available for sale. This scarcity is partly due to collectors' strong attachment to the works and the family's desire to preserve a significant part of the collection. Yves Chaland was born in Lyon in 1957 and grew up in Nérac. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Saint-Étienne, where he met Luc Cornillon. He was discovered at the end of the 1970s by Jean-Pierre Dionnet and published in Métal Hurlant and Ah! Nana, two influential comics magazines. His drawing style was influenced by the Franco-Belgian comics of the 1950s, including works by Hergé, Jijé, Franquin, and Maurice Tillieux, but he offered a modern reinterpretation that was often more ironic and sometimes darker. Among his notable works are Bob Fish, Le Jeune Albert, Adolphus Claar, and the adventures of Freddy Lombard. Chaland also worked on Spirou, a long-running comics magazine, and for the press, publishing, and advertising. His career ended abruptly on July 18, 1990, when he died at the age of 33 as a result of a road accident. More than three decades after his death, his influence remains very present among comics authors. At the gallery's opening, François Schuiten, a renowned comics artist, remarked, "His drawing is perfect." This Parisian retrospective precedes the 19th edition of the Chaland Rencontres, which will be held in Nérac, the town where Chaland grew up. The public days of the event will take place on October 3 and 4, 2026, around the theme "From the panel to the screen," with Hervé Bourhis as guest of honor. The City of Nérac has announced a program of exhibitions, film screenings, author meetings, and conferences to celebrate Chaland's legacy and the evolution of comics into other media.