Hervé Tullet on His New Book 'Il bambino a colori' and the Revolutionary Power of Childhood

French artist and children's book author Hervé Tullet (born 1958 in Avranches) discusses his latest work, 'Il bambino a colori,' published in France in 2025 and released in Italy in 2026 by Il Saggiatore. The book is not a children's book but a reflection on childhood, with a postface by Wajdi Mouawad. Tullet will present it at the Testo fair in Florence tomorrow. In the interview, he explains that the book traces his artistic journey and aims to offer a different perspective on his work. He credits his childhood solitude and a French teacher who introduced him to Surrealism at age 16 or 17 as key influences. Tullet emphasizes that art is not exclusive to galleries but is everywhere, and his practice focuses on creating shared moments rather than producing objects. He cites influences from 20th-century artists like Picasso, Matisse, Dubuffet, Alechinsky, and Twombly, as well as conceptual and minimalist art, particularly Sol LeWitt, whose instruction-based works inspired Tullet's participatory approach. Tullet describes himself as a 'social artist' who brings art into schools, nursing homes, and disability settings. He praises Dubuffet's writings for their anti-system stance. On childhood, Tullet argues that children are inherently revolutionary and that society educates them for adults' future rather than their own. He expresses hope but notes worsening conditions over 30 years of work.