Wake up Walter

Walter is always falling asleep. It doesn’t matter where he is: at his birthday party, on the seesaw, in the swimming pool. His parents try everything they can think of to wake him up, but nothing works. They ask for the help of all kinds of self-proclaimed specialists, such as the doctors from the Royal Hospital for the Sleep Afflicted and a wise old lady herbalist from the jungle, but to no avail. Not even the fire brigade and a 75 piece orchestra can wake Walter up. Until a little dog walks in by accident and licks Walter’s face. Now he has a friend to play with, Walter finds staying awake isn’t a problem anymore.

Pieter Gaudesaboos creates a wonderful universe full of magical details that only reveal themselves upon a second or third reading. ‘Wake up Walter’ is full of humour (for example, keep an eye out for the doctor being attacked by a tiger in the final picture) and shows how Gaudesaboos continues to evolve as an artist. One striking aspect is that the characters’ faces don’t have clearly defined features; only their eyes stand out. This effect is expressive, giving the artwork an authentically creative feel.