Cécile Franceus, born in Roosdal (Belgium) in 1962, lives and works in Zonnelied, an institute for mentally handicapped adults. Until 1995, Franceus had shown great interest in weaving. But then she decided to switch to drawing. She makes drawings, over which she sticks scraps from other works to form a collage. Her work consists of numerous lines and loops, leaving hardly any space uncovered.

For Cecile Franceus, the creative process is more important than the result. There is great compulsion and commitment in the realisation of her work, almost to obsessiveness. She writes and scratches away, even occasionally pushing through the paper. Loose parts are torn off, sometimes she sticks them on again, she pushes a new sheet underneath until there is no more to add to her experience. In this way, she explores the material aspects of her work to the limit. When a ballpoint pen won't write any more, she scratches with it. She plays with the resistance and fragility of her subject matter and the materials she chooses. Building up, tearing apart, gluing, only to restore and renew.

This process is characteristic of Franceus' work, and has shown steady progression over several years. Once a work is complete, the result leaves her relatively cold; she only wants to start a new work again as soon as possible. She cannot endure moments of emptiness, which make her feel restless and insecure. Thus, we can see that her works have the function of transitional objects. The drawing as object is not "a goal in itself, but a means, a medium - not only to express herself to others, but first and foremost to express herself to herself, and thereby create a personal existence".