A RATHER BEWILDERING EVENT


A little earlier in the year, around April, I had read a very interesting article on the Collection at the « Abbaye d’Auberive » which would be shown at the Halle Saint Pierre. « We » have visited th Halle Saint Pierre quite a few times and usually I go with Laurent.

RAW AND COLOURFUL

After the exhibition of  Eugène Gabritschevsky’s work at the Maison Rouge, I had had my dose of art brut  for a while especially as that exhibition had been so spectacular.






The Halle Saint Pierre event was to close this week, so I suggested to Laurent that we went along.  It was a gorgeous day.


The Halle Saint Pierre is next to the Sacré Coeur. This is what the poster looked like.....


What we would see




If I had done my homework before, perhaps I would have been a little less bewildered by such an eclectic work. Until I got home and starting to do some research on the exhibition, I really wasn’t too sure what I had been  looking at. Some of the artists I knew and they had not been defined as « fou ». 

Firstly I should have found out more about the Abbey.



The Abbey d'Auberive


It was actually founded in the 12th century and has quite a fascinating history.

But much more recently, the Abbey was requisitioned during the Second World War before the Benedictines returned and restored the side chapel and cloisters. The Abbey was sold in 1960 to the company Solvay and was used as a holiday camp for its employees’ children until 2004 when the Volot family bought it to create a cultural centre.

Well at least the Volot name was mentioned on the print out on the exhibition. So why should I know that name? He just happens to be one of the giant industrial personalities in France and politically too, is well known.

In the 1900’s he became an obsessive collector of « art-brut », outsiders, contemporary art, expressionists. The result was that at the end of the 90’s he had over 500 works which were storied in warehouses. « Nobody could see them, so what was the point? » For the following four years he and his wife looked for a suitable place but it wasn’t until 2004 that they fell on an ad. for the sale of the Abbey.  Yes, you have guessed it. They bought it, did it up and turned into a centre for contemporary art. Now after 30 years or more he has 2500 works which makes it one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary art.



This unique set of works forms one of the largest modern and contemporary art collection where outsider art, figurative expressionism and sacred art interact.


There are over 600 works shown by artists which, for most of them, I don’t know at all. The work can be perturbing


sometimes you relate it to such artists as Francis Bacon, Toulouse Lautrec,...

Zoran Music - Self portrait 1996

Jean Rustin "Mon Dieu" 1998

Gallet. Laurent was right. A lot of Toulouse Lautrec!



some works made me smile

Sabhan Adam - 2004

Sabhan Adam - 2004

Jean Rustin (?)

Robert Combas

MICHEL MACREAU - 1985

MARYAN

Emmanuelle Renard - 2003

Ody Saban - 1992

Ody Saban - 1992

Marcel Pouget

Marcel Pouget

Marcel Pouget

others were upsetting or curious...


Sephane Pencréac'h - 1970

Pierre Bettencourt - 1917-2006

Pierre Amourette "Mad Virgin"

Pierre Dereux "Queen with bare breasts" - 1955

Gilbert Pastor

Georges Bru

George Bru

Stani Nitkowski - 1988

Stani Nitkowski - 1988

Adolphe Vuillemot - 1920

Lydie Arickx - "The White lady" 1966

Paul Rebeyrolle "gossip" 1987

Ajouter une légende

Maryan

???












some artists which I love and follow



Karel Appel


Berg Lindstrom "Sacred Animal" 1978/9

Berg Lindstrom

Berg Lindstrom

Berg Lindstrom

K. Appel


Robert Combas

Robert Combas

Robert Combas

And of course a real favorite...

Gaston Chaissac

Gaston Chaissac

Gaston Chaissac

Gaston Chaissac

Gaston Chaissac


The Chinese are there too


















with sculptures,

Yolande Fièvre 1973

Louis Pons - 2002

Pierre Amourette -ceramic

sculptures

Victor Soren "The Gardian angels" 2014-15

Sculptures close up


 and more...
Sabhan Adam

Anselme Boix-Vives - 1963

Anselme Boix-Vives - 1963 "La châtelaine



or just kitsch



Eudes Ménichetti "My friend looks like this" - 2003 (metal on wood)


I think we both enjoyed our visit. Would we collect such work? I doubt it...

Commentaires

Lo a dit…
Thanks for the information regarding the Abbey. I'm not sure I want to see more art brut in a hurry or even collect any of it but to see more exhibitions together: YES!
22/9/16 21:07
Michael Keane a dit…
Ce commentaire a été supprimé par l'auteur.
29/9/16 10:46
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