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| Tuesday, 18 May 2004 |
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Art available to all Rodin's "The Thinker" and Millet's "The Gleaners" have gone for a three-week's holiday to a small town in the North of France far away from cultural events to the great delight of people who often have never been to a museum. This spectacular event "Les Beffrois de la Culture" started at the beginning of this year as part of the "Lille 2004-European Capital of Culture" programme.
One after the other twelve towns in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region will hold a three-week exhibition on an artist or a theme in their "Beffrois", a square tower built in the Middle Ages to protect the town from plunderers. The people of Northern France consider them as symbols of independence and freedom. There will be a team of cultural consultants in each of these places to guide the public, give conducted tours (including sign language and touch tours for the blind and visually impaired) and answer all their questions. Rodin was the focus point of the first of these 12 exhibitions in January. Corot came next in February then Chagal, Fernand Leger, Chardin, Picasso, Millet Rembrandt and Manet, each in turn, will meet the public. The "Beffrois de la Culture" programme is dense and varied. It is free of charge as well as the "Petit Journal", a small catalogue given to each visitor. There are multimedia computers to help them to find out more about the subject. At the Lievin Town Hall the opening exhibition held in January was a great success. Rodin's "The Thinker" was surrounded by a number of sculptures that are part of his monumental. "The Gates of Hell" there is also a bust of the sculptor by Camille Claudel both his student and his muse. In 1885 Rodin received a fitting tribute from the region consisting in an order for one of his most famous works "The Burghers of Calais". The public response was immediate and enthusiastic. Many people came to take part in this completely new experience. The art consultants soon had more questions than they could answer but they were delighted and now hope to be able to cope until the end of the year as the same team is working on the twelve exhibitions. The same welcome occurred At Saint Pol sur Ternoise in February "Autour de Camille Corot" who came to paint in the surroundings of Arras the land where he found his inspiration with other painter friends from 1851 to 1860. The centre of attraction was the "Moulin de Sain Nicolas lez Arras" lent by the Musee d'Orsay surrounded by other fine paintings from the regional museums on the subject of "Northern Impressions". The idea of going to see other exhibitions in the "Beffrois du Nord" slowly gained ground among the public. The Association of Curators of the 33 museums of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region organised the whole event, the only one of its kind, with the help of the Ministry of Culture, they are extremely satisfied as they hope to continue this event and thus bring more visitors to regional museums on a long term basis. At Avensnes-sur-Helpe the month of March will be devoted to applied arts "Autour du Vase des Elements" lent by the Sevres Ceramics Museum. Ceramics, stained glass windows and clothes show the close link between art and the textile and glass industries that are the pride of the region such as the "Vase aux baigneuses sur fond noir" and several textiles by Raoul Dufy and "La Robe" and "La Veste du Soir", clothes designed by the painter, Natalia Gontcharova. In April Marc Chagall is honoured at Orchies by an exhibition centred on his painting "Le Cirque Noir" a symbolic theme that also inspired the contemporary painter Karel Appel, a fine collection of sculptures and prints. In the heart of the mining district at Aniche the subject in May will be "Autour de Fernand Leger", (men at work). Among others there will be Leger's Famous painting "The Builders", Marcel Gromaire's "Les Travaux de la terre" (Farm work), and "Scene de triage de la laine" (Sorting out wool) by Joseph Gueldry (1858-1945) one of the few paintings showing a textile mill (less picturesque than glassworks or ironworks). This painting by Joseph Gueldry is significant because it shows a great number of women whereas, in the past only men used to do this type of work. In June, in Denain the exhibition showing how ordinary objects are assembled and brought together to create works of art will be about Tinguely's "Porte Metamecanique" one of his Meta-mechanics with an "Automobile Compression" by Cesar next to Arman's "Assemblage de Robinets" (an assemblage of water taps) In July at Liques the exhibition will centre on Chardin and still life. In August at Aulnoye-Aymeries the main theme will be portrait printing with Picasso and another brilliant painter Modigliani. "Raw Art" will be presented in September at Carvin with Jean Dubuffet but portrait painting will once again be the subject in October this time in connection with Rembrandt's "Portrait of Titus" lent by the Louvre. In November at Auxi-le-Chateau, the theme will be "nature and modern man". Millet's "The Gleaners" will exceptionally leave Paris, lent by the Musee d'Orsay as well as Ven Gogh's "Peasant Woman" surrounded by ethnographic artefacts from regional museums. The final exhibition in Steenvorde in December will end the "Beffrois de la Culture" programme with a landscape exhibition presenting Guardi's "The Bucentaur Departs for the Lido on Ascension Day" and "Clair de Lune sur le Port de Boulogne" by Manet lent by the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay respectively. The town halls will regain their tranquillity after having conformed to air conditioning and safety standards as well as those concerning museum requirements in order to exhibit all these treasures. Claudine Cannetti Website www.musenor.com |
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Produced by Lake House |
The subtitle is "12 towns, 12 months and 12 exhibitions" it
aims at bringing the cultural heritage to as many people as possible and
make them discover the great masterpieces that have exceptionally come to
them thanks to an equally exceptional loan of great works of art
(painting, sculpture and artefacts) granted by French national and
regional museums.
