Since I arrived in the Dordogne Perigord, I have often remarked on my disappointment in the dearth of good artists in the area -- and I am not talking about the zillion 'artists' that would naturally result in a region, where the very nature of the scenery and architecture, beauty and inspiration offers anyone with a paintbrush, a canvas or block of water colour paper the opportunity and material aplenty. I am talking about good artists...
And then -- every now and then, I come across someone whose work speaks to me, someone with talent, yes, but also with originality, with a message, with soul.
Last weekend, in the beautiful natural stone Salle de Mariages of Limeuil, I literally stumbled over the threshold of the door and discovered Stephane Spittael's work.
Spittael was born in 1967 in Lille in the North of France. His biography tells me that he holds a "Diplôme National Supérieur en Expression Plastique", which he obtained at the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts of Tourcoing in 1992, that he is a member of the "La Maison Des Artistes" and also "Adhérent à la société des auteurs".
But it is his five year sojourn in the island of Reunion that seems to mostly have inspired his current exhibition in Limeuil -- not the lush and fertile Henri Rousseau-inspired jungle scenery that one would expect but, on the contrary, a harsh and devastated world which more resembles the aftermath of a slash and burn assault -- dry landscapes where the people are dry stick figures who appear to be finishing off the devastation or indeed being completely overpowered by it. The message of a need for conservation hits you right between the eyes and is so strong and so effective that I cannot believe anyone can walk out of the exhibition without being at least more aware than they were when they entered it. And yet -- and yet, when you look a little closer, there is, along with the subtle touch of humour -- albeit somewhat sardonic -- somewhere on the stark canvas, a blade of green grass, a green leaf - a touch of life and growth still remaining and the lingering message is one of hope.
Salle des mariages
Limeuil 24260 Dordogne
tous les jours de 11h à 13h
et de 14h à 19h
But should you not make it there, his next exhibition is from 6 to 21 September 2008, at
Château des Izards
Coulounieix-Chamiers 24660
(Périgueux )
Dordogne
Click on Link:
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