Cubain views
Walking down the street and meeting the eyes of passers-by. A little wave, a smile, a moment of complicity and a photo. Sometimes passers-by ask to be photographed themselves. The most cheerful are the teenagers - they go about it laughing, waving and posturing. People stop to exchange a few words. They proudly show off what they are doing: carrying a cake, distributing bread, riding a horse or simply sitting. The good humour is perceptible on both sides. Thank you for these brief moments of exchange.
Estelle Revaz - Cello solo
To close the 2024 music season, the Chapelle réformée de Caux welcomed Swiss cellist Estelle Revaz for her solo recital ‘1000 Feuilles Bach et Dall'Abaco’. Bach's 3rd suite in dialogue with caprices by Dall'Abaco. In the warm, turn-of-the-century setting of this chapel, originally named ‘Saint Michael and all angels’, the audience was quickly won over by Estelle's interpretation. The vibrations of the cello, the swirling sounds in this intimate space of the chapel, warmed our hearts and encouraged us to close our eyes and let ourselves be bewitched by Dall'Abaco's Caprices, slipped in between the pieces of Bach's suite. The uplifted spirit of baroque music adds colour to this autumnal evening, when light gives way to darkness. With our eyes closed, we let ourselves be penetrated by these colourful vibrations, our whole body vibrates and keeps this sacred fire in our heart. Thank you, Estelle, for this special moment.
Meeting a surrealist painter from Prague
Martin Stejskal is a Czech surrealist painter living in Prague. He has a rich artistic career behind him, with exhibitions both at home and abroad. He has maintained links with French artists in particular. He has published several author’s books and translations of French authors. The city of Prague, with its alchemical and esoteric history, has been the subject of several books revealing the city's esoteric secrets.
He is inventor of several original methods (contourage, leptomania), he also made a major contribution, both as a creator and as a theoretician, to the various collective experiments that formed the core of the activities of the Surrealist Group of Czechoslovakia.
In his drawings and paintings, a genuine sense of secrecy, nourished in particular by his interest in esotericism, naturally combines with an analytical examination of the mechanisms of inspiration and a sarcastic commentary on current events
India - For feminine grace
The city of Mandu was subject to several upheavals during the invasions. In the 14th century, after the invasion by the Sultan of Delhi, Mandu was renamed Shadiabad, which means "City of Joy". The place was adorned with several buildings of Indo-Islamic architecture. The importance of this city began to decline after the Mongol invasion in the 16th century, It was in Mandu that the chiaroscuro photos were taken. The contrast of the saris worn by the models impresses with its richness of colour. The remains of the ancient palaces and the geometry of the sites blend perfectly with the vibrant colours of the clothes.
Inde - children’s smile
There's nothing more joyful and captivating than a child's smile. I experienced this while taking photographs in villages in central India, in Madhya Pradesh. In rural villages, in front of schools and houses. The chiaroscuro portraits direct our gaze straight to the essential.
Visages from Ladakh
The features forged by the sun and altitude express inner peace and gratitude. Farmers, monks and nomads from the highlands of northern India near the border with China often travel from far and wide to attend Dalai Lama's lectures. The ruggedness of the place is counterbalanced by the beauty of the landscape and the silence present at every step. In their festive costumes, they participate in the festivals organised over several days by the Buddhist monasteries.
In the workshop of a sculptor
The sculptor Olivier Estoppey, a regular at Bex&Arts exhibitions, opened his workshop to talk about his concepts, the birth of his works from the sketches to the creation of the statues which often weigh several hundred kilos. The world of black and white graphics that transforms into three dimensional objects.