Virginie knows that I love art. Indeed, this is my third immersion in Provence with her. My name is Angela. You may have already read some of my articles. It’s a very good exercise to practice your French.
That day, we decided to discover the different exhibitions of Aix-en-Provence. The first exhibition we discovered was Max Ernst’s exhibition at the Hôtel de Caumont. It was the one that struck me the most.
Then we walked to the Cité du Livre to discover the Comics and Associated Arts Festival. There, we discovered many artists.
I take advantage of this article to share with you our adventure and my opinion on my discoveries.
Exhibition in Aix-en-Provence - Max Ernst at the Hôtel de Caumont through Angela’s eyes
Today we started by visiting the Hotel de Caumont in Aix-en-Provence to see the exhibition of Max Ernst. The Hôtel de Caumont is a former mansion, now an art center. It is always possible to see Pauline de Caumont’s room on the first floor. There is also a restaurant at the Hôtel de Caumont. For more information, I invite you to check out Marcia (another student from Virginia) ’s article on this topic : https://manage.wix.com/dashboard/9cfb61a1-7177-4c9f-aa0f-535cb39e57bb/blog/4210d8c3-182e-445a-97ac-bbe4a8f9d5de/edit?referralInfo=sidebar&tab=published.
On the first floor also begins the exhibition of Max Ernst.
Exhibition in Aix-en-Provence - Who is Max Ernst?
Born in 1891, Max Ernst is a German painter and sculptor. He died in Paris on 1 April 1976 and was one of the most important and influential artists of the 20th century Surrealist movement.
Max Ernst is a German artist. He has created many paintings and sculptures for 57 years. He is a true inventor of new techniques such as rubbing, scraping, gluing and decal. He is an artist of three nationalities: German, French and American.
Max Ernst developed his artistic talent from an early age and studied philosophy at university. But he quickly abandoned his studies to devote himself fully to art. At the beginning of his artistic career, he joined the Dada movement.
In the 1920s, Max Ernst turned to surrealism.
Among his most famous works are "The Virgin correcting the Child Jesus before three witnesses: André Breton, Paul Éluard and the painter" (1926), "La Joie de vivre" (1936), "L'Éléphant Célebes" (1921) and "La Femme 100 têtes" (1929).
His early works were figurative but his later works became increasingly abstract. I love his 1959 painting “A Web of Lies”. The other paintings interest me less because of the appearance of faces like “emojis.” He was always advancing his art, even if I didn’t like the results.
Exhibition in Aix-en-Provence - “Junk Food” by Emilie Gleason
After this exhibition in the city center of Aix-en-Provence, we head to the Cité du Livre. There, different artists are exhibited for two months as part of the Comics Festival. The first artist I discover is for Emilie Gleason.
Her works are an illustration of her history. She explains her food addictions. She also talks about the culture of junk food, weight loss diets and inappropriate relationships with food.
Well-known junk food brands have been associated with photos of obese people, rotten teeth and cirrhotic livers. It’s a slightly disgusting (but very clear) and graphic way to show the impact of sweet foods on health.
At the same exhibition, several other artists are exhibited. I really liked the artist who paints Jesus as an alien. Another artist painted McDonald’s characters like real people. It was very funny!
I had a great time discovering these different artists.
I’m getting hungry. So we decide to go to lunch at La Ferme restaurant, a very good place that Virginie made me discover. She will surely talk about it in a future article.
Where is Max Ernst’s exhibition in Aix-en-Provence?
Max Ernst’s exhibition “Magi, Liberated Worlds” takes place in Aix en Provence, at the Hôtel de Caumont. The Hôtel de Caumont was built in the 18th century. It has recently been restored to become a place of culture, and it now houses an art center.
The exhibition runs from May 4 to October 8, 2023.
Why exhibit the paintings of Max Ernst at the Hotel de Caumont in Aix en Provence?
The purpose of this exhibition is to return to the course, the evolution of the art of this artist.
Max Ernst was a major artist in the surrealist movement of the 20th century. His contributions to art and his influence on surrealism as well as other artistic movements are considered significant. His works are therefore an opportunity for visitors to discover an emblematic artist and better understand his work.
If you are coming for an immersion stay in Provence, I really invite you to contact Virginie in Provence. She will be happy to make you discover the different aspects of Provence: landscapes and scents, but also culture, gastronomy... while helping you to improve your French.
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