“Being Parisian is not being born in Paris, it’s being reborn there,” French film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre Sacha Guitry once said, and his quote perfectly sets the mood for an art exhibition opening later this month in Limassol.
Lumière Contemporary Art gallery is set to welcome the works of eight female Parisian artists on October 25. Angelina Guez, Anne Podevyn, Christina Drakos, Jannie Guedj, Marie-Jeanne Avgerinos, Martine Pierson, Mi Gaudin and Yoko Piekolek-Furusawa will take part in the exhibition, running until the end of November. Abstract figurative paintings that have been created in the last five years in Paris will be on show.
“Today,” says the art gallery, “a critical mass of female painters are embracing figuration, diversifying it, and pushing the conversation around it forward. Abstract paintings are presented here, where we recognise the subjects and objects depicted and inspired by live models, nature and particularly trees.
“There are many theoretical ideas behind abstract art,” the gallery adds. “While some have taken the idea of ‘art for art’s sake’ (that art should be purely about the creation of beautiful effects), others have proposed art can or should be like music, in that just as music is patterns of sound, art’s effects should be created by pure patterns of form, colour and line. The idea, derived from the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, that the highest form of beauty lies not in the forms of the real world but in geometry, is also used in the discussion of abstract art, as is the idea that abstract art since it does not represent the material world, can be seen to represent the spiritual.”
Engaging with a broad range of media, oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastels, ink from China and charcoal, the eight female artists created their works with inspiration and passion. They all are widely represented in public and private collections and have shown their art in Parisian galleries, art fairs, cultural centres and municipality halls in France before reaching Cyprus’ art scene.
Parisian Women Artists
Group exhibition featuring eight female Parisian artists. October 25-November 30. Lumière Contemporary Art gallery, Limassol. Opening night: 7.30pm. www.lumiereartgallery.com. Tel: 25-344141
