Collioure Capitale: a story of light
with Ellen Turner Hall
Collioure Capitale presents an array of 20th century artworks from the permanent collection of the Musée d‘art moderne. The chronological survey aims to shed light, both literal and metaphoric, on artists’ changing rapport with the village.
At the beginning of the century Collioure was discovered by painters attracted by the Mediterranean light. Two early paintings illustrate their ambiguous relationship with the sun. While Georges D’Espagnat’s pink peach blossoms happily soak up the heat, Louis Bausil’s elm trees provide workers a shelter from the harsh rays beating down on Boramar Beach.
After WWI, Collioure attracted artists from all over Europe, including the Englishman Edgar Hereford. His painting of the market place is a portrait of shadows. Their spidery black branches bleed into the light, rendering the familiar space surreal.
From 1925 to 1939 Augustin Hanicotte created an outdoor art class, Les Gosses de Collioure , encouraging village schoolchildren to see their surroundings anew. A collage of their selected works is witness to this extraordinary awakening: the great leafy cactus plants, the hills lined with vines, the red rooftops against the blue bay. On the surrounding walls you can see the same images interpreted in the work of other artists in the permanent collection.
Hanicotte’s own work depicts the boats, sails, nets and sardines which were the traditional focus of local life. In his remarkable pencil drawing of a circle of fishermen, the aggressor, the accused and the peacemaker are all identified by their body language.
Once Collioure gave itself over body and soul to tourism, artists such as Pascal Comelade and Joel Desbouiges resorted to black humour to comment on the transition in L’enterrament de les sardines with its fishbones and Pour les souvenirs with its tiny plastic cars.
A largescale contemporary work by Patrick Lloste at first view appears to be a smudgy black canvas. A step back reveals a multitude of figures. The scene comes alive with trees, horse riders and waterfalls. Tiny golden touches on the leaf tips hint at life-affirming sunlight penetrating the forest depths.
Collioure Capitale continues until 17 May 2025.
For details:www.museecollioure.com