aixcentric

Change is in the air and several of the big shows are about to close so you need to get your skates on to catch these:

Van Gogh en Provence, Fondation Van Gogh, Arles, closes on September 11th.  Provence only has three paintings by the Dutch artist – this is an opportunity to see 31 from Holland, in a newly-renovated mansion.  Don’t forget to climb up to the roof terrace for views of the town.

While visiting Arles, you can catch the last days of the sprawling ‘Rencontres d’Arles’ photography extravaganza.  It opened in July and closes on September 25th, but some of the shows finish before that date.  For instance, ‘Nothing But Blue Skies’ an exhibition of 9/11 photography that has had good reviews closes on September 11th, but the equally well reviewed ‘Street Photography’ of Dublin, an installation with haunting music and the pictures of Eamonn Doyle continues.  Apparently there are 30 exhibitions that go on to the 25th, dotted around town.  The best plan is to go to the tourist office where they sell big maps of the venues and timings.

Over to Aix now, where the Turner exhibition at the Caumont Centre d’Art finishes on September 18th, as does the exhibition of fashion photography by Willy Maywald   which is running in two venues – the tourist office and Cézanne’s studio up at Les Lauves.

In Marseille, the Raphael Ponson exhibition at the Musée Regards de Provence was due to close on 23rd September but this has been extended to the 25th.  He was new to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing his beautiful classical views of Marseille, the ships in the old port and the coastline.  He was the first artist to scramble down vertiginous slopes to paint the calanques.   Details here:http://www.museeregardsdeprovence.com/en/exposition/lumiere-douceur-de-raphael-ponson

The Musee Regards de Provence has supplied 40 canvases, photos and sculptures to the brand new ‘Centre d’Art La Falaise’ at Cotignac.  The exhibition ‘Itineraire de Couleurs’ focuses on Provence and the Var – the coastline, ports, islands and vegetation – and includes work by Camoin, César, Chabaud and Seyssaud.  Can’t wait to visit this one.  Until September 30th: http://www.museeregardsdeprovence.com/en/exposition/exposition-itineraire-de-couleurs-a-cotignac

And a final looming closure, September 29th, is ‘The Circus’ 50 prints by the brilliant colourist Marc Chagall, at the Musée Yves Brayer in Les Baux.  What better to see this then round off with a visit to the Chagall-themed Carrieres de Lumiere?

                            Some inspiring art to catch this rentrée!