The Musée Granet’s exhibitions mainly centre around Cézanne, with either his paintings or those of artists with very strong links. In the case of the new exhibition, one floor is devoted to Olivier Bernex, ‘Rever Rousseau’ while the first floor galleries feature Henri Cueco ‘Revoir Cézanne’.
Starting on the ground floor, Olivier Bernex is a local painter, living and working in Aubagne. He derives his 
inspiration from solitary walks on the Garlaban hillside as well as the works of Rousseau. His works are very large and colourful, and are accompanied by philosophical texts – his and Rousseau’s. The Granet website says that he sees nature as a mirror of the soul, a space for projecting our questions on the mystery of life and as a meditation for the contemporary world.
See what you think….
Upstairs, Henri Cueco isn’t a local but has worked extensively on Cézanne’s themes. He takes the outline of a famous Cézanne theme – Sainte-Victoire, bathers, Bibémus, l’Estaque and plays riffs on it – a black and white version, partially coloured with added texts, or deconstructed into component parts which are repeated across his support. 
Two very different artists and so an interesting double bill.
I loved the Henri Cueco works ideally hung in the light-filled galleries.
Bernex was a more complicated response. His paintings are massive and colourful. Some were very powerful and evocative landscapes; others just seemed too splashy. I would have found it such a help to have a translation of the Rousseau quotes to understand where he was coming from. Here is one of the more r
estrained ones………
The Bernex-Cueco exhibition is on until 19th February 2017. It’s 5.50 euros entry and that includes a ticket to the Granet XXe to see the Jean Planque collection, valid until 2nd June.
Details: http://www.museegranet-aixenprovence.fr/nc/accueil.html
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