aixcentric

Aixcentric is a bit in ‘catch-up mode’ having spent the summer in cooler climes.  But on  my return, I was very keen to see the work of Annie Liebovitz in Arles.  Firstly to see the exhibition of the early work of this important American photographer but also to find out what is happening at the new fast-developing Parc des Ateliers arts centre.

The Luma Foundation is building this cultural complex on the site of the 19th century railway sheds and sidings, renovating the big engine sheds and adding the ‘Luma Tower’ which is a 56m piece of modern architecture with an  observation deck on the 10th and top floor – think of the views across the Camargue and over to the Alpilles.

It has been funded by the Hoffman family who own Swiss pharmaceutical companies and have had links to Arles for years.  Maja Hoffman, an art-collector, art patron and entrepreneur, is a board member of the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh and the Tate Gallery in London.  She enlisted architect Frank Gehry to design the tower, and Annabelle Selldorf to renovate the existing railway buildings.

The development will include premises for the Ecole National de la Photographie as well as local publisher Actes Sud, gallery space, conference rooms, cafés and places for the annual ‘Rencontres d’Arles’ photo show to exhibit.

More here following President Macron’s visit last month: http://www.laprovence.com/article/societe/4576438/arles-eldorado-de-la-culture.html

At the moment, it is a work-in-progress, with ‘chantier’ signs and access by road tricky.  But it’s worth persevering if you want to see this  imaginative development in its infancy.  There is parking on site (5 euros for the day) in the area which will be a landscaped park.  The Luma Tower is up, but unfinished.  On the other hand, La Grande Halle, which is the massive space where they made boilers for train engines, is fully functioning and this is where they are showing part of their newly acquired archive of 8000 Annie Liebovitz photos.

This show focuses on her early work in the 70s as a reporter-photographer for Rolling Stone, for which she covered political rallies, pop band tours, political turmoil in the Lebanon, as well as scenes of American  life.  It’s all in black and white and of course the subject matter is fascinating.  She was certainly in the thick of things – her tour with the Rolling Stones gave her unprecedented access.  Now is your chance if you ever wondered what Keith’s bedroom looked like….

But I do have two comments on the layout.  Firstly, there are no descriptions by each photo.  Sections have a numbered list of subjects and you have to look for a little red pin in the corner (if there is one) and go back to find out who, in this case #11 was.  It was Art Linkletter, sadly no wiser. It is very American-focused, naturally, so some of the subjects won’t be known to the audience.  Perhaps some more information/interpretation is needed, especially for the numerous young students attending.

Then have a look at this display of her work.

There is no way anyone could see the top rows, and you could only see the bottom ones by getting down on all fours and crawling along which is not ideal in a gallery.  Yet the opposite wall was empty…..

Anyway, the work itself is really interesting. ‘Annie Liebovitz, The Early Years’ is the first of a series of exhibitions. It takes us up to 1983 where she started to work in colour, and moved to be a portraitist at Vanity Fair. Presumably that will be the subject of the next one?

Press release with more background here: press-releaseannie-leibovitzen13.03.17

The exhibition runs daily until September 24th.

Those interested in architecture may like to visit the Construction Centre where, on Saturdays at 5pm, they can don hard hats and have a 1:30 hr free tour, in English, of the Parc des Ateliers.