I know that this textile exhibition is currently in Agen, the ‘county town’ of Lot-et-Garonne, where I live in SW France and that most of you will not get the chance to see it, but I still wanted to tell you about it as it is a lovely exhibition in the centre of the old part of Agen and is only on until the weekend.
Françoise Vallée is a textile artist from near Paris who paints with acrylic paints onto canvases and then cuts and resews them into ‘paintings’ that resemble weavings in their compilation. I was drawn to her pieces instinctively and loved their simplicity.
Inge Zorn-Gauthier (below) is a costume designer who works in paper amongst other textiles, and I love the way she creates 3-dimensional pieces leaving the threads of their construction as part of the piece.
From Françoise’ website is this piece about the exhibition.
With Inge Zorn, plastic costume designer living in Lot et Garonne, I invite you through this exhibition to discover our creations: painted, sewn, sculpted. Friendship has bound us for 30 years; we have developed over these years the same interest in an aesthetic and artistic view of the world. “The thread that binds us” is the fruit of this sharing. In this exhibition, the thread is the place of all the metaphors: it is straight (in the straight line), continuous (the thread of time), breaks (the thread has been cut) or dissolves (the thread of the thread). ‘water). It abstracts itself from its materiality and becomes the thread of a story. It is the initial material with which each of us has a special relationship.
For Inge Zorn, costume designer by profession, this thread brings together fabrics, materials, unraveled and wandered to ultimately become the main element of her sculptures and free from costume. For me, it is a writing and accompanies the colorful weaves of the painting on the
canvas. Both of us develop an artistic language with the material and what it embodies. What is happening here is aesthetic and invites you to the pleasure of forging links around a poetic encounter.
Inge Zorn-Gauthier lives in the Lot-et-Garonne and has made historical costumes for the Château in Nérac featuring the styles of Henri IV and his time which were just stunning! She had beautiful ruff pieces as well as some more abstract pieces, using tubes formed from paper, and other textile materials. This was what drew my attention initially as many of you know that I am somewhat obsesses with tubular weaving….
It was a joy to meet both the ladies and enjoy talking, exchanging suggestions of inspirational artists, café and chocolat whilst wandering around the gallery. For those of you who have the opportunity to visit, please do. For those of you who don’t, please enjoy the few images here, but also visit the Françoise’ website and the social media of both artists.
Françoise Vallée Website: http://www.francoisevallee.com/ Instagram http://www.instagram.com/frvallee94/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/francoise.vallee.7509
Inge Zorn-Gauthier Instagram http://www.instagram.com/ingezorn/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/inge.zorn.39