Russian-French Exhibition Project «LA ROUTE DES VINS»

Time: 23 September – 15 October 2017

23 September – 06 October 2017 - plein air sessions and creation of the exhibition by artists of the gallery Ekaterina Lebedeva, Maxim Martirosyan and Victoria Pushnina and artists of the Academy of Arts of the city of Bandol (the studio of a pupil of Salvador Dalí, founder of the Academy Geneviève Canto).

01 October at 15.00 – a joint master class by Russian artists with artists of the Academy of Arts of the city of Bandol under the direction of Geneviève Canto at the hotel La Frandole, a meeting with the press. Free admission for all who wish to attend. Advance registration and media accreditation +7 925 113 4017.

07 October, 17.00-20.00 - exhibition opening, vernissage in the salons of the Hostellerie La Farandole hotel. Honorary guest of the vernissage – the renowned French artist, member of the Society of Independent Artists of France Lydia Filoni. Presentation of the exhibition, music, wine tasting from leading domaines, buffet.

Venue: Hostellerie La Farandole hotel www.hostellerielafarandole.com

France, Provence, Sanary-sur-Mer, 140 Chemin de la Plage, 83110

Free admission.

Works are available for purchase.

Provence. This southern French region, washed by the Mediterranean Sea, stretches from the Rhône in the west to the Alpine mountains in the east. Provence is luxurious. This place has always attracted representatives of every creative and intellectual elite. Here Signac began painting in his new technique of pointillism; here Cézanne created his watercolours, and Renoir — his landscapes. Here Matisse and Van Gogh, Picasso and Chagall created their works.

The nature of Provence seems as if the gods made it for themselves when they wished to descend from the heavens and live on Earth. The favourable symbiosis of Mediterranean and mountain climates brings comfort and creates ideal proportions of warmth and freshness. Three hundred sunny days a year are tempered by the north-western Mistral, which pierces olive groves and pine forests, lavender fields and blue bays, sweeping over refined palaces and colourful villages, over luxurious villas, paradise parks and... vineyards!

From 23 September to 15 October 2017 the gallery Kvartira S organised its third international art project. This time two weeks of creativity, work and travel in the south of France were united by the theme “The Wine Road”.

From 23 September the artists of the gallery Kvartira S arrived in Provence: Ekaterina Lebedeva, Maxim Martirosyan, Victoria Pushnina. Over the course of two weeks they exchanged experience, attending classes at the Academy of Arts of the city of Bandol with the teacher of the trompe-l’œil technique, a pupil of Salvador Dalí, Geneviève Canto, went out on plein air sessions to the most picturesque corners and became acquainted with the art of winemaking at the domaines. As a result of creative exchange and collaboration, the exhibition “The Wine Road” took shape, presenting paintings by the pupils of Geneviève Canto and the artists of the gallery Kvartira S. All the works were exhibited and offered for sale on the premises of the hotel La Farandole.

Ekaterina Lebedeva. Expressive interior painting, multilayered imagery, and large-scale details—this is how Ekaterina’s work can be described. The very process of creating a painting is integral to the artist’s self-expression: sweeping brushstrokes and an abundance of paint. Many of her works remain in the studio to dry for more than three years. Ekaterina’s paintings are held in galleries and private collections in China, Europe, and the United States. You can read about Ekaterina’s solo exhibition here.

"I’m getting ready, hoping to meet friends, stroll through the streets of France, and drink wine. I expect to discover new emotions and enrich myself with new knowledge and impressions. I am certain that this journey will be special!"

Maksim Martirosyan. A professional portrait and landscape artist. He works in oils, watercolor, acrylic, and pastel, occasionally turning his hand to sculpture. He renders intricate details with virtuoso precision. A frequent participant in exhibitions in Russia and abroad, where he has received awards and certificates. You can read about Maksim’s solo exhibition here.

"Anticipating the impressions ahead, I can already feel a tingling in my fingertips. It is not because of the unknown—I have visited some of the wineries before. It feels as though something deeply hidden will reveal itself there, because when you paint a picture, you become immersed in the atmosphere, become part of it, and grasp ‘that very essence.’ For the same reason, I want to see the ancient castles and draw closer to the history of the times when they were built for strategic purposes."

Viktoria Pushnina. A promising young artist and a student of the Department of Architectural Reconstruction at the Moscow Architectural Institute (Moscow), she has been passionate about painting since early childhood and works in a variety of styles. Recently, she has developed a preference for acrylics.

"Taking part in this project means a great deal to me, since, first and foremost, it is a fascinating and unusual opportunity to learn from an artist such as Geneviève. This is my first exhibition, so naturally I find it tremendously exciting. Here in Moscow, I can already picture every day I will spend in Bandol, down to the smallest detail, and every hour of the journey appears in my mind as a new painting. I already have countless ideas for future works. I am certain that I will remember this journey into the world of art and the Wine Route for the rest of my life, and that these memories will not fade with the passing years."

Geneviève Canto. A pupil of Salvador Dalí, founder of the Bandol Academy of Arts, and a world-renowned specialist in depicting the surfaces of materials. In her works, Geneviève conveys the physical qualities of different textures—wood, stone, and glass—with remarkable precision. A distinctive feature of Geneviève's paintings is the presence of tiny figures portrayed in a variety of everyday situations. Paintings by Geneviève Canto are held in numerous museums, galleries, and private collections around the world, including those in New York, Cannes, Saint-Barthélemy, and Paris.

The artist has taught at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris and in Aix-en-Provence. She has undertaken private commissions for many renowned galleries and magazines and has worked with the American publishing company Condé Nast Publications and Vogue magazine in the United States and France.

Together with artist-students from the Academy of Arts, Geneviève Canto will take part in creating the display for the Wine Route exhibition opening.

Media partners of the project:

Cabinet de l’Art; magazine

The Var Department’s information blog;

La Russie Francophone publication;

Evasion Mag magazine;

Var Matin newspaper.

Media coverage of the exhibition:

La Russie francophone

Ouest-Var

Evasion Mag magazine 1

Evasion Mag magazine 2

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Var Matin (7 August 2017)

On 7 October, La Farandole Hotel hosted the official presentation of the Russian-French art project "The Wine Route". Guests at the opening celebration included Guillaume Tari, president of the Bandol Wine Association, who conducted a wine tasting, renowned musician Paul Lelouch, collectors, art connoisseurs and representatives of Moscow’s business elite.

Photographs and videos from the project can be viewed here.