On April 29, at the La Farandole hotel, Gallery Kvartira S held its second international vernissage, themed “Cinema in Provence”.

The exhibition features more than 30 works by Moscow artists Slava Likhachyov and Katya Pugachyova. All the paintings were created during a two-week stay in Provence, inspired by French films and the locations where they were shot. Thus the team of Gallery Kvartira S visited the La Ciotat railway station, drove along the winding La Route des Crêtes, and painted en plein air on the island of Gaou, in Le Castellet, Gordes, Saint-Tropez, and Ramatuelle.

The guest of honor at this vernissage was André Laban — engineer and cameraman of the Cousteau team, author of books and films about the underwater world. In addition, Monsieur Laban is the founder of a new art form — underwater painting. His works were also presented to the guests during the vernissage. André Laban is very fond of the Russian people and even delivered his speech for the guests in Russian.

Welcome addresses were also delivered by the event organizers — Olesya Sudzhan, director of Gallery Kvartira S, Georges Klimoff — curator of international projects, and Eugenia Plokhikh — PR director. The mayor of Sanary, Ferdinand Bernhard, also spoke to the guests, as did, of course, the Moscow artists Katya and Slava.

Among the guests of the vernissage were Pierre Chazal, deputy mayor of Sanary for culture; Alexander Pushnin, Consul of Russia, and vice-consuls Sergey Gorshkov and Denis Sergeyev; Georges Zapolsky, president of the Orthodox community in Toulon; Philippe Koutseff, president of the Association of Russians in Provence; writer and historian Louis Bérou; Dmitry Kushko, organizer of the Russian Book Prize in France; Dalida Sarkisyan, deputy mayor of Bandol for cultural affairs and communication; Geneviève Canto, founder of the Academy of Arts (Bandol); renowned floral designer Tatyana Tridvornova; and the heir of the Italian architect Fioravanti.

Gallery Kvartira S is already making plans for further work in France and also intends to organize creative residencies for French artists in Russia.

And the exhibition "Cinema in Provence" continues at the "La Farandole" hotel!

The vernissage "Cinema in Provence" through the eyes of the French press — Evasion Mag magazine.

From April 29 to May 13 at the Hostellerie La Farandole in Sanary, Olesya Sudzhan, owner of Gallery Kvartiras in Moscow, and her alter ego Eugeniya Plokhikh, head of communications, organized, with the help of Georges Klimoff, a wonderful cultural event where Russian and French artists come together around painting.

First of all, two great Russian painters: Slava Likhachev and Katya Pugacheva, and as guest of honor the underwater painter André Laban

The Russians and Cinema
Our two Russian painters are living a delightful cultural adventure, having arrived fifteen days before the start of the event and traveled throughout the region in search of mythical cinema locations in Provence.
They therefore had fifteen days to create their works, which are on view at La Farandole until May 13.
André Laban, 90 years old, diver and chemical engineer, is one of the pioneers, a friend of Cousteau with whom he sailed for 25 years. It was he who developed the famous yellow diving saucer and the waterproof camera housing. But for 50 years he has also been diving to paint canvases, with, of course, a technique all his own.

Exchanges with Russia
Olesya Sudzhan reminds us that this is the second event she has organized at La Farandole, the first having been themed “Autumn in Provence.” This year it is “Cinema in Provence.” Furthermore, on April 22, Geneviève Canto, director of the Bandol Academy of Painting, arranged a master class between her students and the two invited Russian painters: Slava and Katya
Last Saturday, this whole company gathered for a vernissage attended by Ferdinand Bernhard, mayor of Sanary, and his deputy for Culture Pierre Chazal, alongside Alexander Pushnin, Consul of Russia, and his two vice-consuls Sergey Gorshkov and Denis Sergeyev, Georges Zapolsky, president of the Orthodox community of Toulon, Philippe Koutseff, president of the Association of Russians of Provence, Louis Bérou, writer and historian, and Tatjana Tridornova, a designer specializing in dresses made exclusively of flowers.
An evening under the sign of elegance and fraternity, where French, Russian, and English languages mingled in a warm atmosphere that allowed us to discover magnificent artists.
Ferdinand Bernhard underscored the ties uniting Sanary with Noginsk, its twin town, and the always magnificent welcome he has received on each of his visits.
“And I am happy that you are as well received here as we are among you, even if a few ill-natured spirits made some trouble for you during the construction of this hotel!” he added with a laugh. “For here you are at home, and you give a fine image of your country, so much more beautiful and different from what one might imagine or be told. It is a warm-hearted country. We will always be glad to welcome Russian artists to Sanary.”

Jacques Brachet