An exhibition will pay tribute to the Jura painter Pierre Michel at the La Cave cultural space in Soyhières. The event will take place from October 6 to 27. It is organized by the artist’s sons, Pierre-Alain and Frédéric Michel. Died in 2009, Pierre Michel would have been 100 years old this year.
Pierre Michel is known for his painting of Jura landscapes, mainly in the Franches-Montagnes. He was also a founding member of the Society of Jura Painters and Sculptors in 1954. “Our father left us a beautiful legacy. We discover it while preparing this exhibition. We want to show the different techniques he used, not just oil. There is also enamel, gouache, pottery, ceramics and sculpture,” confides Frédéric Michel. “Our father often said that the longer it took him to complete a work, the less successful it was! He had a dynamic side, painted instinctively. He had a Zen approach and let go,” says Pierre-Alain Michel.
In addition to the exhibition in Soyhières, the Société jurassienne d’émulation published a book devoted to the artist’s career, simply titled “Pierre Michel”. The book offers texts by the art historian Yves Guignard, illustrated by photographs of around fifty works by the Jura painter. The book will be available from the opening of the exhibition this Saturday, October 5.
