The Salon d'Automne des artistes du Velay takes place at the Commanderie Saint-Jean in Le Puy, until December 8. Focus on this new edition which marks their 50th anniversary.
Every year, the Salon d'Automne des artistes du Velay allows around thirty locals and amateurs to reveal their work. “This exhibition is a valuable cultural and artistic event,” underlines Catherine Chalaye, assistant for cultural life at the Marie du Puy. The 2024 edition, launched tomorrow during the opening planned at the Commanderie, will mark the 50th anniversary of the Salon. “We want to celebrate the 50 years of history of the association and its diversity,” explains Yves Surrel, one of the members.
The cosmos at the heart of the exhibition
In all, 144 pictorial productions and 25 sculptures will be hosted until December 8 at Faubourg Saint-Jean. All these works come together around the same common thread: the cosmos. This is the theme chosen to honor the 50th Salon. The idea of the members of the association was to represent the various techniques and materials used by the artists of Velay. Raku, enameled sculptures, paper, earth, ceramic, stone, oil paintings, pastels, acrylic, ink, watercolor… this is what the public will be able to discover. “Since the birth of the association, we have always done painting and sculpture,” confides Anne-Marie Giblin, member of the association.This year, four new members joined the Velay artists. photo salomé jamon
Traditionally, the works of the Salon are not organized around a single theme. Except for a few memorable editions. On the occasion of the 30th exhibition, the common theme was Velay. This Salon was also exhibited, for a fortnight, at the Maison de l'Auvergne which was located on rue de Rivoli in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The 32nd edition, named “Recto Verso”, revolved around the route to Santiago de Compostela. A stage of the pilgrimage was assigned to each artist. The works were then installed on a wooden structure on the front and a metal path on the back, provided by the technical service of Le Puy town hall.
Half a century of history
Three years later, the exhibition was inspired by the window theme. A structure was built for the occasion by the City's technical department. “It was a large metal cylinder,” describes Anne-Marie Giblin, “with an opening calculated on the golden ratio,” a measurement that is systematically found in nature, considered to be the proportion of harmony. For the 44th edition, the theme was based on the Pinatelle du Zouave. This exhibition was installed at the Commanderie Saint-Jean as well as at the Hôtel du Département.
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For this year, “the main installation of the exhibition is a kiosk, which is a monumental wooden sculpture by Nicolas Savoye, author of mechanical poetry,” she continues. This “Dancing Tree” is a 3.50 meter high piece which was borrowed from the artist for the occasion. The rest of the works will be placed on top, on the ground or suspended around the structure. “The idea of the cosmos is adapted to this installation, it’s majestic for the 50th anniversary,” underlines the painter. And then, there are a lot of elements that can be interpreted and interesting from this theme. »
Practical. The Salon d'Automne des artistes du Velay will receive its public at the Commanderie Saint-Jean (79, Faubourg Saint-Jean, in Puy-en-Velay) from Saturday until December 8. The exhibition will be accessible every day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The opening will take place tomorrow, from 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Salome Ham
