For centuries, farms in the « Pays Fort » (meaning “Strong Country”) boasted pyramidal barns. Their mysterious presence towers above the hamlets of this small region: they appear now as an emblematic heritage of this territory proud of its strong identity, situated in between the Sologne and Sancerre counties in the Berry province.
The contemporary art course allons voir! aims at bringing a new life to these typical buildings from the North of the Cher department in France.
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allons voir ! 4th edition : A country wedding party
The fourth edition of allons voir ! wille take place friom July 2nd to September 18th 2022. The curator is Sophie Auger Grappin (director of the “Creux de l’Enfer” contemporary art center). The invited artists are : Karine Bonneval, Delphine Ciavaldini, Claude Pasquer, Marjolaine Turpin, Vladimir Skoda as welle as two young graduates ffrom the National Superior School of Art of Bourges –Léa Devenelle an Paul Ricci.
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Previous editions
allons voir ! 3rd edition : Point(s) of view
The third edition of allons voir ! took place from July 3rd to September 19th 2021. The curator was Gunther Ludwig and the invited artists were : Ladislas Combeuil, Chourouk Hriech, Tsama do Paço, Jeanne Tzaut, Thomas Wattebled as well as two young graduates from the National Superior School of Art of Bourges — Hana Kokolo and Thomas Bontemps – and one from the School of art and design of Tours — Hannah Barantin.
Ladislas Combeuil
Chourouk Hriech
Tsama do Paço
Jeanne Tzaut
Thomas Wattebled
Hannah Barantin
Thomas Bontemps
Hannah Kokolo
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allons voir ! 2nd edition
The artistic direction of the 2020 edition of the event was entrusted to Lucile Encrevé, art critic, and presents only female artists. The invited artists were Dominique De Beir, Ingrid Luche, Nadia Pasquer, and Heidi Wood, as well as two young emerging artists just graduated from the National Superior School of Art of Bourges, Lou Froehlicher and Tifaine Coignoux.
The FRAC Centre Val de Loire also collaborated with the loan of a piece by Maria Mallo: Germen Radiolario.
The event took place at the following sites :
Assigny, at the Joliveau farm owned since the 16th century by the Lelièvre family. The pyramidal barn was built in 1505 and is surrounded by several other buildings (housing, stables, workshop) around an old paved yard.
Barlieu, at the Badineau silo site: there one can see a modern rural architecture, as a pendent to the historical pyramidal barns.
Concressault, at the Moulin Riche one enjoys a water-mill, a pyramidal barn (registered as a historical monument), a sheep barn, a bread oven, and housings in a bucolic surroundings planted with century old trees.
In Vailly-sur-Sauldre, an old pyramidal barn coming from the neighboring village of Thou has been rebuilt at the entrance of the village, and hosts now the Tourism office and a rural museum.
Allons voir! is supported by :
French Ministry of Culture / Regional Direction for Cultural Affairs (DRAC) Center – Loire Valley
Center – Loire Valley Region
Cher Department Council (CD18)
Sancerre-Pays Fort-Val de Loire town council community
The city council of Vailly-sur-Sauldre
The city council of Barlieu
The city council of Concressault
Sponsoring
Martignon SAS
It benefits from the collaboration of :
Bourges National Superior School of Art (ENSA Bourges)
FRAC (Regional Fund for Contemporary Art) Center – Loire Valley
Cher Department Tourism Office (Ad2T-Berry Province)
Sancerre-Pays Fort-Val de Loire Tourisme Office