From March 24 to April 8, 2019, takes place at the Fort Fleur d’Épée in the town of Le Gosier the exhibition titled “Que sommes-nous?” (What are we?) which is presented by Guadeloupean painter Lucien Léogane and students from his studio, “L’Atelier de Lucien”. Two other artists were invited to share this event with them. It’s the 2nd part of the artistic work elaborated from the sentence by French painter Paul Gauguin, “Where do we come from?, What are we? Where are we going?”.
The “apéro-démarrage” or private view of the second part called “Que sommes-nous?” (What are we?) of this annual exhibition prepared by the Atelier de Lucien went in a very convivial atmosphere. It must be said that the weather was glorious last Sunday in Guadeloupe and more particularly in the town of Le Gosier where is located the Fort Fleur d’Épée, a place steeped with history which dates from the 18th century and overlooks the beautiful beach of Grand-Baie.
Well-kown Guadeloupean painter, Lucien Léogane, five of his students – Élisabeth Tharsis-Mugnier, Sulyanise Charles, Marie Bogat, Viviane Pelus et Nadine Henri – as well as two guest artists (Alex Boucaud and Bizo) got together to show to the audience a preview of their works. Every artist had brought some home-made dishes and drinks (which showed that these artists also have culinary talents!) to welcome their guests and celebrate the end of this cycle devoted to convey through art the famous sentence by French painter Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) : “Where do we come from?, What are we? Where are we going?”. Among the guests, there were art lovers but also artists – painter Patricia Barchant, sculptor Nicole Favières-Bourguignon, sculptor Patrick Proust, the manager of the International Zouk Festival of Guadeloupe (FIZ) Eugène Louisor etc.) – who came to congratulate and encourage their colleagues.
The felling of well-done job
A man was particularly satisfied with this group exhibition. It was the master Lucien Léogane that we already introduced on the occasion of the exhibition titled “D’où venons-nous?” (Where do we come from?).
“As last year, the most regular students of the studio are exhibiting. They worked for a year to present these paintings. This is a beautiful exhibition”, said in spite of his modesty the one who invented with other Guadeloupean plastic artists the “Koukara” artistic movement in the 1980s which integrated elements of nature into the works.
Indeed, the exhibition “Que sommes-nous?” is beautiful. The master and his students, as last year, gave free rein of their imagination but they did not forget the theme and produced about thirty abstract and representational paintings made in acrylic and oils (with a predominance of orange, yellow and blue) sometimes with the addition of rusty sheet metal, sand and others. As last year too, new wooden sculptures by the sculptor with the chainsaw, Alex Boucaud who started his career 15 years ago are presented to the audience; in addition, a clay sculpture and a large painting by the graffiti artist Bizo are part of this exhibition.
Next year, Lucien Léogane and his students from “L’Atelier de Lucien” will deal with the 3rd and last part of this artistic work.
