Poster for "Le Collectif de Sigean" inaugural Exposition/Exhibition

Comment

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on August 24, 2013 at 2:14pm

Thank you for the 2 messages, Gabriele Astrid.

One comment on the Galerie, and then let's leave it and get back to the Exhibition which opens in about 2 3/4 hours time.

There is a wine producing co-operative in Sigean. (Wine is the only major economic activity in the village). The co-operative recently moved to a new building, leaving its large one in the centre of Sigean empty. Controversially (because it cost a lot of taxpayer's money: €1.6m, I think) the Mairie bought the co-operative's building and land for 'social purposes'. This was a a dfensive move as it didn't want the site to be turned into a housing estate (that's another subject altogether). In a recent conversation I had with the Assistant Mayor, she said that the Mairie does not know what to do with the building, but one suggestion was to turn part of it into some sort of grand Creative Studio/Workspace. This is a very good idea, but, if it is ever realised, it will take a long time before it happens, and cost a lot of money which will have to be raised from somewhere.

Probably from my taxes!

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on August 24, 2013 at 5:18am

Thank you again, GAH.

I don't want to discuss different Franco-German toilets here; just to say they are different, and my preference would always be for the German one.

There are some beautiful houses in the historical part of the village, but the Mairie does nothing, or pays anything, to help beautify their external appearance. That is sad, because the result is a failure to protect, preserve and promote the village's cultural inheritance.

At Christmas time, the temperature will be about 5-10°. We only get snow -- and then only a few mms of snow -- once every 3-4 years. The problem with a shop (and galleries) is finding someone to staff it for several hours a day. There would not be many visitors, and just a few tourists in the winter monhs -- and the visitors have more money than the residents.

How many artists are there in Sigean? It is hard to say. I know of about 10 contemporary artists (8 in the Collectif), 20 other artists who are enrolled in a weekly art class, some print-makers (there is a wonderful art printing press here), a few sculptors, etc. If I know of say 40 artists, there must be at least that many that I do not know about, so the total number would be 75-100 (depending of course on how you define an 'artist').

The Collectif does not have a web-site. It light come later, if there is to be a later. I am very worried that the Collectif might not survive the next 18 hours as a collective. ( I might not either at the rate things are going).

VMH

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on August 23, 2013 at 4:45am

Thank you.

We are getting a long way from the Exhibition of le Collectif, but...well that's IUOMA!

One of the main problems with the Galerie is that it has no water supply, hence no toilets. that limits it's use in a major way. It's also quite small, no more than 30 meters long and 5 meters wide.

It would be possible to hold a Christmas Arts and Crafts and Food and Drink Fair there, but they already take place in Sigean -- there are 2 or 3 quite large ones in the Sports Hall/Communal Centre in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Lots of the local villages have something like this, and the 'big' towns like Narbonne (pop. 60,000) have a Christmas market along the (German) lines that your are thinking -- with gluhwein, too!

What I had in mind was to offer 'creative' space for a few artists in the Galerie in the winter months where they could paint, sculpt, etc.

As to my 'PR & marketing skills' (ha! but thanks), well some days I spend too little time being an artist and too much time being an enterpreneur and promoter of the arts. I have to find some time to be a Mail Artist, too!

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on August 22, 2013 at 8:51pm

Perhaps. Most of the tourists will have gone by the end of the month -- hoorah! And then Sigean can go back to be a sleepy little village. (There were only 4500 people here when I arrived 12 years ago, and I am definitely not responsible for the population growth.) Apparently, the Galerie is cold and damp in the winter months -- there is no heating there -- and that is why it is kept closed. Although we have offered to provide enough heating for us to work there...

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on August 22, 2013 at 4:59am

Salut, GAH! I can't find much information about what the chateau was like, but it seems to have existed as early as the 12th century. It could have been a cellar vault -- the rounded sides suggest this, although the floor and ceiling are obviously recent -- but it is above the city walls. It might it have beeen a winter banqueting room (?). Yes, it would look good with candles. The Galerie is only open for the summer months of the year, alas. I'm working on the Mairie/Radhuis to let the Collectif use it for other months, but there are political problems -- ie next year's local elections -- that are delaying a decision on this. But 2 days from now, our Exhibition opens!

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on August 21, 2013 at 7:17pm

Thank you, Gabriele Astrid, for your good wishes.

I'm sorry that you cannot attend this Exhibition. There will be more by the Collectif, so perhaps you can come to a later one.

There are two women in the collective -- a painter and a photographer. I couldn't possibly say which is my partner and which is my girl friend!

This photo is NOT of the Chateau in Sigean -- I do not know which Chateau it comes from. There is not even a Chateau in Sigean today! It was destroyed in either circa 1642 or circa 1789. The only part of it that remains is what is now the Galerie du Château.

Photos of an earlier exhibition in it are below.

I'll post photos the Collectif's exhibition later.

Regards, Val

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