Set in the two-storey village of Fort Saint-Jean, the exhibition presents visitors with a Mediterranean landscape shaped by the artists’ worlds, some of whose works stem from remarkable collaborations with several of le19M’s Maisons d’art. While material is the main theme of the exhibition, its multiple transformations embody the very essence of the handicrafts, the mastery of different techniques, and the knowledge that make up our intangible heritage. This shared cultural heritage passes on its secrets, as wool becomes thread, earth takes shape through ceramics, or plants give colour to fabrics destined to be folded, sewn, and transformed by other hands.
In this way, each creation brings forth individual stories with a collective scope: that of a rite of passage, a family tale, a migratory history, or the memory of a journey.
From embroidered ceramics to weaving on screens, from the play of light to plant or mineral textures, the exhibition invites visitors to explore as many different media as their associated savoir-faire, both historical and innovative. The emerging art scene enters into conversation with established artists around motifs charged with universal symbols, punctuated by iconography that is emblematic of Marseille. The representation of these worlds is expressed in a contemporary visual language, imbued with sensitivity, poetry, and sometimes a touch of humour. Like a spreading wave, each work resonates and reveals those around it, in spaces where the intimacy of the studio can be felt while opening up to the world.
Augmented by documentary resources and a cabinet of curiosities where archives, tools, and samples reveal the diversity of the Métiers d’art of le19M, the exhibition also encourages sensory discovery by inviting the public to participate in the creation of embroidered works.
The experience becomes a journey to the heart of the senses. Each stage, each artistic stopover, reveals a wealth of disciplines, new horizons, and above all, encounters with creators deeply committed to the art of material.
Many of the artists on show are already making their mark on Marseilles' cultural scene, while others have devised new collaborations with the Maisons d'art du 19M and others will be presenting works already exhibited by la Galerie du 19M or its partners for the first time in Marseilles.
