Press Kit – February 2024
Philosophy
4 points to understand Art Capital
created by Artists for Artists
To enable artists’ associations to organise a major annual exhibition.
A springboard of international renown
Over 2,000 international artists come together every year
A showcase for the ongoing commitment of enthusiastic fans
With hundreds of active volunteers and 3,000 participants, all of whom, in their own way, support the spirit of Art Capital freedom.
The must-attend event that gives pride of place to creativity while respecting diversity
PHOTO GALLERY
Download our latest photos
and the official poster
Click here
A RENOWNED SPRINGBOARD FOR ARTISTS AND AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS
Art Capital is the must-attend event that gives pride of place to creativity while respecting diversity.
This event is a showcase for the ongoing commitment of enthusiastic fans, with hundreds of active volunteers and 3,000 participants, all of whom in their own way support the spirit of Art Capital freedom. And that’s exactly what young artists are looking for, because volunteering is a powerful lever for social inclusion and education.
Testimonial - Hélène Mirobent
Personal details, background, activities, projects
A graduate of ESAA « Duperré » and the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD Paris), Hélène Mirobent divides her time between teaching and painting.
Technique and approach :
Paper is used as a support and material for her artistic work, and is most often mounted on canvas. The gesture is essential: painting the paper, cutting into the colour…
In the quest for a new approach to light, the paper is patiently folded and glued, to reveal the vibration of light, the murmur of colours, the softness of a breath, the breath of eternity…
« The artist suggests dreamlike landscapes, creating colourful atmospheres in which she immerses visitors. She develops a new, original and personal way of creating. Paper ‘sculpted’ in this way becomes poetic when the lines and shapes conjure up the imagination for a jubilant choreographic game » (Aralya).
What does volunteering at Art Capital involve and what do you do?
My role at the exhibition: Assistant to the President, Daniel Gallais, for the guests of honour.
Once the guests of honour have been chosen by the Show’s president, we take care of all the administration. Contacting collectors, galleries and museums to arrange the loan of works, transport, insurance, etc. Writing texts about the artists for the catalogue and kakemonos. Listing the works and obtaining photos. On-site supervision of dispatching, checking that the works have been unpacked and repacked correctly. Have the labels made, and install them with the kakemonos containing texts about the artists (biography and approach) and the collectors.
I have to juggle my job as a teacher, a painter, organising the Salon and … the necessities of everyday life…
Why is this association-based art fair model important, what does it mean to you, what does it bring you, etc.?
It is very important to be able to bring a wide range of artistic creations to a broad public. The association allows a great deal of freedom in artistic expression, with quality as the only criterion, which means that we can escape from a more or less imposed cultural uniformity.
Art Salons based on associations are freer, allowing young emerging artists to exhibit their work far from the official circuits. In the same spirit of showcasing artistic diversity, the Salons d’Art also have a role to play in preserving the memory of ‘older’ artists, who young people will be delighted to discover.
The existence of these major art fairs is essential to the dynamism, vitality and emulation of the creative process, which can only take place within a framework of great diversity.
Testimonial - Sébastien Pridmore
Personal details, background, activities, projects
My name is Sébastien Pridmore and I’m a Franco-Swiss painter. My artistic career is defined by the principles of research. During this decade dedicated to art, my technique has been based on the use of natural materials such as food pigments, plant extracts, flowers, minerals and earth. Today, I divide my time between Switzerland and the United States, where I hold exhibitions and take on commissions for paintings and frescoes, both public and private.
What does volunteering at Art Capital involve and what do you do?
As a member of the new social media team for the Salon du Dessin et Peinture à l’Eau, we ensure a continuous presence throughout the year to maintain constant visibility. My commitment as a volunteer focuses on promoting the Salon and supporting participating artists.
Why is this association-based art fair model important, what does it mean to you, what does it bring you, etc.?
Contributing as a volunteer to this prestigious Salon d’Art Capital and the Salon du Dessin et Peinture à l’Eau is a real pleasure. This associative model is of particular importance to me, as it provides an inclusive platform for artists to showcase their work to a diverse audience. Taking part in this event gives me immense pride, not least in exhibiting my own work as a painter, and I’m honoured to be contributing to the cultural vitality of our community.
Testimonial - Michèle Savoye
Personal details, background, activities, projects
A painter and draughtswoman, she studied Fine Arts at secondary school, then at the Hourdé studio and at the Beaux Arts de Paris in Serge Saunières’ studio … The path made work … I became a dplg architect in 1987.
My transition into an architecture agency, then into the urban and social environment where I was twice awarded a prize by the Ministry for my urban colourimetry work in Montrouge, brought me back to my pictorial research.
Alongside this job, I returned to my first passion, working in workshops with masters of abstraction and figuration (Jerôme Tisserand, Thibaut de Reimpré, Hélène Legrand, etc.) and now as a freelance artist.
Curious, eclectic and passionate, I am constantly questioning the importance of beauty in all its diversity, particularly through oriental thought, tales, myths, urban utopias and the predominance of nature over our earthly illusions…
What does volunteering at Art Capital involve and what do you do?
There can be no voluntary work without commitment, passion and sharing. It’s a team effort that can only be as professional as such an historic public event… We are constantly « on stage » and behind the scenes… Art at the service of Art. It’s a continuity as well as a transmission that must not stop.
One of my main tasks is to bring together all the visuals of the works proposed by the artists and pass them on to the Committee and the Chairman for selection. Like the other members of the committee, I’m on the lookout all year round for quality artists to join us.
Why is this association-based art fair model important, what does it mean to you, what does it bring you, etc.?
This model for the Salon, based on associations, is important because it must assert a humanist and professional awareness of art. It is in fact a social and political resonance of its practice.
Testimonial - Frédéric Ariet
Personal details, background, activities, projects
Plastic artist and mosaicist, graduate of the Duperré school, founder and president of the AnversAuxAbbesses association. Participates in the Dessin Peinture à l’Eau exhibition since 2015. Awarded by the @dagp in 2023. His Anthropomorphies on paper were selected to illustrate the book Immensité Minuscule, by Mireille Dupuy.
Also noticed by Nouvelles Images and IKEA. Pilots participative mural painting and mosaic projects in Paris and the Île-de-France region.
Works mainly with acrylic on paper. For several years now, the gestures used by this painter have been developing the infinite variations and multiple transformations effected by the human body.
His signs and traces touch us because they seem to come from far away.
The Anthropomorphies have a close link with the first human traces, nestling in the hollows of rocky parroys.
As well as parietal art, they sometimes evoke the enigmatic aspect of early writing.
They also have the elegance of choreography, the brutality of combat and the dynamism of sport.
They have the charm and surprise of our different encounters.
They sum up and express our entire lives.
What does volunteering at Art Capital involve and what do you do?
It’s a commitment with other artists for the artists. After supervising the installation of the picture rails and lighting, and helping to hang the works, for the last two years I’ve been in charge of the Yellow Room, where the small formats are shown. It’s a reception area for both the public and the artists. Managing the teams of volunteers involved in setting up the exhibition, hanging it, showing it to the public and helping them to make purchases, of which there are many each year.
Why is this association-based art fair model important, what does it mean to you, what does it bring you, etc.?
These historic exhibitions are part of our cultural heritage. They are living witnesses to the different artistic practices of today and the commitment of artists. They provide a vast panorama of contemporary artistic creation, with all its richness and diversity, enabling us to showcase our work in a prestigious setting. It’s also an opportunity to win prizes awarded by our peers and institutions. Being selected for this show is a highly motivating recognition. What’s more, the four shows that make up Art Capital, each with their own particular identity, are a true sign of authenticity, independence and freedom!
