He met talented artists in Aveyron

From shadow to light, many of them have received true creative inspiration. Among them is the famous and important Ruthenian painter Pierre Soulages. And other artists, in other genres, be it photography, glassware, or song. At Aveyron, Sophie Covillard went to meet them.

In Rodez or elsewhere in Aveyron, Sophie Covillard met talented creators such as the young award-winning street photographer Jocelyn Calac, the master glassmaker Claude Baillon inspired by the sky and space, or the promising young rapper Andreas Touzet, nicknamed Lombre.

As the famous Ruthenian painter and master, Pierre Soulages, in one way or another, from one material to another, all display a common talent: the writing of light.

From shadow to light

At the Musée Soulages in Rodez, curator Benoît Decron introduces us to the incredible work of artist Pierre Soulages. Long before the museum was founded in 2014, he worked closely with the master for fifteen years.

Born in Rodez in 1919 in a craftsman’s quarter, Pierre Soulages grew up with the smell of leather and walnut shells. “He has always been fascinated by art.” Benoit Decron explains to Sophie: “The Magic and Autonomy of the Hand: Here’s What We Find at Work”.

As opposed to black, the master used oil paint, a natural dye extracted from walnut shell, otherwise known as walnut shell, widely used by artists and craftsmen since at least the Middle Ages.

Sophie stands in awe in front of “Outrenoir” produced by the artist in 2019. “Interest is the lines immersed in the light, the movement of the gaze gives life to the painting”the curator explains:

Without light, an “Outrenoir” work by Pierre Soulages cannot live. From light comes painting and vice versa.

Benoît Decron, curator of the Soulages museum in Rodez.

Reaching from the shadows to the light is also the goal of Andreas Touzet, aka Lombre, a young rapper from Ruthenian. he writes introspective texts that are always looking for hope : “When I write, it always feeds an inner vision, the darkness, to do good and seek the light.”.

The magic of the moment

In love with Rodez, Jocelyn Calac knows her hometown inside and out. In fog or full sun, he can often be seen walking the streets, ready to pull out his camera to capture the moment.

After a professional internship in the social sector, Joseline fell in love with photography. An art that he will learn on his own, on the Internet, thanks to tutorials. “The street inspires me” he said. “I like to play on contrasts and highlight the shadows of buildings steeped in history”. Admire the light to better capture it and get closer to the people it photographs. If the young artist was seen on Instagram, he materialized his works in books, for example “City Tour”a photography walk and a fresh look at the heart of the city.

The light of heaven and space

Light is an important element in stained glass work. It is at Millau that Sophie Covillard sets out to meet master glassmaker and master craftsman Claude Baillon.

In the stained glass windows that can be found in many Rouergate churches or chapels, the artist and craftsman translate the light of the sky.

Over time, and since 2012, his work has taken on another dimension, drawing inspiration from space and galaxies: “I work with metal oxides and enamels applied to industrial glasses: blue is cobalt, yellow is silver, and black is iron.” He then paints without brushes, using forced air to achieve a colourful, bright, unexpected and exceptional result.

Behind the scenes of Notre Dame Cathedral in Rodez

In another genre, stonemason Dominique Vermorel is also working to reveal the hidden beauties of an architectural gem: the 800-year-old Notre-Dame de Rodez church. The master takes us behind the scenes of the Gothic building. The maze between the cathedral’s labyrinthine stairs and flying buttresses leads us to the top of the tower: “We captured all the micro-cracks in the sculptures,” the craftsman explains to Sophie, “we replaced all the damaged stones, and everything was covered with lead.”. The restoration of the cathedral took three years.

And here we go back in history for centuries!

“O la belle vie: Rodez, from shadow to light” will be shown on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 12:55 p.m. StarMission submitted by Sophie Jovillard. Directed by Laurent Desvaux. A France 3 Occitanie/Grand Angle Productions co-production.