The desire and serendipitous circumstances granted me the opportunity to fulfill my dream - visiting the 'Cité Radieuse de Marseille' designed by Le Corbusier. Not only did I visit, but I also had the chance to work there - in the excellently curated 'Collective Cité Radieuse' gallery, with the Mediterranean Sea in view through the window. At that moment, the gallery was hosting the exhibition of the great Italian illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli (@olimpiazagnoli). Lunch breaks (and sunbaths) on the iconic roof, meeting one interesting visitor after another, with whom it was fascinating to chat about everything or something very specific, added to the experience. As September approached, the house filled with returning vacationers, most of whom I respectfully called Characters. I observed and marveled, every day anew.
Besides facilitating an exhibition and managing the gallery, I also conducted my artistic explorations and research about the building itself and its surrounding context. After a month in the 'Cité Radieuse' of Le Corbusier in Marseille as a creative resident of 'Kolektiv Cité Radieuse', I created a mixed-media limited edition print series titled “Hide and Seek - an ode to brutalism through the lens of light & shadow.”
To observe how the building manifested itself in different social, architectural, urban, cultural, and other layers, I wandered inside and outside, mainly following the light - the key to the 'Cité Radieuse's' brutal aesthetics. The light, always accompanied by shadow, was like a litmus paper, highlighting and allowing us to enjoy the expressive shapes, textures, materiality, and structure.
Prints could be purchased exclusively at Galerie Kolektiv 318 (Marseille, France).
Forever grateful to 'Collective Cité Radieuse' and Galerie Kolektiv 318 for this invaluable experience.
And to Fran Arbesu for encouraging me to pursue my dream in the first place, and to Thomas Fasquel for making it possible by hosting me that summer.
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