Exhibitions & Events

Cezanne, The Lights of Provence

he Atelier des Lumières in Paris holds an immersive digital exhibition

18 february 2022 - 2 january 2023

Cezanne, Lights of Provence » is an artistic experience created by Gianfranco Iannuzzi. via a thematic and intimate itinerary that promotes reflection. The immersive exhibition created and produced by Cutback under the artistic direction of Gianfranco Iannuzzi reveals Cezanne’s inner torment, the power of his compositions, his approach to light and colour, and his link with nature, which was his greatest source of inspiration and his obsession.

The first part of the exhibition immediately takes visitors into nature, amongst trees, which were so dear to Cezanne, evoking the revelations of an open-air painting. Like an ode to nature, this sequence combines several pictorial periods, from Impressionism to the painter’s last works.

In the second part; visitors find themselves amongst fascinating and mysterious figures represented with soft and light colours, and with extremely varied features. The idyllic setting of this part suddenly transformes into a nightmarish atmosphere in the third part: paintings of scenes of abduction, crimes, and fear fill the walls. This sudden transition reveals Cezanne’s inner torment and evokes his many reinterpretations of the Old Masters’ works. The harsh and distressing images gradually fade away and are replaced by the artist’s self-portraits, which he painted after photographs. The visitor’s gaze meets that of Cezanne, from all perspectives, and shares his moods, the intensity of his inner torment, and his private view of his contemporaries.

The fourth part immerses visitors in the heart of villages in Provence where Cezanne painted members of his family, his neighbours, and the people in his circle. In his home city, Cezanne found peace of mind. Colourful houses and landscapes alternate in a southern and popular atmosphere.

In the last two parts, the still lifes are enriched with floral compositions. Through their complexity and their many colours, they sweep visitors into a vortex of colour. The immersive exhibition opens onto vast maritime panoramas and the radiant colours of l’Estaque, evoking the tradition of classical landscape painting.

The exhibition makes visitors immersed in nature, under the vast canopy of the trees, forests, parks, and gardens, ending with the Cezannian representation of nature. His paintings are deeply and completely sincere, conveying the artist’s uncertainty and passion. Visitors will view representations that reflect the artist’s personal life: the self-portraits that capture his inner torment, the sobriety that resulted from the slow pace of daily life in Aixen-Provence, and the intimacy of his studio.