Galerie du Globe
There’s something very tranquil about trees; the calming shades of green and brown, the way the light filters through the leaves, the varying textures in the bark. So it was rather pleasant to find myself surrounded by them last night in Argentière. Indoors.
On Thursday night gallery manager and local artist Jan Davison hosted an open evening to celebrate the latest addition to the Chamonix Valley art scene, the Galerie du Globe in Argentière. Located opposite the train station in the refurbished ground floor of the historic Hotel du Globe the gallery has a deceptively small facade, which upon entry reveals a wider exhibition space. The old hotel, dating back to the 1890’s, has been sympathetically restored to create a modern gallery that retains much of the charm and period features of the original building. The clean white interior is made more welcoming than your average gallery by the addition of a central free-standing open fire and a bar serving drinks and nibbles.
Their first exhibition is entitled Arboretum and is due to run until 15/02/08. Showcasing images of trees by local photographers John Norris and Dan Milner and artist Cornelius Wright the work on display is varied and absorbing. And will inevitably lead to the wistful game of ‘if money was no object, which ones would you buy...’ Utilizing a range of media and approaching the subject matter from diverse angles I was drawn around the room at random, as different images caught my eye. Often in a gallery you will see people walking round in an orderly fashion; one following the other, sometimes spending more time reading the accompanying cards than looking at the actual artwork. Tonight, however, I didn’t seem to be the only person who was just enjoying flitting from tree to tree; finding some images arresting, some calming, but all of them quite fascinating.
Local artists including Johny ‘Midnight’ Reid and photographer Jeremy Wilson turned up to show their support and by around 9pm there was a good crowd and a very convivial atmosphere. Jan intends to continue this welcoming vibe into the day to day running of the gallery, encouraging visitors to relax with a coffee while they take their time browsing the collection. The subject matter of this inaugural exhibition is indicative of the ethos of the Galerie du Globe in that all profit from the gallery will go to humanitarian and environmental causes. Their ambitions for the gallery are expressed on their website,
“As with our globe, permanently rotating on its own axis as well as rotating around the sun, the Globe Gallery sees itself as a dynamic place. Their innate curiosity will always inspire the Globe Gallery team to explore new artistic horizons.
The Globe Gallery will play host to travelers, globe trotters, people who live, breathe and are inspired by the world in which they live.
In this wonderful place, the aim is to give these people their chance, to encourage promising artists……while also displaying the work of established artists.
The gallery will showcase diverse and exciting art……a place for artists, art lovers, collectors or even just the curious! Paintings, sculptures, photography, video art, film and design …
The central theme of all the exhibited works will be the environment in all its shapes and forms: the earth, water, rock, forests, landscapes…”
The next scheduled exhibition will showcase the work of Japanese artist Takeo Adachi. Keep an eye on our What’s On calendar for future exhibitions and events. For further details of museums, galleries and exhibitions in the Chamonix Valley please click here.
