by John Brunton
French Artist Marie Dargent presents her first exhibition in Trieste, opening at the Antico Caffè San Marco on Friday, 2 September.
Entitled Wine & Music, each original artwork uses antique sheet music discovered in a Brussels flea market. Marie then transforms these in her studio in Paris by printing onto each page of sheet music a brightly-colored selection of seasonal vine leaves she collected in the Collio and Collio Orientale vineyards of Friuli during previous visits to the region.
Her method to create these unique artworks is rarely used today, the ancient technique of hand-printing stone lithography, a medium that Marie has practiced throughout a long career, with personal exhibitions not only in Europe, but in South-East Asia and Japan, USA, Canada and in the Middle East.
Why did you choose to exhibit in Trieste?
For the last 30 years I divide my time between Paris and Venice, and one of my favorite regions to explore in Italy is Friuli Venezia Giulia. Trieste has always fascinated me, a very different atmosphere and ambiance from other Italian cities, and I often take the train here when staying in Venice. Then a recent encounter with the owners of Caffè San Marco immediately created a synergy between us, and I was delighted when they offered me the opportunity to exhibit in their splendid venue. I am often working on different themes in my art, such as Jungle Fever which I created to show in Malaysia where I also lived for 5 years, or Venice Unmasked for an exhibition in the French Alliance Française in Venice. And my collection on the theme of Wine & Music seems perfect to decorate the historic walls of Caffè San Marco.
What inspired you to create the theme of this exhibition?
I find that visual arts can be used to exalt other arts, as wine making and writing music. When i found this gold mine of vintage sheet music, I immediately thought I could use them as a support for printing lithographs. I already had a «collection» of vine leaves and I thought they could be my models to create original designs, each one being unique in it’s composition, colors on each unique sheet of paper. And so started the work of « Music&Wine ». It was a long and meticulous process, but fun at the same time, as any new idea can be.
Where do you prefer to show your works – formal art galleries or more alternative venues?
Although I exhibit my works as part of group shows in art galleries and museums, for my solo shows I have always preferred to seek out alternative venues where there is a more personal relationship, one which often endures over time. For example, we always try to organize a wine tasting for the inauguration of my exhibitions, and this is the second time Friuli winemaker Luca Sirch will present his wines for a tasting at the opening. Just before the Covid lockdown, my last major exhibition was in Malaysia, on the island of Borneo during the Borneo Jazz Festival, and the organizer of that event, Evelyn Hii, will be in Trieste on Friday for my opening, preparing a special music playlist along with Swiss musician and DJ, Jules Vulzor. These are the kind of special, emotional elements that can make an art exhibition extra special because you are able to organize everything yourself, more personal, less formal.
Wine&Music inauguration at Antico Caffè San Marco from 18-20h, Friday 2 September with a tasting of the wines of SIRCH Sarl. The exhibition runs until 30 September.
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