Mural And Spatial
Until October, the Cité internationale de la tapisserie in Aubusson, France is collaborating with the Fondation Toms Pauli de Lausanne to present an international exhibition dedicated to the Biennials of Lausanne (Switzerland) of the 1960s. The Biennials were highly significant to 20th century tapestry art.
The exhibition explores the rapid transformations in tapestry art that took place over seven years (1962 - 1969). The concepts, rules, uses and techniques in force since the Second World War were called into question by the first tapestry biennials in Lausanne. Created by Pierre Pauli, his wife Alice, and Jean Lurçat, these international events aimed to present the latest developments in contemporary tapestry art. Very quickly, however, these biennials became the centre of a complete overhaul of so-called "traditional" tapestry and the crucible of a new, freer approach.
The result of a great amount of international research, about thirty-five original tapestries from the biennials will be reunited for the exhibition. The pieces chosen to be on display illustrate classic French mural design by Lurçat and his artists contemporaries (such as Prassinos, Picasso, Delaunay), which were woven by national manufacturers or the Aubusson ateliers. Other tapestries display the diversity of European and American production (by tapestry artists like Somville, Yoors, Adam and Scholten).
Until 6 October 2019, Cité internationale de la tapisserie, BP 89 – Rue des Arts
23200 Aubusson, France.
Blog post by Jessica Edney. Read next: Lesley Millar's article Air Born in the Japan Blue issue. Subscribe to Selvedge here.