Gallery or exhibition space? How do you describe Atelier 20?
Actually, I have a hard time defining it. I initially said it was an exhibition space. I started out as a painter. But I let the artist hang their work as they wished; I intervened very little because I was very shy. The gallery owner profession seemed too commercial to me. I have an artistic background, not at all commercial. It was after the death of Silvio Brianti, a gallery owner, that I got started. He was a very human being, shy and reserved like me. I told myself that he had made it, I could go for it. I opened in 2015 with four or five exhibitions per year. Now I call it an associative gallery because I set up an association for Atelier 20 and decided to hold exhibitions on a theme. Here, I hang the works alone or with the artist. It's much more interesting than simply lending the space.
What are your choices as a gallery owner?
That's what I like as an artist. Quite minimalist things. In my practice, it's quite melancholic, quite nostalgic. Things that I seek as an artist and that can be found throughout the exhibitions.
Does your artistic practice continue?
Last year, I did fewer exhibitions to allow me to resume painting. But painting isn't a necessity for me. Whereas exhibitions are a necessity.
Do you feel more like a transmitter than a creator?
Yes, that's a bit like it. I love discovering, hanging works. For me, hanging is a creation. Putting two works side by side means something, occupying the space means something. A story is created with each exhibition.
What exhibitions have left their mark on the space?
There was Family History in 2021, just after the COVID-19 pandemic. Around ten artists took over the apartment, which had been furnished for the exhibition, with painting, sculpture, and video. It was really interesting to explore the atypical nature of this gallery-apartment. We worked in collaboration with the Omnibus, which was holding an exhibition on the same theme. There was Trait d'union, with artists who took a 19th-century painting and created a contemporary interpretation. As a painter, I'm also interested in seeing how other artists approach the subject. And Guillaume Toumanian's exhibition in 2017, which has since exhibited in Parisian galleries and at the MOCO in Montpellier.
Between a free exhibition space and an association gallery, what's your business model?
The space belongs to my family; it doesn't have rent; my parents pay for the electricity and heating. There's also the commission on the works sold. And the association memberships allow for a small budget to pay for advertising, buffets, etc. But, I still have difficulty filling out grant applications, and the only thing that helps us is the town hall, which gives us €300. I need to overcome this problem to apply for other grants to find a balance.
What's on display at Atelier 20 right now?
Currently, there's an exhibition by Pauline Zenk, a German painter who works between Berlin and Toulouse, with around thirty works that allows visitors to discover her work.
And after?
The next exhibition is from May 23rd to June 29th. It's Silent Life, featuring former fine arts students Valery Lorenzo, Geneviève Démereau, and Peggy Kluck, whose very colorful work I love, which I exhibited a few years ago and who died last January. And my grandmother Suzanne Dartigalongue, who drew a lot of inspiration from De Staël and Braque in her still lifes. In September, there will be an exhibition featuring drawings and poems by Pierre Colin's students. A poet teacher I had in first grade, who did wonderful work introducing people to art. In December, there will be an exhibition of young artists, for a Christmas art market. The next exhibition is already planned for 2026, with an exhibition in January featuring Céline Plantier, who does art therapy with the Oxygem association to help mentally disabled patients. I'm happy to be doing this exhibition because it means a lot to me. I've planned an exhibition about the countryside in June 2026. Five or six artists are currently scheduled.
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