We are still in the midst of the major event devoted to Giono and Photography. It is in this context that his granddaughter, Agnès Durbet Giono, (a visual artist) and our colleague Henri Kartmann, are showing two very different series of works, with one thing in common: Jean Giono.
To begin with, it is worth knowing that Jean Giono was a great lover of photography other people’s, that is. He himself owned no camera and never took pictures. Instead, he would rummage everywhere in search of a photograph, a family album, a photographic collection. Then, discovering and leafing through his finds, he would extract certain portraits to turn into characters for his literary wanderings. He loved photographs and made them a vehicle for his thoughts.
It is from this habit that Agnès Durbet Giono, drawing on the personal memories she has kept of it, has set out to reinterpret the use of these images. Her approach relies on her more graphic, visual-artist’s touch to bring a new setting to images of the past. The use of gouache, watercolor, and unconventional supports serves the continuity of this heritage.
The approach is interesting and highly appealing. That said, the volumetric presence of the photographs within the piece remains somewhat under-proportioned. The photograph ought to be the starting point for reading each image, anchoring the shift into the artist’s fascinating universe. Having to solve a kind of initial riddle to find the start of the thread can discourage the uninitiated. That is a shame, because the approach, running parallel to Jean Giono’s own, is truly rooted in a passion examined from every angle.
It is regrettable, for the artist, that the limited resources granted by local authorities for showcasing this work force lay visitors to make an extra effort to interpret it properly.
I urge you to go not to see, but to immerse yourself in this exhibition. Agnès’s passions generate the atmosphere; her atmosphere satisfies the passion.
In the second part of the exhibition, Henri Kartmann presents photographs of the Durance, made after the texts of Jean Giono. I presented the works from this exhibition in this same magazine on September 5, 2023. I refer you to that article.
Thierry Maindrault
EXHIBITION
« suivez mon regard »
through August 26, 2026
Centre Carzou [Salle Voutée]
05 rue des potiers
04100 Manosque
from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm
open every day except Monday and Tuesday.
