Nomadic Creations All Year Round

«Artists' Bivouacs »

In 1992 the St. Henri Association decided to further its summer encounters by going to meet artists in their own countries.
To do so, the St. Henri Association offers five artists the opportunity to come closer to the “art of other lands”, by living and working with five artists in a country interested in this approach and willing to welcome them.
As a result of these encounters, art works come to life and are exhibited in the host country as well as in France. One of the artists also creates a "carnet de voyage", a visual travel log.

The first Bivouac took place in 1992 in Gabon, Gabon in collaboration with the Franco-Gabonese Cultural Center and its director Yves de la Croix. Since then, there have been five more Bivouacs:

• In 1994, Bivouac in Niger in collaboration with the Franco-Nigerien Cultural Center and its director Yves de la Croix.
• In 1996, Bivouac in Argentina sponsored by the "Conseil Regional de Midi-Pyrénées" and the government of the province of Buenos Aires.
• In 1999, Bivouac in Vietnam in collaboration with the Association of Fine Arts of Ho Chi Minh Ville and the Hien Minh Gallery.
• In 2003, Bivouac in the Transsiberian direction Beijing.
• In 2005, Bivouac in Germany in Leipzig, in collaboration with the "Deutzen Kulturpark".
• In 2006, Bivouac in Germany in Jena, in collaboration with the gallery "Huber & Treff" of Jena.

15 years promoting Creation and Artists
Exhibitions, events, travel, artists’ demonstrations or happenings, and auctions. The St. Henri Association has undertaken many different methods to promote the work of artists, all totally independently.


EXHIBITIONS

1992
During the «Musée en Fête» event, and at the request of the curator of the Museum of African and Oceanian Arts, the association organized the exhibition of four contemporary African sculptors.

1993
Lenin Museum in Moscow, exhibition of drawings of six Russian artists with the staging of the museum set by four European artists.

1994/95
Exhibition of the works from the "Bivouac in Niger" at the Franco-Nigerien Center, during the "Festival de Francophonies" , in Limoges (France), Toulouse (France) and in Andorra.

1996
Exhibition of the works from the "Bivouac in Argentina" in the Museum of Fine Arts of Coronel Suarez (Province of Buenos Aires).

1997
Exhibition in Castelnaudary (France) of works by three painters: Konstantin Batynkov (Russian), Mindia Mnatobischivili (Georgian), Johannes Eckardt (German).

1999
Exhibition of the works of the "Bivouac in Vietnam" at the Museum of the Revolution in Ho Chi Minh City.

Exhibition of contemporary nativity scenes, conceived by Russian, Vietnamese, Italian, Spanish, Argentinean, and French artists, in the village of Benaocaz (Andalusia), and the creation of an installation by two French artists.

2001
Exhibition in Benaocaz, Andalusia, of French-Canadian, French, and Spanish artists, as well as an artistic installation in the main square of the village.

Exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City of works created by Gabonese, Spanish, and French artists.


2003
Exhibition in Argelès s/Mer (France) followed by an auction sale.

2004
Exhibition in Argelès s/Mer (France) followed by an auction sale.

ARTISTIC HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS

1992
ENTREPRENDRE AVEC ART
Since 1992 the St. Henri Association, in collaboration with "L’Ecole Supérieure de Commerce" of Toulouse (France), and Toshiba, has made works created during the summer encounters available to companies and organizations of the region.

LA NUIT DES ARTS
Organized in a 3000-square-meter warehouse, in Toulouse (France), "La Nuit des Arts" brought together 160 artists of different backgrounds, who worked together through the night of April 30th, before 7,000 stunned and delighted visitors.

1993
INAUGURATION OF THE "CENTRE DES CONGRÈS" OF LABÈGE, FRANCE
For the inauguration of the "Centre des Congrès" of Labège, the St. Henri Association created with four artists the esthetical staging of the center with aquatic modules, space structures, frescos, as well as a sculpture representing the visitor’s book of the center.

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA
Four artists from Toulouse (France) and four Gabonese artists followed the explorer’s route from Libreville, creating works of art as “milestones”.

1994/98
ESPACE MYRYS
St. Henri made the old Myris shoe factory available to artists of all backgrounds. For four years it served as a space for creation and exhibition, where numerous artists were able to carry out their projects.