Art caché

We went to the annual art exhibition in Albas with Ingrid and G today. The art is displayed in barns and gardens around the village. It was already a scorcher when we arrived at 10:30, and by 12:30 we were more than ready to repair to the shady square where the food trucks were to restore ourselves with cold drinks, food, and ice cream. After lunch we rapidly went around the remaining exhibits. I don't know how they consistently manage to find 20-25 new high-quality artists every year, but they do. It's always interesting.

No, I haven't blipped any of the art (except, see extra). After we'd done the rounds, practically expiring in the heat, we returned to exhibitor one in the Mairie, photographer Marc Déotte. They usually only host one photographer, but there were three or four this year and his work really stood out. He's had a long and varied career, with varied subjects and styles, all shot with film. I loved his colourful abstracts, especially his series on abandoned caves coopératives in Languedoc. He was a friendly chap too ... I cracked and bought one of the cave ones, which is already on the wall -- may be blipped later. G dithered for half an hour and ended up buying two. By artistic standards he was doing a roaring trade -- he sold half a dozen large prints while we were there. I can't find much online about him -- he obviously feels he doesn't need the exposure.

The car thermometer read 42C ... we drove home with the AC on full blast and all retreated indoors for the rest of the afternoon.

In the evening Ingrid, S and I went to the free piano concert in Lagrasse. I might have reconsidered if I'd known it was a Proust themed programme (yes, I have tried and failed with Proust multiple times). I could have done without the readings, and not all of the music was to my taste. But singer and pianist were very talented. And it was pleasant to be out after dark in a bearable temperature ("only" 28C). On the way home two lucky cats and a wild boar crossed my path ...