Oscar Wilde at the turn of the 20th century believed that what is found in life and nature is not what is really there, but is that which artists have taught people to find there, through art. Les Jardins d’Étretat has invited sculptors from various countries to interpret this in their work.
Founded by French actress Madame Thébault in 1905, Les Jardins d’Étretat have been recently revived and expanded by the Paris – based landscape architect Alexandre Grivko, (Il Nature). He has reimagined much of the planting, added striking topiary to the 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) space integrating contemporary art installations. Influenced by designer and architect Vito di Bari’s 2007 ‘Neo-Futuristic City Manifesto’, which calls for the blending of art, technology, ethical values and nature, the garden is an experimental, avant-garde space open to the public since 2017.
Les Jardins d’Étretat is a creative experimental laboratory and an open-air museum of contemporary art, whose display consists of permanent and temporary expositions. Artworks are an indispensable core of the garden. Traditionally, there are known five major types of the garden: regular French, landscape English, formal Italian, as well as Asian and Oriental gardens. Experientially, Alexandre Grivko, develops new unique, sixth, garden style which he envisions as the garden of the future.
Founded by French actress Madame Thébault in 1905, Les Jardins d’Étretat have been recently revived and expanded by the Paris – based landscape architect Alexandre Grivko, (Il Nature). He has reimagined much of the planting, added striking topiary to the 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) space integrating contemporary art installations. Influenced by designer and architect Vito di Bari’s 2007 ‘Neo-Futuristic City Manifesto’, which calls for the blending of art, technology, ethical values and nature, the garden is an experimental, avant-garde space open to the public since 2017.
Les Jardins d’Étretat is a creative experimental laboratory and an open-air museum of contemporary art, whose display consists of permanent and temporary expositions. Artworks are an indispensable core of the garden. Traditionally, there are known five major types of the garden: regular French, landscape English, formal Italian, as well as Asian and Oriental gardens. Experientially, Alexandre Grivko, develops new unique, sixth, garden style which he envisions as the garden of the future.
Les Jardins d’Étretat offer an iconic view over La Manche that once inspired artists, such as Claude Monet, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Eugène Delacroix and Edouard Manet.
The exhibition is truly international in scope and showcases sculptures by 24 participants. The results of the sculpture competition will be announced in October 2019.
| Cyrille André (France) | Karen Papacek (Australia) |
| Fabienne Bonneau (France) | Hywel Pratley (UK) |
| Chris Bazireau (France) | Daria Surovtseva (Russia) |
| Cristina Ataíde (Portugal) | Paola Grizi (Italy) |
| Nazar Bilyk (Ukraine) | Ghislaine Vernaujoux (France) |
| Jean-Marc de Pas (France) | M.P.C.E.M (France) |
| Adrienne Jalbert (USA) | Félix Valdelièvre ( France) |
| Shuengit Chow (China) | Philippe Desloubières (France) |
| Nicolas Lavarenne (France) | Béatrice Bizot (Spain) |
| Gianna Dispenza (USA) | Andrée Goudron (France) |
| Gevorg Tadevosyan (Armenia) | Erlend Van Landeghem (Belgium) |
| Renaud Matgen (Belgium) | Félix Valdelièvre (France) |
| Dashi Namdakov (Russia) |
The Jury members were; Pauline de Laboulaye (art historian, curator, administrator of the Foundation Antoine de Galbert in Paris), Sebastien Montabonel (director of the Foundation Art Institutions of the 21st Century in London), Jérôme Félin - Plastic Arts Councillor at the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Rouen (France), Maria Rus Bojan - Founder of MB Art Agency, international contemporary art curator and advisor (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and Anthony Fawcett (curator and art critic, London, UK).
