At first glance, one might think the place is deserted, abandoned to its fate, or that the address is wrong. And yet, it is in this old asylum with shattered windows and a rusty gate that the artists of the La Station collective are housed. When you push open the dilapidated door, Marion Orel, as if to reassure, offers a generous welcome accompanied by a wide smile and her big, open blue eyes. After a quick tour of the place, one can easily soak in the decor. A real construction site one might say, but also a living house where artists bustle freely. Everyone proudly gets involved and sets aside their projects in favor of the move to Cantaron, located 15 kilometers from Nice. “For now, we are just focusing on storing equipment, it’s the most important thing,” specifies Marion. “Certainly, it’s going to change us a lot and it’s temporary. But we’ll have much more space once we’re there.”
Around a corridor on the first floor, one comes across various workshops, sometimes for woodworking or metalwork. La Station shows great diversity in the works it has fostered since its inception in 1996. Marion can only confirm: “With more space, other projects can come to life. We are considering setting up a new screen printing workshop in the new premises.”
Outside, Jun Ko shows us a charming Japanese garden she used to take care of. Continuing the tour, one realizes that even the basement was used. You then enter two cells in succession where one could train under strict and harsh conditions. “These are all things we’ll miss and were an integral part of our uniqueness. It is thanks to this and our longevity that we have managed to maintain our credibility.”
Survival and solidarity
La Station is like a real beehive where six main volunteer members revolve, including Cédric Teisseire, one of the co-founders, who has always been delighted with the functioning mode. “La Station has always benefited from collective energy based on volunteer work, trust, and generosity. This same energy we inherited from Villa Arson represents an extraordinary dynamic for artists on the Côte d’Azur. One might say we have always acted as a sort of springboard in the field.”
It should be noted that the association clings as best it can despite the real estate problem. Although subsidized by the General Council and the city of Nice (to the tune of 10,000 euros per year), it currently finds no land support and must be content to reside in the old archive rooms of the CHU. It is not for lack of working for nearly eight years with the city council to achieve more concrete structural aid.
For now, La Station survives in Nice, with visits up this summer compared to previous years. Perhaps, it seems, due to the impending closure.
To be continued…
The visit ends with two large exhibition rooms on the ground floor where, until early September, one can admire pieces by Dominique Figarella. “We only exhibit artists external to La Station. In return, ours are also in demand elsewhere. We regularly receive invitations in Toulouse, at the Palais de Tokyo, or even abroad at the moment,” Marion confides with a hint of pride.
For now, the association members are exhibiting at the Castello della Lucertola in Apricale, Italy. Under the guise of the “Subito” project, you can find works by David Ancelin, Julien Bouillon, Natasha Lesueur, and Marc Chevalier there until August 24th.
