February 11 – May 29, 2011 at the André Villers Photography Museum
Opening: Thursday, February 10 at 7 p.m.
Photographers Jérôme Kelagopian and Emmanuel Breton turn back time and pay homage to one of the most remarkable societies humanity has known to date: the Cistercians.
If one takes an interest in the history of our town, we learn that it shared its destiny with the Lérins Abbey. In the 11th century, the territory of Mougins was donated to the religious congregation living under the rule of Saint Benedict. In a way, Mougins was a gift from heaven for the monks, offering a unique view over the entire bay. This allowed them to forewarn of any hostile intrusion. However, protection was sometimes insufficient, as massacres occurred on the island on several occasions.
This shared history ended just before the Revolution. Saint Honorat Island dedicated itself to worship again in 1869 with the arrival of Cistercian monks from the Sénanque Abbey.
Just a short distance from the festive and glamorous life of Cannes, the Cistercian monks uphold an existence based on centuries-old foundations. Most of their actions are grounded in the strict observance of the Benedictine rule, which advocates asceticism and withdrawal from the world to better approach God.
By visiting the Lérins islands, photographer Jérôme Kelagopian shared the daily life of these extraordinary people. In the rhythm of prayers, meditation, and study, he managed to capture this atmosphere of calm, respect, and solemnity that one no longer finds in our world that struggles to stop, even for a photographic pose.
Kelagopian’s photographs allow us to become aware of an aspect of humanity that has chosen a profound truth, detaching from any word other than that dictated by their belief. These photographs draw their strength from the natural conviction that animates this community and offer a counterpoint to many of the excesses we are commonly accustomed to observing in the spectacle society offers us.
Among the precepts laid down by the Cistercians, self-sufficiency is a means to distance themselves from the world. The work of the vineyard and wine production are among these so-called secular tasks undertaken by the monks. The fervor that drives them is identical regardless of the circumstances, with love and respect for life present in the strength of their gaze.
The Cistercians are wonderful architects, exceptional builders. Their quest for simplicity is realized in their religious edifices, whose formal purity immediately immerses us in contemplation when we open their doors. Emmanuel Breton literally let himself be absorbed into the heart of the Pontigny Abbey, founded in 1114. It is one of the Burgundian jewels of Cistercian art, erected in the birthplace of this religious movement.
The photographer focused his compositions on what makes this architecture powerful, with its taut lines designed to create the most beautiful acoustics, allowing carefully diffused light to enter. Depending on the time of day, the stone transforms, taking on tones that render it light or imposing, revealing that ethereal aspect inherent in any religious building.
