OK, so for months this spring (2022), in advance of the exhibit’s July opening and to this day (late August), this poster has been plastered all over Bernay:

Let me just say, “ça donnait pas trop envie.” I mean, what kind of extase are we talking about here? Is this religious? (Auto)erotic? Looks a lot more like agony to me. Death throes. Dysentery.

I know, I’m a philistine. J’assume.

So, though the artistry is undeniable, I just couldn’t get excited about it.

But, because Le Rouge et le Noir was having a book signing by Ernest Pignon-Ernest and André Velter (whom I’d also never heard of – again, philistine), I put on clothes on a Sunday morning before 9 and strolled over there to take some pics for the post I did on the bookshop.

But the signing became this post instead. 🙂

This is mostly to tell you two things about Ernest Pignon-Ernest that I never would have guessed from the works in the Extases exhibit. Which I still haven’t seen, but I’ve been travelling all summer, and I’m going this week (my last week of summer before an intense trimester of teaching starts) because I saw his work in a whole new light after I learned more about his past work and discovered his erotica, which is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥.

So that’s thing one. The erotica. I got the last copy of this gorgeous book at the dédicace and had it signed by both artist and poet:

And, two, he’s a true pioneer of street art. In the video below, he talks about a drawing of Rimbaud who, for him, incarnated “la jeunesse, la remise en cause, la révolte.” So I think I can safely assume he’s a soixante-huitard, which I admire, being a Californian born in the 60s.

He plastered his now iconic drawing of Rimbaud all over Paris and beyond in 1977-78 (watch from 7:35 – 10:25). I’d seen the drawing, but had no idea of its backstory. You’ve probably seen it too!

Apparently he’s one of the most famous artists in France… Again, philistine.

Also, the poetry, appearing in the form of variations libertines, is delectable.

I may have mentioned that Bernay is a medical desert, but at least it’s not a cultural wasteland…

The pics: The current president of Le Rouge et le Noir (left), Pascal Didtsch, président d’honneur of the association, and two guys I don’t know. At the table, Ernest Pignon-Ernest (left) and André Velter (right); Wide selection of books to purchase and have signed; More extase of an unknown variety.

Maybe I’ll add a couple pics of the Extases expo next week…

Update:

OK, as (not really) promised, I did go to the exhibit, which was in the really, really old abbey (construction started in 1010), one of the oldest churches in France and one of the first examples of romanesque architecture. The place is worth a stop if you can ever get inside. Good luck finding out when it’s open. They’re just not very organized about such things here. Afternoons are a good bet.

As I suspected, the extase was of the religious variety. 😇 All of the drawings are of women who had “visions” and have been, or are on the list to be sainted. I think. I just skimmed the info panel (in slideshow below).

The presentation of the enormous drawings was decidedly awe inspiring. Lighting rose slowly on individual drawings until all were illuminated and then all went dark. They were reflected in the shiny black plateau on which they were displayed, which, it turns out, is a pool of water. The oooh ahhhh effect was achieved. 👍🏻

The pics: The entrance of the abbatiale; The whole exhibit; Hildegarde de Bingen…; Which women appear where and why.