"Les sept Dormants, et après ?", exposition de Jean-Paul LONGIN.

The exhibition centres on one of the painter’s masterpieces, entitled ‘Les sept dormants’.
You will find a collection of paintings that engage with this work, alongside some recent creations.

Background to the work: this piece by Jean-Paul Longin, entitled ‘Stèle’, has had a curious history; it was first exhibited in 2012 in the Saint-Sulpice Chapel in Villerest, in the Loire region. Created partly amidst the dust of a removal site in the early 2000s, it was assembled at some unspecified point. Completely forgotten, it reappeared, in a sorry state, amongst other works, when the artist settled in the Morvan. Cleaned and restored, ‘Stèle’ began a new life in 2021 at L’Étable, in Bas du Riaux, the artist’s exhibition space.

The legend of the Seven Sleepers: this legend was recorded by Gregory of Tours in the 6th century. It tells the story of seven brothers who were persecuted for their Christian faith by Emperor Decius (249–251) and took refuge in a cave. The emperor had the entrance to the cave sealed off. Years later, under the Christian emperor Theodosius (379–395), the seven brothers were discovered and awoke to find themselves in a Christian world. Although celebrated, they refused earthly glory and fell asleep for eternity.

Jean-Paul LONGIN
Career:
A painter since the early 1960s, Jean-Paul Longin subsequently devoted himself to screen-printing as well. He began exploring the concept of volume in the late 1980s with the aim of allowing colour to interact within space. He explores the spiritual dimensions of art and reflects on abstraction and figuration, matter and spirit, and the meaning of the Cross and of humanity. His artistic exploration, which increasingly utilised material, colour and space, then focused primarily on meditation, silence and light – all attempts to make present that which might be the Spirit. Along this path, the Figure emerged within abstraction, becoming increasingly prominent.

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