La Provence : Édition d'Aix - Pays d'Aix
Published December 3, 2023 by Ch.V.

Château Charleval is a unique concept conceived by Daniel Rocher. Fallen in love with the place, Yves Rocher's son bought the château in 2019 to turn it into a contemporary art center and open-air gallery. Himself an artist, he has become a patron and collector, showcasing his favorite artists on site. Today, 34 artists, some of them internationally renowned, exhibit their work at Charleval.

In creating this place to defend artistic creation, "I had a slightly utopian vision, like those I've always had. But little by little, these utopias become reality. So, yes, the dream is more complex, because these are more complex times for art, but we keep going, against all the odds!" says Daniel Rocher.

Daniel Rocher unravels a red thread between two artists with a huge age difference. PHOTOS CH.V.

Several temporary exhibitions have already been organized since the opening. And a new one is on view from December 3, the date of the opening of the "Le fil rouge" exhibition. In the château's galleries, a dialogue is established between the works of Marianne Bourges, who died in September at the age of 94, and Hans Suaznabar, a 24-year-old Bolivian artist.

Real filiation

"70 years apart, there was a symbolism in this figure. The idea was to bring together these two artists' souls in this exhibition, two artists who didn't know each other," explains Daniel Rocher. All the more so as the patron perceived a real filiation in artistic expression between these two artists. Their canvases, sometimes dark, sometimes colorful, seem to share a kinship, even though the artists' backgrounds have nothing in common.

Hans, also a fan of extreme sports, recently cycled down the façade of the château. Marianne, on the other hand, is a well-known figure in the city of Aix. She was responsible for saving Cezanne's studio at Les Lauves. "At first, she squatted there. And then the town council appointed her curator!" says the château's owner, who arranged for them to meet for the winter at Charleval.

Exhibition on view all winter, by reservation on +33 (0) 667 89 99 01.

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