Exhibitions

France’s Brittany coast has inspired a lot of artists – from Gaugin, the Nabis, Macario Vitalis; but none could possibly be as inextricably linked to Brittany as Juvenal Sanso. For Sanso, Brittany is not just its magical coast with its pink granite stones, its wide shore dotted with seemingly abandoned boats, tile-roofed houses, and the occasional brightly colored lighthouses and uninterrupted horizon. It was more. Sanso’s Brittany is not just a place; it is friendship, acceptance, and unconditional and constant support felt by him and expressed as the Brittany series by his grateful being. Brittany is the human experience that nurtured him and allowed him to expunge his war trauma. Sanso’s Brittany is a gift of gratitude to the Le Dantec family that brought him to the coast, showed them the Brittany that they loved, and accommodated him as a member of their family for 24 years. Sanso’s Brittany is not always a faithful copy of the Brittany coast, but is always the inner landscape of his heart.

In this exhibition, we see Sanso’s Brittany as it evolved over the course of over five decades. The evolution of the Brittany Series – characterized by the poetic juxtaposition of rocks, sea, and sky - is seen through changes in color palette, as well as the selection of close or far range views. We would see plein aire sketches in the innermost section, represented by 12 artworks taken from one of Sanso’s 1960’s sketchbooks which he himself classified as “AA” (“really good”) which studies the effects of light and wind on water and waves crashing or flowing over rocks. Then there are interludes of some larger, more developed, and more-or-less imaginary emerald landscapes which combine rock and sea, as seen from afar. A few works representative of the more popular late 70’s to 80’s olive and brown “Brittany Series” which zoom in on waves splashing over rocks are also present. And these are followed by works from the 1990’s that combined yellow and green rocks with vegetation backgrounded by a sky-blue sea. And lastly, works from the late 90’s to the 2000’s that are predominantly orange canvas works which carry over the yellowish rocks and light blue sea, but foregrounded by a grand, orange sky near the entrance of the gallery.

With most of Sanso’s works already in private collections, a selection such as these 45 works on the subject of Sanso’s Brittany, is a major endeavor that is often only created in museum exhibitions, such as those mounted by his own Fundacion Sanso. “Sanso’s Brittany,” which is organized by Galerie Joaquin, Sanso’s exclusive gallery for the past 20 years, from its own is a very rare treat for those who love Sanso’s work.

— Write-up by Ricky Francisco, Museum Director of Fundacion Sanso

“Sanso’s Brittany” is on view from February 2-11, 2023 with the Artist Reception held on February 3. Galerie Joaquin Rockwell The gallery is located at the R3 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati. For inquiries, contact Galerie Joaquin at +63 915 414 5502 or email galeriejoaquinrockwell@gmail.com.