'Mes ami·e·s roses' is a poetic project by Irène Gérard and Michiel De Jaeger, born from their close friendship that developed in the studios of La S Grand Atelier in Vielsalm. In a glass greenhouse, they painted with acrylics a warm, protective universe, a place to collaborate in a cocoon of people and memories that are dear to them.
The work is a colorful tribute to the figures who have shaped their world: great icons from French chanson, the deceased mother of Irène, and artists from the La S community. Like stained glass windows, the scenes tell a layered story: characters stand in a dream garden full of roses, rocks, animals, and a mysterious Chinese palace.
At the center stands Françoise Hardy, Irène's great idol, as the guardian of the temple. Familiar faces also appear: from fellow artists and residents to the dog Bibi and even the Belgian royal family. A disarming, personal, and beautifully visual universe.
The installation has borrowed its title from the poem below.
Mes ami.e.s roses
Les Roses retiennent mes ami.e.s,
Mes Roses se souviennent des ami.e.s.
Les roses dans l'ombre sont tenues par les ami.e.s,
Mes ami.e.s gardent mes roses à l'ombre,
Les roses dans la lumière restent debout,
Mes ami.e.s sans ombre sont partout...
Pour toujours les roses sont retenues,
Mes ami.e.s. se rappellent les choses des roses...
