Ceret - Dani Karavan at the Museum of Modern Art

So many things I want to show Aimee and some things I have not yet done and there is less than a week left. Funny how 2 months suddenly doesn't feel like long enough.
There was a new exhibition at the Musee d'Art Moderne so that was our first stop. The new exhibition was on Dani Karavan an Israeli artist who has done many large modern projects on commission. He created a memorial to Walter Benjamin at Portbou, just across the border in Spain (we may go and see this). What was great about this visit was that the film about his work was narrated by the artist, in English, with French subtitles. It was fascinating to hear about the analysis of the intent of the project and its physical environment, the creation of models, the choosing of materials, the study of the play of light, all from the artists perspective. I have to admit that I would have dismissed a lot of his work, modern, cement and metal, simplistic lines. Not to my taste. Now I  understand more about his intent, to be used, walked on, performed in, seen over a period of time for light to play differently with the structures.
Over the last 50 years he has created interior and exterior pieces, some small, some huge involving lakes, bridges, columns and amphitheatres. He often mixes modern building materials with trees, water and grass. He has works in Israel, Germany, France and Japan.

One room with components from the Walter Benjamin memorial. In the film Karavan talked about an olive
tree struggling to survive on the rocky shore and the symbolism of the struggle in Benjamin's life.
The museum had bought in a live olive tree. There is a lot involved in mounting an exhibit like this.

A room full of cement structures but I knew from the film that he had used them for different purposes
on different projects and there was always logic, sensitivity and meaning behind their use. Sometimes
they emulated a nearby important structure, sometimes they correspond with a geographical feature or
are meant to be seen in water or mirror reflection and viewed through another structure. Way more
complex than they look at first.

Another new exhibition. This artist states his love for trees by multiple replications of this print in which
the leaves are lips. Each one had a different ribbon around the trunk and some had poetry too. It is "happy" art.

Going around the gallery a second time and in a different direction, I realized that my interest in some pieces of art meant that  I missed others entirely.

One of the examples of "cubist" art that is displayed. Still recognizable fields, vineyards,
the devils bridge, buildings and trees.

Reminds me of zentangle.

One of Aimee's favorite paintings.

After lunch Aimee and I set out on the walk behind Les Capuchins convent.

We got up above the convent but then found that the trail had washed out and we could go no further.

Aimee's first view of Canigou, covered in snow and wreathed in cloud.