Cultural Exchange

A CULTURAL connection that began when a French sculptor created the steel Native Vision work for Beachport’s foreshore in 2010 is about to be extended as a collection of South East artists prepare to fly to his hometown in an exchange of art, culture and friendship.

Dume (Dominique) Paolini and his partner Celine Gorget have returned to Beachport and spent the past few months in the coastal hamlet working with schools, artists and the broader community.

Sculptures created through the project are expected to be unveiled in the next few weeks in Beachport’s public spaces before the pair return home.

But the efforts of the passionate French duo will not end there, with Ms Gorget securing an arts exchange through private sponsorship to take sculptors, musicians and other artists from the South East to La Ferte St Aubin.

The artists will create a cultural bridge between the two towns while contributing to a sculpture track,

Millicent sculptor Deon Howell and Mount Gambier singer/songwriter Christy Wallace and their families, along with Beachport artists Pam Hales, Monica Redden, Paula Tsernjavski, Wendy Green and Rosemary Kain will travel to France over the coming months.

They will continue to create a cultural bridge between the two towns while contributing to a sculpture track, which was conceived by Le Ferte St Aubin mayor Phillippe Froment after Dume was commissioned to create a sculpture for the French town.

“The common point between the two towns was that Dume had a sculpture here in Beachport and one at La Ferte St Aubin,” said Ms Gorget, who has coordinated the arts exchange.

“We wanted to work with artists and schools here in Beachport and then take artists back to France with us to work with the people there.”

Ms Gorget said she was excited by the talent she found in the South East, particularly among people who were not full-time artists.

(The Border Watch, Wed April 10 2013)