Peindre la nuit

Abstract

"The topic of night has infiltrated current debates concerning society (should we open shops at night or preserve that time for sleep?), the environment (how can we limit night light pollution which prevents us from seeing the stars and impacts natural life?), politics (the French "Nuit Debout" movement, clandestine nightly border crossings), science (we are constantly furthering our knowledge of the phenomenon). Night-time, and the many questions it prompts, has haunted artists particularly since the late 19th century. Thanks to such ground-breaking discoveries as electrification and lighting, psychoanalysis and the advent of the space age the night has evolved, transforming us in turn: theories have consequently been completely reviewed changing our relationship to the night-tide. From 13 October 2018 to 15 April 2019, Centre Pompidou-Metz is hosting an important exhibition featuring the night in modern and contemporary painting along with a catalogue and a wealth of associated events. A prominent source of inspiration in the history of art, the night continues to offer a rich field of investigation. Revisiting such a vast topic spawns numerous profound interrogations on our condition and our place in the Universe and the role Art could play"--Publisher's website.

Contents

Le vertige de la nuit / Jean-Marie Gallais -- 1. Se perdre dans la nuit -- Royaume de I'indistinction -- Nuits électriques -- 2. Les yeux infinis -- Apparitions et métamorphoses -- Obsessions nocturnes -- 3. De l'intime au cosmos -- Reliés aux étoiles -- La nuit m'enveloppe.