November 12, 2014 - Truly one of the best days of my life. There was a crowd at the reception, half of whom were people I knew and their friends, and half of whom were total strangers to me. Such a nice mix! Everyone loved the artwork and asked lots of questions about my process, inspiration, etc. Most people spoke in French, and I did my best to reply to them in French.
During the reception, Christina, the cultural events coordinator, gave a talk about my work. Below is the text of her talk (translation courtesy of Etienne and Christina):
"I think René's artwork is very interesting. The pieces give a strong atmosphere , and you don't see people in the prints and paintings. There may be a dog that walks around, but otherwise you see only glasses and coffee cups. With these cups one can imagine the people behind the coffee; those who have prepared the coffee, or those drinking it. These art pieces are 'inhabited.' They invite us all to pick up the cup and enjoy some coffee.
I am very happy to introduce René to you all. This reminds me of the saying, 'Tell me what you drink (or eat); I’ll tell you who you are.' René embodies this idea. She travels through taste: she often comes to France, and she drinks good wine and good coffee. This is how she came to La Caféothèque: because she was looking for some good coffee to drink. That was one year ago. We communicated through e-mail and we met each other only one week ago. We actually found out that we make a great team!
I also want to thank Laure, who helped us a lot. She is a very sensitive person with art; she has good judgment and she can create stories through what she sees to share with others.
I am very happy to be here and share this time with you. The exhibition will be on display until January 7. I invite you all to have another look at the pieces . Enjoy!"
-Christina Chirouze Montenegro
