First published: Autumn 2024
A small gallery in a French town has championed outsider art for 75 years, thanks to the passion of a family and a chance meeting with Jean Dubuffet
In a world where everything can sometimes seem fleeting and disposable, it warms the heart to hear of something that was born of passion and conviction and that has stood the test of time. Galerie Chave is one such thing. Founded by Alphonse Chave in 1947, in the southern French town of Vence, it is one of the longest surviving commercial galleries in France.
Alphonse Chave and Jean Dubuffet in the Regence Café in the 1950s; Archives Galerie Chave
In recognition of its longevity and achievements, the Pompidou Centre organised a major tribute to the gallery in 2019; and, early last year, “La Galerie Chave, 75 years of Passion” was held at the Musée de Vence, to pay tribute to the establishment, and its founder and his son Pierre. The exhibition’s curator, Philippe Piguet, worked with Pierre Chave’s widow, Madeleine, and was keen to show the range of artists that had been supported by the gallery since it first opened its doors.
Gaston Chaissac, Douches Municipales, 1956, collage and writing on paper, 9.5 x 12.5 in. / 23.5 x 32 cm
Piquet’s curation highlighted the efforts of Alphonse Chave up to his death in 1975, and then those of Pierre, working alongside Madeleine, until he passed away in 2020. The exhibition highlighted how, right from the very start, Galerie Chave purposely went against the grain in its choice of artists, eschewing the art establishment and its trends, to pursue its own agenda. In the words of Alphonse: “Here, we seek to see things differently, by detaching our thoughts from logic and reason.”
catalogue for the 1959 “Art Brut” exhibition at Galerie Chave; courtesy: Collection Galerie Chave
By SOHEIL MAHIR
This is an article extract; read the full article in Raw Vision #120.
