Soulages Museum

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The Soulages Museum is located in the heart of Aveyron, a space with a contemporary design presenting the work of the artist Pierre Soulages. THE SOULAGES MUSEUM, AN EXCEPTIONAL MUSEUM It is in his birthplace of Rodez, in Aveyron, that the museum dedicated to the work of Pierre Soulages took place. A UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE IN CORTEN STEEL Harmony. This is the word that comes to mind when you arrive in front of the museum. The dark Corten steel responds to the green of the garden setting. The declination of sleek parallelepipeds that alternate light and shade, opens the view towards Aubrac. You feel this feeling of fullness that emanates from this flat space where high school students, locals on a walk or amazed visitors rub shoulders. You will agree... it is a tremendous architectural success and the jury of the Pritzker Prize was not mistaken in rewarding in 2017 the team of the Catalan firm RCR Arquitectes, talented architects of the Soulages museum, associated with the firm Passelac et Roques de Narbonne. The Soulages museum, inaugurated in 2014, is today one of the jewels of Rodez. The other is the cathedral which you will reach from the museum, by the Ruthenian “ramblas”. This wide paved sidewalk lined with plants has become an essential walk for Ruthenians, which takes them from the city center to Place des Rutènes. On the esplanade, the museum of course, but also the cinema, the village hall, a cultural link between the historic center and the new district of Bourran. Going up on the other side, along Avenue Victor Hugo, perhaps you will come across the Artist in the gallery of Vincent Cunillère, "The" photographer of Soulages. THREE PLACES IN ONE First, the permanent exhibition rooms, alternating high and bright rooms and other lower and darker ones, which bring together the works of Soulages and the various techniques deployed throughout his career. Early works, paintings on paper and oils on canvas, the printed work (etchings, lithographs, serigraphs), walnut stains, cartoons for the stained glass windows of Conques, Outrenoir from 1986... the gift that Colette and Pierre Soulages made to Rodez is priceless! This walk through the different periods of the artistic creation of Pierre Soulages provokes a real aesthetic emotion! Then, the temporary exhibition room because, as Pierre Soulages wished, it is not a museum in its sole glory… You will discover contemporary artists there and several temporary exhibitions have already been dedicated to them. The presentations of a hundred works by Picasso, Soto, Calder, Yves Klein... have already met with great success. GASTRONOMY AT THE HEART OF THE SOULAGES MUSEUM Finally, after food for the mind, food for the body… don't miss going through the doors of the Café Bras. Located in the extension of the exhibition halls, this gourmet space offers a counter side for a quick bite or a snack for children who have been good during the visit, or a restaurant side with contemporary cuisine inspired by products from the Rodez. Reservations recommended for the restaurant!

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