Alexandre Leger exhibits at the Musée Atger

From September 15 to October 13, 2017
Opening reception Thursday September 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Atger Museum – Faculty of Medicine

A contemporary artist in Montpellier's oldest museum: between a modern artist and prestigious ancients, a dialogue nourished by echoes of the same convulsion, that of artistic creation..
In 2014, Alexandre Leger discovered the Atger Museum and fell in love with this place. and its rich collection of French, Italian, and Flemish drawings from the^16th,^17th, and^18th centuries. A collection that highlights the concept of study in the noblest sense of the term. he said.
Alexandre Leger finds himself in a familiar environment. " The old drawing acts, in my approach, as a thought that would accompany me constantly Observation, morphology, landscape, references to certain artists or works: these are all tools of the poetic transformation that he loves to perform.
Hosted within the museum itself, this unique exhibition offers a dialogue between yesterday's and today's creativity. Alexandre Leger brings his imagination to this prestigious venue, presenting sketchbooks and objects that reveal his approach, intimate drawings that echo the ancient drawings on display here, linking his work to this exceptional collection, which visitors can then rediscover with a completely contemporary perspective.

Museum treasure

At the heart of Montpellier's Faculty of Medicine, nestled in the former state rooms of the bishopric, the Atger Museum houses a treasure trove: one of the most important collections of drawings in France, featuring works by the great masters of the French, Italian, and Flemish schools, from the Renaissance to^{the 19th} century. It offers an intimate journey into the world of the masters of drawing and printmaking, through genres, techniques, and themes—from portraits to landscapes, anatomical studies to historical scenes, allegories to animal drawings.
Founded in 1813 by Montpellier collector Jean François Xavier Atger (1768-1833), the museum offers a valuable and intimate insight into the work of creators who produced some of the greatest masterpieces in art history. It has been classified as a historic monument since 1913.
"Showing how old collections can inspire today's creators is a clear aim of the Musée Atger, which exhibits contemporary artists (Paul Dardé, Richarme, Clara Castagné and Jaume Ojea) within its walls," explains Hélène Lorblanchet, head of the written and graphic heritage department at the Montpellier inter-university library.
From September 15 to October 13
Opening Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Musée Atger, Faculty of Medicine, 2 rue Ecole de médecine, Montpellier