Different perspectives: Rhapsody in blue, the fantastic exhibition by young people with autism
Fabrizio Moretti, Muriel Natali-Laure, Giada Forte and David Elia© Monaco Tribune / Théo Briand
The canvases, which invite us to travel and use our imaginations, will be on show at Moretti Fine Art until 25 September.
Today sees the opening of an unusual art exhibition at the Moretti Fine Art gallery in Monaco. Entitled Rhapsodie en bleu (Rhapsody in Blue), the exhibition is the result of a collaboration between artist David Elia and the Monaco Disease Power charity, as part of the fourth edition of “Regards d’ailleurs” (Different perspectives).
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For over a year, David Elia has been introducing a group of young people with different mental disabilities to painting, and the result is a collection of works of art that are now on show in the prestigious Monegasque gallery, Moretti Fine Art.
La vie en… blue
The title of the exhibition, Rhapsody in Blue, was not chosen at random. It refers not only to the youngsters’ freedom to express their imagination and emotions through art, but also to the dominant colour of their works: a deep blue obtained using a specific technique, cyanotype. Coincidentally, blue is also the colour associated with autism, a disease suffered by several beneficiaries of the Monegasque charity.
The unusual technique, developed in the 19th century, is recognisable because of its shades of blue, ranging from cyan to Prussian blue, depending on exposure times to UV rays. The photographic process inolves the application of a chemical mixture which, when exposed to light, creates negative prints. Any objects or shapes that are applied to the canvas leave an imprint, with black appearing as white and the other colours as different shades of blue.
A rewarding collaboration
David Elia, who has made cyanotype his speciality, found the experience enriching in more ways than one. Not only was he able to share his know-how, he also discovered the talents and originality of each young artist. “I was pleasantly surprised to see that everyone had their own originality,” he told us. While some explored themes inspired by botany, others relied on their imagination to plumb the depths of the ocean. Others even brought additional elements to their work, mixing different artistic techniques such as pastel or acrylic paint.
David Elia found personal inspiration in the collaboration. He says the experience “has given [him] new ideas” and helped him to “better understand how these youngsters function,” adding that it was a “very fulfilling” experience for him.
All proceeds donated to the charity
In all, some thirty works will line the walls of the Moretti Fine Art gallery until 25 September. Each of the works is available to buy, with all proceeds going to Monaco Disease Power, whose president is Muriel Natali-Laure, to support the charity and its work with young people with disabilities.
A successful fourth edition, which Fabrizio Moretti immediately agreed to support, again lending his premises to showcase all the work produced by the charity’s youngsters. The art gallery’s founder said he was “honoured to be exhibiting the works.”