Events » Stone Alone In Saint-Paul - June-September 2010
Thursday 30th September 2010
Stone Alone In Saint-Paul
An exhibition of photos from the Bill Wyman archive 1966 to 2010
"Having moved to the South of France in April 1971, I fell in love with St Paul de Vence on my first visit. It gives me great pleasure to act as Curator for the exhibition 'Stone Alone in St Paul', and open a small window of my time spent in this wonderful village through the years."
- Bill Wyman
Exhibition information and times
Espace André Verdet
Place de l'Hospice
06570 St Paul de Vence
France
Open daily 2pm - 7pm
June 6 – September 30, 2010
Musée de Saint Paul
2 Rue Grande
06570 St Paul deVence
France
Tel :+33 (0) 493 328 695
Open daily: 10am – 7pm
June 6 – September 30, 2010
Sales enquiries: billwymanphotos@orange.fr
More details at www.saint-pauldevence.com
SPECIAL VIP LAUNCH RECEPTION
Saturday June 5, 2010
A private VIP reception and viewing
Plus, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings will be performing a fantastic open-air concert from 9:30pm - click here for full details of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings open-air concert.
Stone Alone In Saint-Paul
in France
1966-2010
View the Stone Alone In Saint-Paul preview gallery of Bill Wyman's photos
Bill Wyman became interested in photography at a very early age, but his exciting and hectic life with The Rolling Stones left little time to explore other art forms. During his 30-years career with the band he travelled with a camera, exploring the art of photography. These photographs now form an intimate viewof his life. Photographs of the individual Rolling Stones, The Who, John Lee Hooker, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Elton John and B.B.King, together with intimate and candid shots of local artists, Chagall, Arman and César are typical examples of pictures within the collection.
To date Bill has taken over 20,000 images. The exhibition will feature 94 original images, mostly in colour, from Bill's archive. Bill's photos catch his subjects in rare relaxed and unguarded moments. His photographic collection is a perfect counterpoint to the mass of imagery which has been spread throughout the world's magazines over the decades.
In 1971, after eight years of world-wide popularity, The Rolling Stones, for financial reasons, were obliged to move abroad, and decided on the south of France - an ideal place to suit their needs. The Mobile Recording Studio was installed at Keith Richard's home in Villefranche, where the album "Exile on Main Street" was to be recorded, and which went on to become one of the greatest albums in rock 'n' roll history.
Once removed from his traditional English life-style, Bill was able to immerse himself fully in the Mediterranean way of life. Through his friendship with André Verdet, he was introduced to artists and the wide variety of artforms that could be found in and around the village of Saint-Paul de Vence.
He enjoyed wonderful times with many artists and writers at their homes and at La Colombe d'Or, including, Chagall, Arman, a playful César and James Baldwin. He also formed long-lasting friendships with many of the other English musicians who settled in the South of France in later years.
Bill was commissioned to complete a series of portraits of Marc Chagall, at home with his wife Vava. These photographs were published with a text by André Verdet in the book Chagall Méditerranéen, and many were later featured in Bill's limited edition book Wyman Shoots Chagall.
Having decided to put down roots in the area, Bill bought a piece of land in the hills near Saint-Paul. He designed his own traditional Provençal villa, where he would entertain friends.
At this time Bill was inspired to start song-writing on his own, which led to solo recordings and work on moviescores, along with collaborative work with other musicians.
He continued to take photographs in and around St Paul de Vence, of Giuliano Mancini, the pillar of the Café de la Place, Boisgontier, Jani, Nigel Ritchie, Nadine Vivier, and many local artists.
Although Bill returned to live in England in the early 1980s, the last 30 years have seen him regularly return to his house, where he continues to enjoy the lifestyle in and around St Paul de Vence.
In early 1993, when Bill and Suzanne Accosta were discussing where to get married, the obvious choice was St Paul de Vence, where they originally fell in love. Quite naturally they chose to have the ceremony conducted by the local Mayor at the Town Hall, followed by the blessing in the church of Saint-Paul, culminating in a wonderful reception at La Colombe d'Or.
In recent years Bill has focussed his attention on the wonders of nature enjoyed in the area, and his most recent photos represent a marvellous portrait of the wildlife around their home.
It is now almost 40 years since Bill Wyman's first visit to Saint Paul in April 1971. This body of work, by one of the most symbolic figures of those years, is revealed to us - for the first time - in the exhibition "Stone Alone in St Paul (1966-2010)" at the Espace André Verdet and at the museum of Saint Paul de Vence.
Other famous musicians have followed him, and others will come later to walk the narrow cobbled streets, visit artists workshops and share the tables under the olive and fig trees in the courtyard of La Colombe d'Or. But this former Rolling Stone will remain one of the first "rock stars" to have established significant bonds with the people and the landscape of this area. He is one of the few to have transformed his experiences into literary and photographic works, which include items from his extensive archives of collectables.
The last three decades of the twentieth century brought a rare quality of exchange and emulation here. On the one hand the artists of the school of Nice, the musician Michel Magne, Marc Chagall, the writer James Baldwin and the poet André Verdet, on the other the Anglo-Saxon musicians who wrote the soundtrack of that exuberant period.
The time has now come to revisit it.
All photos © Bill Wyman from the Bill Wyman archive
An exhibition of photos from the Bill Wyman archive 1966 to 2010
"Having moved to the South of France in April 1971, I fell in love with St Paul de Vence on my first visit. It gives me great pleasure to act as Curator for the exhibition 'Stone Alone in St Paul', and open a small window of my time spent in this wonderful village through the years."
- Bill Wyman
Exhibition information and times
Espace André Verdet
Place de l'Hospice
06570 St Paul de Vence
France
Open daily 2pm - 7pm
June 6 – September 30, 2010
Musée de Saint Paul
2 Rue Grande
06570 St Paul deVence
France
Tel :+33 (0) 493 328 695
Open daily: 10am – 7pm
June 6 – September 30, 2010
Sales enquiries: billwymanphotos@orange.fr
More details at www.saint-pauldevence.com
SPECIAL VIP LAUNCH RECEPTION
Saturday June 5, 2010
A private VIP reception and viewing
Plus, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings will be performing a fantastic open-air concert from 9:30pm - click here for full details of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings open-air concert.
Stone Alone In Saint-Paul
in France
1966-2010
View the Stone Alone In Saint-Paul preview gallery of Bill Wyman's photos
Bill Wyman became interested in photography at a very early age, but his exciting and hectic life with The Rolling Stones left little time to explore other art forms. During his 30-years career with the band he travelled with a camera, exploring the art of photography. These photographs now form an intimate viewof his life. Photographs of the individual Rolling Stones, The Who, John Lee Hooker, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Elton John and B.B.King, together with intimate and candid shots of local artists, Chagall, Arman and César are typical examples of pictures within the collection.
To date Bill has taken over 20,000 images. The exhibition will feature 94 original images, mostly in colour, from Bill's archive. Bill's photos catch his subjects in rare relaxed and unguarded moments. His photographic collection is a perfect counterpoint to the mass of imagery which has been spread throughout the world's magazines over the decades.
In 1971, after eight years of world-wide popularity, The Rolling Stones, for financial reasons, were obliged to move abroad, and decided on the south of France - an ideal place to suit their needs. The Mobile Recording Studio was installed at Keith Richard's home in Villefranche, where the album "Exile on Main Street" was to be recorded, and which went on to become one of the greatest albums in rock 'n' roll history.
Once removed from his traditional English life-style, Bill was able to immerse himself fully in the Mediterranean way of life. Through his friendship with André Verdet, he was introduced to artists and the wide variety of artforms that could be found in and around the village of Saint-Paul de Vence.
He enjoyed wonderful times with many artists and writers at their homes and at La Colombe d'Or, including, Chagall, Arman, a playful César and James Baldwin. He also formed long-lasting friendships with many of the other English musicians who settled in the South of France in later years.
Bill was commissioned to complete a series of portraits of Marc Chagall, at home with his wife Vava. These photographs were published with a text by André Verdet in the book Chagall Méditerranéen, and many were later featured in Bill's limited edition book Wyman Shoots Chagall.
Having decided to put down roots in the area, Bill bought a piece of land in the hills near Saint-Paul. He designed his own traditional Provençal villa, where he would entertain friends.
At this time Bill was inspired to start song-writing on his own, which led to solo recordings and work on moviescores, along with collaborative work with other musicians.
He continued to take photographs in and around St Paul de Vence, of Giuliano Mancini, the pillar of the Café de la Place, Boisgontier, Jani, Nigel Ritchie, Nadine Vivier, and many local artists.
Although Bill returned to live in England in the early 1980s, the last 30 years have seen him regularly return to his house, where he continues to enjoy the lifestyle in and around St Paul de Vence.
In early 1993, when Bill and Suzanne Accosta were discussing where to get married, the obvious choice was St Paul de Vence, where they originally fell in love. Quite naturally they chose to have the ceremony conducted by the local Mayor at the Town Hall, followed by the blessing in the church of Saint-Paul, culminating in a wonderful reception at La Colombe d'Or.
In recent years Bill has focussed his attention on the wonders of nature enjoyed in the area, and his most recent photos represent a marvellous portrait of the wildlife around their home.
It is now almost 40 years since Bill Wyman's first visit to Saint Paul in April 1971. This body of work, by one of the most symbolic figures of those years, is revealed to us - for the first time - in the exhibition "Stone Alone in St Paul (1966-2010)" at the Espace André Verdet and at the museum of Saint Paul de Vence.
Other famous musicians have followed him, and others will come later to walk the narrow cobbled streets, visit artists workshops and share the tables under the olive and fig trees in the courtyard of La Colombe d'Or. But this former Rolling Stone will remain one of the first "rock stars" to have established significant bonds with the people and the landscape of this area. He is one of the few to have transformed his experiences into literary and photographic works, which include items from his extensive archives of collectables.
The last three decades of the twentieth century brought a rare quality of exchange and emulation here. On the one hand the artists of the school of Nice, the musician Michel Magne, Marc Chagall, the writer James Baldwin and the poet André Verdet, on the other the Anglo-Saxon musicians who wrote the soundtrack of that exuberant period.
The time has now come to revisit it.
All photos © Bill Wyman from the Bill Wyman archive
