Opening remarks: Martine Jardel and Thierry Rosset
Martine Jardel at work
Thank you Melanie, and good evening!
Ladies and gentlemen, and friends of the French American cultural community, as a member of the French American Cultural Society Board of Directors, it is my great privilege to welcome you to the Residence of the Consul General of France, and introduce the work of French artists, Martine Jardel and Thierry Rosset (d. December 30, 2010). And to those who are not yet acquainted, allow me to introduce you to Janet Martin from Burlingame’s Studio Shop Gallery, who represents Martine and Thierry’s work. The Studio Shop is a wonderful gallery representing local and international artists. Celebrating their 104th anniversary, they have represented Martine for over 10 years.
On behalf of the French American Cultural Society, and the Studio Shop Gallery, we are thrilled to jointly present this exhibition of the work of Martine Jardel and Thierry Rosset.
Both artists spent their working lives in the international French community. They shared love of travel, their work, and the joy of creating art. They have shown together in Paris, Notre–Dame de Port-bail, and now, San Francisco.
This evening’s story, in many ways, is a love story that began in another lifetime in Yangon, Myanmar (formerly known as Rangoon, Burma), when our two artists met while working as economic diplomats for the French government.
They fell in love.
Fast forward to San Francisco, where they arrived in 1992 and lived, while Martine pursued her fine art education, earning her Bachelor in Fine Art (BFA) at the San Francisco Art Institute, a prestigious school devoted to fine art that continues to produce stars of the contemporary art world. She later earned her Master in Fine Art (MFA) at San Francisco State University.
I met Martine, and later Thierry, in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley almost 20 years ago. Working closely, it was my honor to include them in my immediate circle of family and friends.
Exploring the space between representation and abstraction, Martine Jardel refers to her paintings as a “departure from certainty.” Suggesting landscapes, the layers of velvety color and rich textures on the canvas allow light to render an atmospheric quality specific to each painting. These qualities of depth, luminance, and the subtlety of her work create a balanced visual plane, and a place of calm.
Thierry Rosset’s work is all about the clean line in dramatic linocuts with an eye to rhythmic form. His work invites the viewer in, to experience a dynamic, yet quiet, space that resonates with disciplined and positive energy.
I sincerely thank you for joining us this evening. We are honored by your presence and hope you enjoy our second exhibition of 2019!
*opening remarks on the occasion of the opening reception of Conversation: Line & Color at the Residence of the Consul General of France, October 16, 2019.
