The Star of Magdala
The Star of Magdala is an ongoing pictorial project, initiated at the beginning of 2024 in the mountains of the Haut-Jura, on the French-Swiss border.
I returned to this region where I spent part of my childhood
—
a calling to create a major artwork, rooted in a deep connection to the notion of what is essential.
The theme of the project : MEMORY.
This project was born from a movement.
I paint in, with, and within creation itself
—
in the place where memory cannot be explained,
only returned to.
In that space, something loves
before I even understand.
More than a work of art:
a passage.
A star.
The project of The Star took root in a small cabin nestled in the forest on the outskirts of the village of Prémanon. This cabin belongs to a 96-year-old resident of the village, a living memory of the territory: René Masson.
This profoundly inspiring man agreed to lend me his cabin, after taking the time to meet me.
Beginning of the immersion: Experimentation and research at Monsieur Masson’s Cabin
Village of Prémanon – Located in the Upper Jura Mointains , near the French - Swiss Border
René Masson is a resident and a living memory of the Haut-Jura. Beyond his many travels, he continues to defy time, now approaching the age of 96.
He was also behind the design of the first pair of glasses for the brand Lacoste, when he was working for the company LAMY in Morez
—
the historic capital of French eyewear.
Inside this small cabin, I was able to immerse myself as closely as possible in the elements of nature and begin experimenting on canvas, in order to welcome and allow to emerge
—
through the senses, colors, and materials
—
what would become the project of The Star
Experimentations and research in the Cabin
René Masson's Cabin – Memory of Prémanon
" The way is the message"
Michael Chiribau
Full moon night at the Ponard Cabin
The Ponard Mountain Cabin - Les Rousses.
Beginning of the project creation
After several months of research, day and night
—
especially during winter
—
the main color and certain materials connected to the artwork began to emerge. It was time to leave René’s cabin to initiate the birth of The Star on a large-scale format.
To do so, I needed to find a spacious studio!
That’s when an opportunity arose: the mountain restaurant La Loge à Ponard, run by two young women with whom the project immediately resonated. They allowed me to settle in for a few months during the off-season closure.
After transforming the space into a studio, a first painting measuring three meters by two was created there over the course of several months.
Afterwards, the work required an even larger space to fully unfold, incorporating additional two-by-two-meter paintings as well as other mobiles (suspended moving objects)
It was in the lodge of Ponard that the first phase of the creation took shape.
Village of Prémanon - Haut-Jura
In search of another place that could host the next phase of the project, my attention gradually turned to a small Chapel located not far from the village of Prémanon: the Sainte Marie-Madeleine des Jouvencelles Chapel, in the commune of Prémanon.
Credit Photos : Guillaume Crépinior
Exchange with Father Vincent, the priest of the Diocese of Haut-Jura and of the Chapel of Saint Mary - Magdalene
When the mountain restaurant reopened, it was time to leave La Loge à Ponard and continue the creation of the artwork in another place.
The front of the Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene
Set back on a height and hosting on average only four masses per year, the Chapel opened its doors to me thanks to the blessing of the priest in charge of it, Father Vincent.
Little by little, as I immersed myself in the spirit of the Chapel, I once again transformed the place into a new creative space.
I took the time to build new stretcher frames, to cover and protect the space, in order to welcome the next stage in the creation of The Star
É
The small Jouvencelles Chapel, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, stands out for its bold contemporary architecture.
Built at the end of the 1980s by a benefactor from the Brisard family
—
known for their expertise in metal structures
—
it combines a steel framework, Jura stone, and noble wood essences in a slender and elegant form.
Its refined bell tower, luminous stained-glass windows, and the precision of its timber structure make it a rare place, rooted in the mountain while remaining airy and open to light.
After six months spent in the chapel, The Star was able to emerge more fully in this place.
Credit Photos : Guillaume Crépinior
To this day, The Star of Magdala remains a work in progress
—
a living piece
—
composed of both paint and organic materials that enter into symbiosis on the canvas.
These materials, gathered either from the surrounding landscape or from the Chapel itself, reveal the intimate bond between the creation and its environment.
Credit Photos : Clara Poyet
It includes, among other materials, horsehair, salt, linen sheets, resin from wounded fir and spruce trees in the Jura forest, glass powder, magnetite, gold leaf, as well as wax collected from the lit candles of the Chapel.
Credit Photos : Clara Poyet
Each element carries a memory
—
A fragment in suspension, a fractal of meaning, a moment of passage.
Some materials react with one another and orient themselves, thus integrating time and space into the very heart of the artwork.
THE MURANO PENDULUMS
Credit Photos : Clara Poyet
Credit Video : Clara Poyet
My entire artistic experience is built upon a living composition, in constant evolution.
Currently, The Star is entering its final stage
—
still unfolding, before it can finally be revealed to the public.
The experience of The Star of Magdala also includes several pendulums or mobiles composed of Murano glass fragments, offered by the artist Aristide NAJEAN and sourced directly from his studio " The Cathedral " in Murano - Italy
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