July 19 – August 3 Satka will become a residence for French masters, photograph – Bruno Boudjellal and writer, playwright François Bon. An unusual project takes part in the course of cooperation of "Sobranie" Fund and the Institute of France.

During his 40 years, writer François Bon visited different cities of the world, and everywhere he tries to see the life of people as it is. Bon meets people, records their stories each time asking them one and the same question: “Of all stories of your life, which one do you love most? What would you like to tell to the world?”. This is how a large-scale patchwork of stories is born from small pieces of human situations. And people from Satka will become participants of this unbelievable creativity very soon.

Photograph Bruno Boudjellal is the Bon’s partner in this project. He is a participant of many exhibitions in Paris and abroad, an author of different creative series, an award winner in professional festivals and competitions. Bruno keeps his photo diaries around the world. The photograph records the moments that help better understand people of different social classes, cultures and confessions. He is walking along the residential quarters for hours, meditates, amazes, fights loneliness and finds happiness in non-evident trifles. The result of many hours of walks become its cycles of photo observations, and Boudjellal generously shares them with his audience.

Bon and Boudjellal often use a peculiar technique: they arrange meetings with local residents in the form of friendly get-togethers. In the calms and trustful atmosphere everyone can use the dictaphone. It can be used any story of your life. At the same time, photos are made to record emotions of the story-tellers and listeners. This is how the maters’ thrift box catches the most valuable material to be later transformed into the unique joint creativity. The French artists might well use this format of the meetings for Satka people. Besides, the foreign guests will visit all iconic locations in the town, will get immersed in its history, touch the cultural peculiarities of the life here.

The summer meeting of the French masters with people from Satka will not be the only one. Bruno Boudjellal and François Bon will come back here the nearest winder to see how the town and its population have changed during this time.

For reference

Cooperation of "Sobranie" Fund and the French Institute of Culture started in 2017. Due to its support, Satka housed the events that allowed to better learn the rich heritage of the center of the world art. 

Thus, in 2017, a young French artist Lea Berbazange visited Satka's Third Ural Industrial Biennale. She studied the nature of magnesite mineral and revealed its distinctive character through new objects d'art.

The French guests made their contribution in development of the town’s music sphere. In October 2017, during "Carmen", Obraztsova’s International Festival of Classical Music, the audience was presented a bright duet of Agnès Pyka (violin) and Laurent Wagschal (piano). Satka land also hosted the concerts of French jazz band, "Old & New Songs" presenting a unique programme of the world folklore through the prism of jazz. And the band of young performers, Paul LAY Trio made the first presentation of their last album, "The Party", in Russia.

Photo by Anna Filippova.