Crowdfunding for restoration of Gauguin's studio and Modigliani

The studio where modern art giants like Amedeo Modigliani and Paul Gauguin lived and worked before they became famous has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a major restoration to continue its mission of residency for international artists.

Atelier 11, located in an alley called Cité Falguière, in the south of Paris, and built in the 1860s, has not undergone many renovations since the end of the 19th century. L'AiR Arts, a non-profit organization, has now launched a campaign, with another non-profit organization using the name Cité Falguière, looking for 150 thousand euros, to make the necessary repairs to one of the oldest artists' residences in the world .

The facades and interior, in a worrying state and with numerous cracks, now require major restoration and a major remodeling of the structure on its three levels”, wrote L'AiR Arts in its donation request. “Many elements are original, including the typical workshop windows, the restoration of which represents a significant cost.”

The historic workshop will be restored with “as many original elements as possible”, including the preservation of its wooden structure, while the stairs and mezzanine will be adjusted and leveled, and the glass roof maintained but adapted to provide better thermal insulation. All interior fittings and finishes, from paint to electricity and plumbing, will be updated or completely renovated.

The Cité Falguière ateliers faced difficulties in the aftermath of the First World War and the Second World War, and ultimately most of the ateliers were destroyed to create residential buildings - except Atelier 11.

“The heart of this project is to preserve this heritage in a living and active way. We don’t want to turn this place into a museum, but for it to continue to be a place for artists to come and work and be a place of creation,” Jessica Chilloh, who is coordinating the renovation project, told The Guardian.

“We hope that the residency program we have established for contemporary artists will keep the artistic spirit of the École de Paris alive.”

Source: Artnet News