Yahoo Movies Portuguese Exhibition Spotlights Yves Saint Laurent in Morocco
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE: Yves Saint Laurent’s longstanding relationship with Morocco will be the subject of an exhibition opening in Portugal next month. The late couturier first visited Marrakech in 1966 and bought a house there, subsequently sketching many of his collections there. “The city opened my eyes to color,” he once said.
The “Love” exhibition at the Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval in Évora, running from June 5 to Oct. 31, will be divided into three chapters.
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One section highlights Saint Laurent’s designs inspired by Morocco, thanks to loans from the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent in Paris and private collectors. Curator Stephan Janson has selected 15 garments to be displayed at the church of São João Evangelista on the palace grounds.
“At every street corner in Marrakech, one stumbles upon striking groups of men and women, appearing as if in relief: pink, blue, green and violet caftans blending with one another. One is surprised that these groups, which seem drawn or painted and evoke sketches by Delacroix, are in fact spontaneous arrangements of everyday life,” Saint Laurent said.
Another showcases the work of 13 contemporary Moroccan artists. Curated by Mouna Mekouar, who devised the multi-museum exhibit in Paris celebrating the house’s 60th anniversary, it revolves around Saint Laurent’s famed annual greeting cards, made over a 27-year period, which invariably featured the word “Love.”
The last chapter of the exhibition, curated by Alexandra de Cadaval, pays tribute to Saint Laurent’s partner Pierre Bergé by highlighting the sculptural dresses of Noureddine Amir. Bergé championed the Moroccan designer with exhibitions of his work at the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent in Paris and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech.
Amir was the first Moroccan designer to show his collection as a guest on the Paris haute couture calendar in 2018. He has designed costumes for theater and film, namely for Iranian artist Shirin Neshat, and his work has been exhibited at the MoMu Fashion Museum in Antwerp, Belgium, and the Fine Arts Museum in Lille, France.
SEE ALSO:
Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé on Morocco
Marrakech Welcomes Yves Saint Laurent Museum
Pierre Bergé Promotes Moroccan Artist With Foundation Exhibition
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