VILLEFRANCHE DE LONCHAT, FRANCE.-The first International Painting Festival of Villefranche de Lonchat (South-West of France, in the middle of a vast wine region, near Bordeaux, and even nearer to Saint-Emilion) will show about 125 paintings, by twelve emerging and mature painters (one American, one French, two Dutch, one Pole, one American, one German, four Belgians). The region is superb and was in need of cultural revival : a good reason to organise this festival in one of its most beautiful villages (a "bastide", which is a fortified town dating back to the medieval wars between the French and the English). Four premises : the town-hall, the castle and two churches. The theme is "Nature contre Nature". It has produced a fine and extremely varied collection of paintings that modulate on this pregnant and very topical subject. Nature has been a continuous source of inspiration for the painters, from Joachim Patenier (who is considered to be the very first painter of landscapes) to Hockney. Lately however, Nature, in its broadest acceptation, has again overwhelmingly caught the attention of the painters, and evidently not only with landscapes. The reason for this fact might be found in the (un)conscious fear that Nature is now under great danger. Artists have always been prophets, and consequently the works shown in this festival illustrate the delights, but also the the frights offered by Mother Nature. The exhibition will be on view from 5 till 31 October 2007. A catalogue is available. For more information visit this website www.factura2007.org (in French).