SAINT-ANDRÉ-DU-BOIS.- Organised with the invaluable assistance of the Kamel Mennour gallery in Paris, this first exhibition contrasts the work of two giants of Japanese photography: Nobuyoshi Araki (1940) and Daido Moriyama (1938). At first glance, the practices of the two artists would seem to be poles apart. Araki remains loyal to traditional, silver film techniques while Moriyama has, for a number of years, been shooting with a digital camera in many of the major cities around the world, including Tokyo, New York and Buenos Aires. He defines himself as a street photographer whereas Araki is more willingly confined to a darkroom practice. While Moriyama is known for his use of highly contrasted black and white, Araki appears more comfortable in the use of explosive colour.

However, both artists regularly venture out of the territory that would seem to be theirs, to such an extent that the borders between their works are sometimes blurred. Araki photographs, virtually on a daily basis, the city from his balcony and Moriyama captures young sparsely clothed women in the privacy of hotel rooms. At times, Moriyama will use colour while Araki shoots a few portraits in black and white that he then re-paints with compelling coloured streaks. The works of both artists share numerous common themes and motifs: self-portraits, cities, childhood, performing arts, dance, women, flower arrangements and death. Their re-occurrence sketches a vision of a shared world. Nobuyoshi Araki and Daido Moriyama have a view of humanity that is both tender and suffused by darkness. They seize the life stream in all its dimensions, both vitalist and lethal, to establish a conclusion in the form of a memento mori. The fragile beauty of the flowers contains the promise of their inevitable wilting. All human existence has its share of joy, love and innocence, but also its solitude, sadness and mourning. This inaugural exhibition brings to light intimate coincidences and offers visitors a dual viewpoint of the world today and, more especially, of contemporary Japan.

Wishing to maintain a strong and coherent link with the history of the site, the programming for this long gallery that opens onto the inner courtyard of the château will focus initially on a guiding principle with three areas of research.

Firstly, the works of the artists invited to exhibit shall explore certain echoes with the world of Toulouse-Lautrec. Amongst the universal themes that were important for Lautrec, feminine representations, dance, festive celebrations and opera come to mind. The subjects photographed by Nobuyoshi Araki and Daido Moriyama in this inaugural exhibition echo in particular the subject matter explored by Lautrec. In front of the intimism of the pictures of women by Araki, we see again the fascination of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec for the feminine world, sensitive, elegant and deeply human. Moriyama’s Tango Dancers also inevitably recall the taste for the spectacle of performance and aesthetics in the painting “Marcelle Lender dansant le boléro” - 1899.

Artists from Asia shall also be exhibited. Indeed, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec had a real passion for Japanese art and prints and was inspired by their simplification and bold composition. This reflects the Asian origins of the Huynh family, the new owners of Château Malromé.

Finally, the history of the Château and the heritage of the region are also a tremendous field for research and exploration that may well stimulate and inspire artists: the cultivation of vines, the Verdelais pilgrimage close by and the presence of the Rosteguy de Lancre family since the 16th century.

Located in the Entre-Deux-Mers area in the south of the Gironde département, Château Malromé is a place steeped in history, creation and art de vivre. Built in the 16th century, Malromé has crossed the centuries and was the last residence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Acquired in 2013, the Domaine has been extensively renovated in keeping with the protection and transmission of its heritage.

Malromé offers a commemorative and personal interpretation of the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and a programme of exhibitions reflecting the themes and techniques of the artist, and also the Franco-Asian family origins of its present owners.

Surrounded by vines that have been cultivated for five centuries, the Château also produces fine Bordeaux wines and is pursuing a major wine project. In the completely renovated east wing of the château, Malromé hosts private and corporate events in a contemporary setting that is marked by its heritage.