Artists in residence

INTERVIEW

What are the benefits of a residency at the Cité internationale des arts,  in Montmartre?

“The main benefit of my residency here for 8 months was to be able to enjoy the Parisian cultural bath, the opportunity to see many collections, exhibitions and, being quite cinephile, many films, old and recent. 

Reunion Island is in itself a very rich and stimulating cultural environment, but not so much for the visual arts and cinema – it must be said what is. But their contact is essential to me. With each new visit a new questioning, a new inspiration. 

Moreover, the work environment is ideal, both in terms of the studio I enjoyed, its location and tranquility, and the Cité’s team, which is very attentive and always ready to support and even take the initiative in projects. 

It must also be said that simply residing here mechanically increases your visibility. Because of the support and communication of the Cité’s team, but also because of the contacts with other artists from… everywhere!”

What are your current projects?

“Thanks to these contacts, I was able to make my first exhibition in a gallery in Paris this winter. 

One of my paintings was also shown in the lobby of the Cité internationale des arts at the same time. 

The next project is a solo exhibition at the Cité Des Arts de la Réunion. This is an important project for me. Both in terms of volume (there are 240m2 to orchestrate!) and emotionally. 

The works are currently on a cargo ship heading for Reunion Island, when I return in May I take them in, finish them and start the scenography work in collaboration with the institution.”

BIOGRAPHY

For several years, Charles Prime has pursued a pictorial work and a reflection on landscape painting, its tradition and its topicality. Initially fairly faithful to the ancient masters who formed his eye, the 17th century French and Dutch masters, German and English romanticism, he gradually integrated more personal and contemporary elements into his compositions. While continuing to represent natural sites, he now focuses his attention on the interaction of characters with the landscape. Using disparate photographic elements (natural sites, contemporary characters, objects, vegetation, panels…) he recomposes scenes of tourism, travel, hiking, camping, exploration. Through his compositions, Charles Prime highlights the contrast between the immutability of landscapes and the topicality of any human activity.

Benjamin Prins began his professional artistic life as an assistant to internationally renowned directors including Andrej Serban at the Vienna National Opera, Johannes Weigand at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Benedikt von Peter at the Theater an der Wien and Guy Montavon at the Shanghai Opera. His meeting with Olivier Py in 2012 during the staging of HAMLET at the Theater an der Wien confirmed his ambition, both literary and theatrical. 

In 2007, he entered the Vienna School of Dramatic Art and Music (Reto Nickler class) where he was able to express his mischievousness and his taste for excess. He received the jury’s congratulations for his diploma as a musical theatre director. For several years, he traveled all over the world as a director, gaining particular notoriety in Germany for his shows such as FANTASIO in the Netherlands, WERTHER at the Staatstheater Braunschweig (2017), Cosí FAN TUTTE at the Erfurt Theater (2016), LE CHÂTEAU DE BARBE BLEUE, at the Grand Théâtre de Dessau (2016) as well as LES JOYEUSES COMMERES DE WINDSOR from Nicolai to Dessau (2017) and FAUST de Gounod at the Erfurt Theatre (2015). 

From his acquaintance with German literature – notably Goethe (Faust, Werther) – but also with Shakespeare and the Greeks, Benjamin Prins developed a passion for the language. His work as a playwright, translator and dialogues are an integral part of his sensitivity.