Lionel Redon's Héliosgaleria: A DIY Platform for Overlooked Artists

Lionel Redon, born 1969 in Limoges, is an artist who graduated with honors from the École nationale supérieure d'art et de design de Limoges and has since taught art at collège André-Maurois. Despite his training, his career has remained local and invisible, with his only group exhibition being the inaugural 'Première' in 1995-1996 at the Abbaye Saint-André in Meymac, Corrèze. Frustrated by the art system's focus on elite schools, Redon has turned to social media to critique his lack of success. For the summer 2026 exhibition 'Light' at Les Ateliers de l'Esperluette in Nexon (26 km south of Limoges), he declined to show his own work. Instead, he created the 'Héliosgaleria,' a sculptural display system combining walls and plinths, designed to showcase artists he considers even more overlooked. The inaugural edition features Véronique Lamonerie and Jim Fauvet. Redon's project is inspired by Marcel Duchamp's prophecy that 'the great artist of tomorrow will be underground' and by the resilience of chasmophilic plants. The exhibition runs until September 6, 2026.