ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Montpellier and Avignon Festivals Reflect on 1492

festival-fair · 2026-04-23

Guy Scarpetta reviews the two major French summer festivals, Montpellier Danse and the Avignon Festival, both commemorating 1492. Montpellier Danse evoked the plural Spain before the Reconquista and the expulsion of the Jews, highlighting the perpetuation of repressed cultures after that pivotal date. The Avignon Festival focused on Spain's Golden Age.

Key facts

  • Guy Scarpetta reviewed Montpellier Danse and the Avignon Festival.
  • Both festivals commemorated 1492.
  • Montpellier Danse evoked pre-Reconquista Spain and the expulsion of the Jews.
  • The festival highlighted the perpetuation of cultures repressed after 1492.
  • The Avignon Festival focused on Spain's Golden Age.
  • The review was published in artpress in September 1992.

Entities

Artists

  • Guy Scarpetta

Institutions

  • Montpellier Danse
  • Avignon Festival
  • artpress

Locations

  • Montpellier
  • Avignon
  • France
  • Spain

Sources