Quinze and Vasconcelos Stage Surreal Dialogue at La Citadelle

From 20 June to 31 October 2026, La Citadelle in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, hosts "The Absurd and the Dreamlike," a joint exhibition by Arne Quinze and Joana Vasconcelos. The show transforms the 16th-century sea fortress into a surreal narrative blending monumental outdoor installations with intimate indoor environments. Quinze, known for organic sculptures critiquing urban "mineralization," and Vasconcelos, famous for oversized crochet and textile works like the Valkyries series, present both solo and collaborative pieces. The exhibition is curated by Selcan Atilgan (ARTSA) and Clare Lilley (Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Frieze Sculpture), under the direction of Camille Frasca. It draws inspiration from Jean Cocteau, who painted the Chapelle Saint-Pierre in Villefranche and filmed "Le Testament d'Orphée" there. Quinze describes the project as a refusal of conformity, defending diversity and dreaming as resistance.