Statement of Intent by the Trustees
Between two mountains, two worlds
Between Mont-Saint-Aubert and Mont-de-l’Enclus lies a tranquil, open landscape where life goes on at its own pace and seems to follow a steady, almost peaceful rhythm. An area of horizontal lines, typical of this oh-so-“picturesque” “flat countryside” — a term derived from the Italian pittoresco (from the painter), which refers to a “charming, picturesque” scene — that painters from our region have depicted time and again.
Over time, their clearly composed rural scenes and their vast skies stretching over farmland have come to form a kind of mental postcard of the countryside in people’s imaginations.
Today, in its inaugural edition, the BUTOR Art Biennial aims to bridge precisely this gap: between the idealized, comforting, or familiar image of the countryside and the reality of a living region that is constantly evolving in tune with the seasons, the festivals, the residents, and the customs.
The exhibition takes place at the former Ferme Écavée—which now serves as an event venue—but also includes a route through the hamlet of Le Butor and the village of Molenbaix; the selected artworks challenge the illusion of a seemingly peaceful environment, far removed from the noise of the city and the art world.
When contemporary art enters everyday life in a rural area on a language border, it brings to light its subtle poetry and creates points of contact between art and life, until a slight confusion arises between the two — when a strange detail seems almost self-evident or a presence cannot quite be explained, multiple worlds exist side by side.
The name: BUTOR
The event is inspired by the name of the place, “le Butor,” where it takes place. “Butor” refers both to a small heron that lives in reed beds and to a somewhat clumsy or awkward person—a name that, in itself, has a double meaning.
