"Art knows no borders"

The chairman of the Euregio Art Circle Bocholt, Klaus Landsmann, welcomed numerous guests to the opening of the exhibition "Horizons sans frontière - city partnership inspirations" in the Kunsthaus Bocholt. The two French artists Martine Versange from Bocholt's twin town Aurillac and Eliane Grognet from Rhede's twin town La Ferté - Saint Aubin are exhibiting around 40 of their works there. The exhibition will run until 25 July 2023 and admission is free.

The exhibition at Kunsthaus Bocholt (Osterstraße 69) is open daily from 3 to 6 p.m. and additionally on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.. If interested, the works can also be purchased.

German-French cooperation in the field of art

Maryse Dubladis-Terhart from Bocholt initiated this special German-French exhibition. For the first time, there is a cooperation in the field of art between the towns of Bocholt and Rhede. Together with the German-French Society of Bocholt, this special art project could be realised. The German-French Circle of Friends Rhede is also involved. According to the organisers, the current exhibition is a sign of the close partnership.

"Bien venue!", with this French welcome Mayor Thomas Kerkhoff greeted the two artists, their accompanying family members and the guests. The title of the current exhibition is "important and emblematic for the European City of Bocholt", said Kerkhoff: "In art there are no borders." He thanked the artists for coming and was pleased that they were on site the whole time during the exhibition times.

A sign of German-French friendship

Deputy Mayor Werner Messing from Rhede was pleased that this exhibition was a sign of exchange between countries and communities. "The Franco-German friendship is unique, as France and Germany have developed into close partners in Europe," Messing said. "Art can build bridges."

Motifs: animals, plants and special people

The President of the Franco-German Society Bocholt, Wilfried Flüchter, introduced the exhibition. The artist Eliane Grognet worked as a teacher and was president of the town twinning committee in La Ferté-Saint Aubin for many years. Since her retirement, she has devoted herself to painting. She paints with Chinese ink, watercolour, chalk and nut stain. Her favourite motifs are animals, plants and "special people".

Versatile works and techniques

In her retirement, the artist Martine Versange has worked specifically on her artistic development. She captures a wide variety of motifs, always focusing on aesthetics and curiosity. Both artists see themselves as non-professional painters, Flüchter reports. Their works testify to versatility, openness to motifs and techniques. "This exhibition has given a new impetus to artistic exchange," says Flüchter.

Reviving artistic exchange

Eliane Grognet was in Rhede for the first time in February 1989 to celebrate carnival. "I could not have imagined then that 34 years later I would be exhibiting my paintings in Bocholt." For Martine Versange, the exhibition idea was a surprise that she did not believe would come to fruition. Versange wants to revive the artistic exchange between the twin towns. She invited the artists from Bocholt and Rhede to Aurillac to exhibit their works in the cultural centre there.

The opening was accompanied musically by the ensemble "VSO". The trio with two accordions and a clarinet was formed at short notice by the French guests and the hosts from Bocholt for the opening of the exhibition.