Cynara — Remnants of a Refusal Transformed

With *Cynara — Vestiges of a Transformed Refusal*, Vincent Schoepfer presents a groundbreaking project that explores the connections between gesture, material, and time, as well as between ancient heritage and contemporary perspectives. Inspired by the legend of Cynara, a young mortal punished for disobedience, the exhibition examines the mechanisms of a power that tolerates neither withdrawal nor the reclaiming of autonomy, and which inscribes punishment into bodies and matter.

The installations trace a path between transformation and resistance. In the dining hall, a field of artichokes carved from stone evokes a transformed body, rendered silent and enduring. In the dormitory, a monumental confrontation restores Cynara’s human presence, standing against a power that has been neutralized.

Through this project, the artist brings to light the stories and bodies whose voices have been distorted or silenced, and explores how refusal can be turned into a fault and then etched as a lasting mark.

Silvacane Abbey, La Roque d’Anthéron

May 23 to June 28, 2026

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