Ph’Art explores the theme of identity
La Garde launches Ph'Art, a new contemporary art fair bringing together 24 visual artists on identity.
In La Garde, contemporary art is taking a new direction. The traditional Salon Divers is reinventing itself and becoming Ph’Art, an ambitious event dedicated to visual art creation taking place from October 24 to November 4 at the Maison Gérard Philipe.
This new name, a contraction of beacon (“phare”) and art, echoes the history of the town and its Rocher, a former watchpost. The ambition is to establish this gathering as a landmark to shed light on contemporary practices, reveal new talents, and promote artistic creation across the region.
For this first edition, 24 artists were selected to work on a theme as intimate as it is universal: identity. The fair thus invites the public to question self-image, individual and collective constructions, and the influence of our histories, cultures, or digital identities.
A shared ambition
“With Salon Ph’Art, we are asserting our determination to make La Garde a territory where contemporary art can be discovered, shared, and engage in dialogue with all audiences,” highlights Hélène Arnaud-Bill, mayor of La Garde.
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A vision shared by her deputy in charge of Culture, who emphasizes the richness of the featured works.
“Through the works of visual artists from diverse backgrounds, we wish to offer the public a true variety of perspectives and sensitivities,” adds Martine Blanc.
Opening night and highlights
The event kicks off on Saturday, October 24 at 6 p.m. with an opening night in the presence of Jean-Louis Masson, president of the Départemental, and Hélène Arnaud-Bill. The evening will be marked by the announcement of the Prix Salon Ph’Art winner, who will receive a €1,500 grant and be offered a solo exhibition at Galerie G.
The jury is composed of figures from the art world, including Coralie Duponchel, director of the “Les Pénitents Noirs” art center in Aubagne, and Henri Salamero, winner of Salon Divers 2024. An electronic performance by artist Perrine AKA PPLC, co-founder of MOKO Festival, will extend the evening.
Ph’Art stands out for its desire to break down boundaries between disciplines. The event builds bridges between the town's cultural facilities: Maison Gérard Philipe, L’Escale theater, Galerie G, the auditorium, and Le Rocher cinema. The programming extends the reflection on identity through choreographic workshops (October 26 to 28), a philosophy workshop (October 28), dance and theater performances, as well as film screenings, notably Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest and Les éléphants dans la brume, awarded at Cannes in 2026.
Galerie G celebrates its 25th anniversary
This first edition of Ph’Art coincides with a major anniversary: the 25th anniversary of Galerie G. Created in 2001, this venue has established itself as an essential space of discovery for contemporary art in La Garde.
To celebrate this event, a special day is being organized on Wednesday, November 4. Former visual artists who have exhibited at the gallery, such as Violaine Barrois, Alexia Croset, Geneviève Fargetton, and Jean-Philippe Roubaud, will lead artistic workshops for adults and children. The day concludes at 6 p.m. with a performance by dancer Chloé Hennemann from the NECTR company.
The detailed program and registration details for the workshops are available on the website ville-lagarde.fr. Galerie G can be followed on its social networks Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/lagalerieg/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GalerieG).
Article from the print edition of La Gazette du Var