Van Doesburg momentum mysticism and the uprightness of Mr

Everyone in Strasbourg is the Aubette and its neo-classical sandstone facade rose. If this name evokes the military origins of the building of the 18th century - specifically the presentation ceremony of the troops taking place there every day at dawn-, it was especially marked spirits when in February 1928 the building became a "leisure complex". We are in full twenties. A dense crowd is urging day and night in this party place where voisinaient on three levels a café-brasserie, a billiards room, an american bar, confectionery-pastry, a jolly dancing, a large room celebrations... The brothers Paul and André Horn, whom was architect, are the initiators of this ambitious project. Not only they invented the concept, but they were mainly known as a manifesto of the interwar avant-garde. The founder and former Director of the museums of Strasbourg, Hans Haug, even spoke of "Sistine Chapel of abstract art". L'aubette would indeed be the most successful of the painter and critical work Dutch Theo Van Doesburg, co-founder of the De Stijl movement alongside Piet Mondrian.

Van Doesburg was found in Strasbourg the ideal framework to implement his vision of a total art space. He claimed from pure colours and des coloris purs et des alors à esthétique nouvelle des des alors à esthétique nouvelle alors à esthétique nouvelle alors to new aesthetic He was engaged in this adventure through his friends, the sculptor of origin Strasbourg Jean Arp and his wife, the artist Sophie Taueber-Arp, loaded by the development of the Aubette Horn brothers. They were not too many three to achieve the whole decor, for principle to respect the identity of everyone's work. The press of the time distinguished: "Mind clear, net and mathematical of Mr. Van Doesburg, momentum, mysticism and the uprightness of Mr. Arp, subtlety, poetry, feminism of Ms. Arp."

Opened with pomp, the Aubette was quickly victim of too much modern. Customer criticized the effect of colours and lines, accused of making poorly in the eyes! The economic crisis of 1929 added the commercial situation of the Aubette which was quickly distorted by the addition of more consensual floral motifs. After the war, other development, including the placement of false panelling in wood, helped erase the memory of the initial settings.

Rediscover today a part of these forgotten scenery is even more moving believed them destroyed forever. It was until the 1980s that the ciné-dance, the Hall and foyer-bar have been classified historical monuments. Then arose the question of the restoration of what was left to save. The first recipient was the Van Doesburg dancing Jolly, 1993. Thirteen years after addition stairway Jean Arp, fireplace-bar of Sophie Taueber-Arp and the salle des fêtes of Van Doesburg, to appreciate the boldness and the quality of this abstract decoration. Damage that the colors of the composition of the ciné-dance oblique seem bland freshness and brightness of the three newly restored rooms. "I think that the result is very close to what existed in 1928, although it is still a hypothesis," said Fabrice Hergott, current Director of the museums of Strasbourg, linchpin of the project. He speaks of "rebuilding business" both were minute traces of the original work. Fortunately there were archival photographs and sketches in time color to guide the work of archaeologist. It obviously regrets that the work of restitution stop there, because sufficient archives for the rest of the building. Commercial restructuring of the 4 500 m2 on the ground floor is entrusted to the Altaréa group, which has pledged to respect the spirit of the Aubette. The fate of these rooms remains unclear: refers to host cultural events while you dream of a dancing movie released activity...

BOX .

Strasbourg, a city of the avant-garde

At the time where the Aubette is a part of his sets abstract of 1928, the Museum of modern and contemporary of Strasbourg Art receives an exceptional gift of the l ' Oréal group: the Music Salon, exhibit major, made in ceramic tiles, the painter Vasily Kandinsky. Must be the new edition of this work destroyed after the exhibition of the Berlin Bauausstellung in 1931, Guy Landon, Vice President of l ' Oréal and founder of the Gallery Artcurial, who greeted him in 1975. After the sale of Artcurial in 2000, l ' Oréal sought the commitment made with Nina Kandinsky, widow of the painter, to expose to the public show of music. This work of art, product of the Bauhaus movement, has masterly way, strengthening the collection of parts of the beginnings of the 20th century by the museums of Strasbourg.