Overview
Join us for an exclusive screening of Fragments of Eden, a documentary film about artist Sophie Grandval. Before the screening, guests will have the rare opportunity to view a selection of Grandval’s original works on paper, collected by Mrs. Mellon and now housed in the Oak Spring Garden Library.
The film will be presented in French with English subtitles.
The evening will begin in the building adjacent to the Granary with the pop-up display, followed by the screening in the Granary.
About Fragments of Eden: in Sophie Grandval’s studio
In a small house in the Auvergne mountains, Sophie Grandval has been painting flower paintings and bird paintings for decades, which, as soon as they are finished, are added to collections in France, Europe, and the United States.This film captures the mystery of creation and traces a humble life devoted to painting. In this portrait, the brilliance of prestigious collaborations (Givenchy, Dior) is combined with the depth of decisive encounters, the photographer Peter Knapp, the poetry of René Char, the thought of Gurdjieff, as well as the chiaroscuro of a secluded existence, close to what inhabits her: nature.
About the Filmmakers
François Graveline was born in 1959 and published his first book in 1978. His studies in geology showed him that it was possible to read what was not written, something he never fails to do. He has been a journalist for La Montagne and Massif Central Magazine. He is the author of stories, short stories, and poems that express nature and being. He is also a member of the editorial board of Arpa magazine and has translated the poets Olav H. Hauge, Orhan Veli, and Robert Bly. He also gives concert-readings with guitarist and oud player Claude Barthelémy, as well as with guitarist Jérôme Brajtman, with whom he has just released a CDentitled Sonate pour l’eau et le vent (Sonata for Water and Wind). He has also made documentaries and video poems with videographer Didier Blandin.
For Didier Blandin, video documentaries are the best way to capture counters. For over thirty years, he has been highlighting the passions that drive people, the movement of their lives, and sharing them with others. With the same demand for clarity and depth, he approaches a wide variety of topics (territories, agriculture, art, faith, poetry, etc.). In 1992, he founded Atalante Production, where he served as manager and director until 2016. Since then, he has been making films for the Ministry of the Interior.
About Oak Spring Garden Foundation: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF provides workshops, short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. Its celebrated Library comprises rare books, manuscripts and works of art relating to horticulture, landscape design, botany and natural history. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants, gardens and landscapes.
Please note: This event does not include a tour of Little Oak Spring, the Library, Formal Garden or broader landscape.
Photo Release Statement: By attending this event, you consent to your likeness and image being used for ongoing promotional and marketing efforts.
Seelcted works by Sophie Grandval from the Oak Spring Garden Library collection: Four seasonal watercolors of the horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum). Watercolor on paper, circa 1990.
