Comment by Wout J. van Vloten on July 4, 2015 at 20:44

MONA Julienne METBACH - peintre manouche (fr )
..."Les Vendanges tardives"...

*** Julienne Metbach - dite " Mona ":

Coming from a circus family Sinti-Manouches, contortionist from the age of three, Mona lived in a vardo ( wooden Gypsy caravan ) and then later in a caravan in France and Belgium, and drew as a child in the sawdust of the circus ring or on the damp misty windows.
Only much later at the age of fifty, she started to paint as an autodidact after she had received a gift of some painting materials and canvas.

Some of her works are in the Museum de l'Art Brut in Begles. The paintings are always made in her caravan depending on whether they are on the way and stored in her van and then exhibited at markets and in various institutions and galleries.

Mona uses oil paint, applied in many layers with vivid colors and works with brush and palette knife. Her subjects are taken from daily life: her own memories , vardo sites, with landscapes, swirling skies , bright flowers , striking expressive characters of the family, shows, little vardo's at the edge of the woods,
Mona herself says: ... " I'm the only one who is still doing it this way " ...

Always on the road, with a strong will and visible joy she overcomes difficulties due to her poetic view of the world : ... Mona paints and gives visible evidence of her Manouche culture, her freedom and love for the road, and for countries once travelled through.
Together with her husband Mateo Bauer, she is committed to the recognition of the world of travelers and the Genocide during World War II.
Her paintings are prayers to mankind ...!

by Tania MAGY - visual artist ( FR )
( Translations : Wout J. van Vloten )

Comment by Wout J. van Vloten on July 4, 2015 at 20:52

Lors du Festival à Metz, sept 2011 ( photo: woutjvv11 )

Comment by Wout J. van Vloten on July 4, 2015 at 20:55

MONA Julienne METBACH - peintre manouche (fr )...

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