Constructing stories

Cityscapes double as storylines in a new exhibition of oil paintings by Pascale Badaf at the Cité du Temps from 18 October to 14 November 2017. Each picture gives a second life to the landscape it depicts. Architecture is magically transformed into atmospheres by the artist’s skillful visual choreography of colour, light and shadow. And where are the people in these largely urban “snapshots”? That’s for you to decide, as they are deliberately left invisible to the eye. They are merely suggested by wisps of chimney smoke, curtains blowing out through open windows, or a title alluding to siestas. That’s an open invitation from the artist to trigger your own storytelling talents.

Days and seasons will unravel before your eyes, each announcing a fresh chapter to be filled by your imagination. Take a walk along a deserted city street in the snow. Peer into the windows of an apparently closed Californian villa. Admire the reflections as though they have been created just for your pleasure. You will not be disturbed – at least not audibly. Perfect perspective and geometric lines will keep you on track, without restricting you in any way. Exploration and discovery are your signposts on an itinerary that stretches from New York City to Rotterdam.

Pascale Badaf draws much inspiration from American culture, from cinema to architecture. Featuring on her list of influencers are the likes of Jim Jarmush, Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Lloyd Wright. She is also fascinated by the Bauhaus movement and everyday contemporary industrial and residential architecture. Born in Geneva in 1959, she lives and works in the city of her birth today. She discovered oil painting back in 2007, has exhibited her work at various venues in the French part of Switzerland and belongs to the Société Suisse des Beaux-Arts (SSBA). This exhibition represents a collaboration with Art’Place, Geneva.

Cité du Temps
Pont de la Machine
1204 Geneva
Tel. +41 22 818 39 00
Fax. +41 22 818 39 10
www.citedutemps.com

Open 7 days a week from 9am to 6pm - admission free