President of Normandie Impressionniste
Normandy is very dear to my heart and Impressionism has always been part of my life, both personally and professionally. For this reason, the crossing of both (Normandy and impressionism) was bound to resonate strongly for me. I am extremely grateful for having been able to join the wonderful adventure which is Normandie Impressionniste.
It is important to recognise the pertinence of the vision of Normandy’s public players behind the initiative for this project. In each edition, since 2010, they have reaffirmed their matchless fervour and cohesion. At their head, the Normandy Region, in the person of its President Hervé Morin, has succeeded in bringing out the best from a unified Normandy so as to express Impressionism in the future tense across the entire region, and the Rouen Normandy Metropolis, represented by its President Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, has turned the Seine, the historic, perpetually evolving territory of Impressionism, into an artistic tale for today. More generally, all of the territory’s public authorities have united their ambitions around this project, in particular the départements of Eure and of Seine Maritime, the Cities of Rouen, Caen and Le Havre, as well as the urban communities of Caen la Mer and Le Havre Seine Métropole. It is also necessary to emphasise the presence of our patrons and partners who have remained loyal to this flagship project in French cultural life.
The programme devised by Philippe Platel and Philippe Piguet for this exceptional 2024 edition, marking 150 years of Impressionism, is an ingenious marriage of ambition, accessibility, generosity and singularity, making it a unique event.
Finally, none of this would have been possible without the generosity of the lenders of the works for the main exhibitions on the programme, and especially the Musée d’Orsay, a partner from the outset, which has once again displayed a great generosity towards the festival.
Joachim Pissarro, President of Normandie Impressionniste
