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Art and culture in its broadest sense – whether it be the visual arts, literature, theatre, or music – has the power to shape our everyday lives, influencing its perception, reception, and quality. Sometimes it becomes a balm and a source of balance for our minds, but at other times, it confronts us with what is difficult and uncomfortable, shaking us from our rhythm and the comfort of existence.
After several months of exciting but also incredibly intense work on creating Vellum Gallery, during which the outside world nearly ceased to exist for me, I finally needed a moment of breath, balance, and distance. A visit to the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne (MCBA) seemed like a good choice. And although my initial goal was to visit a completely different, currently available exhibition, the "Thalassa! Thalassa! Imagery of the Sea" exhibition drew me in like a magnet. Perhaps it was the theme of the sea – which commonly brings to mind peace and calmness – that provided the kind of relaxation I subconsciously sought.
The exhibition “Thalassa! Thalassa! Imagery of the Sea” is a fascinating retrospective of various perspectives, depictions, representations, and interpretations of the sea theme in art, presented through approximately 200 works from different eras, styles, techniques, and media, ranging from Romanticism, Realism, Symbolism, and Surrealism to contemporary art. There is a rich representation of painting, sculpture, glass, photography, installations, video art, as well as objects and technical inventions, all divided into three main thematic sections: the shore, the depths, and the abyss of the sea.
The word “Thalassa” comes from the Greek language (gr. θάλασσα) and means “sea”. It symbolizes the power, strength, and mystery of this element. In Greek mythology, Thalassa was the primordial goddess and personification of the sea, daughter of Aether (Personification of Air) and Hemera (Personification of Day). In a philosophical context, Thalassa is often invoked as a symbol of harmony between the primordial elements.
The curators of the exhibition “Thalassa! Thalassa!”, Catherine Lepdor and Danielle Chaperon, explore and analyze the evolving complexity of the relationship between humans and the sea across the ages, the diversity of its perception influenced by historical, cultural, and social factors, as well as the benefits and dangers it poses, particularly in the context of contemporary challenges such as migration, climate change, and ecological crises. Therefore, in addition to its cognitive and visual-aesthetic aspects, the exhibition also serves as a prompt for reflection on our role and responsibility towards many pressing contemporary issues, including the rapidly changing climate and its catastrophic consequences for the natural environment.
The sea, water, and depth are topics frequently and eagerly explored in art. This element, associated with ceaseless change, mystery, and unpredictability, has fascinated and inspired artists for centuries, providing a wide field for interpretation. Its rich, multifaceted symbolism and understanding depend on cultural, historical, and philosophical context. The exhibition explores various aspects of this theme, offering a wide array of representations depicting nature and the sea in relation to humanity and time.
The exhibition opens with the melancholic painting “Soir Antique” (Ancient Evening) by the French painter Alphonse Osbert (1857–1939). This beautiful, hypnotizing image, which I noticed has the power to stop each visitor of the exhibition for a longer time, depicts an idyllic landscape in which female figures are shown against the vast sea horizon, immersed in the warm, golden light of the setting sun. The balanced, minimalist composition, the softness and fluidity of the lines, subtle color transitions, and the endlessness and gentleness of the water create a scene that radiates tranquility and harmony, promoting reflection and meditation, while highlighting the almost metaphysical, spiritual connection between humans and nature.
As a representative of Symbolism, Osbert often referred to mythology, literature, and ancient philosophy in his work. He evoked and reinterpreted the mysterious and spiritual aspect of human contact with nature, giving it a transcendent dimension. In this context, the idyllic scene is not merely an admiration of and contemplation on the beauty of nature. It symbolizes harmony and balance, perfection and order in nature, but it is also a place where humanity touches the sacred. It is a space reflecting deeper truths, emotions, desires, and fears, a place for spiritual and philosophical reflections on the complexity of human fate and the mystery of existence.
Osbert’s painting perfectly captures the spirit of the exhibition and allows for much broader interpretation, especially in the context of contemporary climate and ecological challenges. By introducing an element of nostalgia, it prompts reflection on what has already been lost, what our place is, and what our future may look like. Therefore, the painting becomes a symbolic manifesto and a warning. Perhaps it is no coincidence that it became the exhibition’s visual identity.
A completely different character is found in the painting “La Plage de Cabourg” by René-Xavier Prinet. This painting depicts a genre scene, a moment of rest on a crowded beach in Cabourg. It impresses with the softness of light, the pastel color palette, and the melancholic atmosphere. It is a testimony to cultural and social transformations and the growing popularity of the idea of recreational leisure in coastal areas. Prinet’s painting perfectly conveys the atmosphere of refinement, subtle elegance, and romance of the Belle Époque.
Cabourg was one of the most fashionable seaside resorts in Normandy at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, attracting artists, writers, and aristocracy. The sea, the beach, and the coastal landscape thus become a consciously chosen place for rest and relaxation, an oasis of peace and quiet. They create a trend for a certain culture of being and way of life.
The pragmatic and prosaic aspect of the sea and the seaside appears in the works “Bain des Dames à Dieppe III” by Carl Spitzweg (1808–1885), the outstanding German painter of the Romantic period, and in the works of Swiss artist François Bocion (1828–1890), a master of light and an excellent landscape painter, who depicted the surroundings of Lake Geneva as well as Mediterranean coastal scenes due to his frequent travels to Italy.
The paintings "Lavandières à San Remo" (1877) and “Venise” (1882) reflect a new, interesting, and important cultural and social context. They show the characteristic interest of many artists of this period in the everyday lives of ordinary people. The sea, the seaside space, the landscape, and nature thus become an integral and harmonious part of daily life, providing a backdrop for showcasing realism, authenticity, and the daily struggles and customs of ordinary people, as seen in Carl Spitzweg's painting.
Nature and coastal landscapes thus take on a deeply human, practical character. They symbolize the strength and beauty of nature, but also its life-giving and useful qualities, its changeability and cyclicality, which are also part of human life, its values, and its fragility.
Among the contemporary works presented, the monumental installation "Baden Baden Satellite Reef" by Christine and Margaret Wertheim stands out. It depicts a coral reef made using crochet techniques. This impressive project, created in collaboration with over 4,000 German artisans, emphasizes the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems threatened by climate change and the expansive, destructive activities of humans.
A powerful, deeply moving accent in this part of the exhibition is also the video installation "Tashlikh (Cast Off)" (2017) by Israeli artist Yael Bartana and the closing painting “Our Sea” by Miriam Cahn. Bartana's work references the Jewish ritual of tashlikh, performed during the Jewish New Year, which involves the symbolic purification of sins by casting crumbs of bread or other objects into the water.
The video depicts various objects characteristic of specific ethnic and national groups – clothing, flags, attributes, photographs, letters, personal mementos, life vests, religious symbols, weapons, and ammunition – all slowly falling into the depths of the sea against a black background, accompanied by a soundtrack of crashing waves, wind, a wailing siren, and the roar of an airplane, interspersed with moments of silence. These objects are tangible traces of our cultural and historical identity. They refer to personal and collective memories, experiences, and episodes of trauma such as war, genocide, violence, and the refugee crisis.
Bartana examines how rituals and symbols shape the identity of individuals and communities, and how memory and history influence our perception of ourselves and others. This work fits within the theme of the exhibition, presenting the sea as a space for purification, reflection, and transformation.
The sea, in the context of contemporary social problems, also appears in the photography of Ad van Denderen, a Dutch documentary photographer known for his deep and moving photographic reports focusing on social, political, and humanitarian issues. Several photographs from one of van Denderen's most renowned projects, "Go No Go," were presented at the exhibition. This series documents the migration routes leading to Europe and the lives of migrants at various stages of their journeys. The project has been praised for its exceptional engagement and empathetic portrayal of the migration crisis, showcasing both the individual stories of those portrayed and the broader social and political context.
The entire exhibition is crowned by the 2021 painting “Notre fond de mer” ("Our Sea") by Miriam Cahn. It is one of the most touching and emotional works presented in the "Thalassa! Thalassa!" exhibition. Known for addressing political, social, and existential issues, the artist uses her characteristic minimalist, expressive aesthetic to tackle the difficult subject of the humanitarian crisis, particularly the tragedy of refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.
The painting depicts the bodies of a child and a woman, depicted in a synthetic manner, falling helplessly into the depths of the sea. The dramatic effect is heightened by the use of contrasting colors: the navy blue of the cold, deep sea, and the white of the dead bodies, with red accents highlighting the victims' gender. This tragic image symbolizes the victims of the migration crisis who died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in search of a better life.
Miriam Cahn focuses on the most shocking aspects of this issue, showing how the sea – a symbol of life and nature – becomes a place of tragedy, death, and oblivion. The bodies symbolize not only physical death but also social indifference to the suffering of refugees.
The sea, often representing hope and rebirth in art, in this painting becomes a tomb and a witness to human suffering caused by global inequality and conflicts.
This part of the exhibition, which includes the latest works and art objects, clearly contrasts with the idealized, romanticized depictions of the sea from the 19th century. It is full of strong, emotional, dramatic, and engaging representations. The titular “Thalassa! Thalassa!” shakes us from the comfort of being, posing questions about our responsibility towards many contemporary issues, and forcing us to reflect on the current significance of the sea as a place not only of beauty, wonder, and mystery, but also of suffering, injustice, and the threat we ourselves contribute to.
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