“Dissonance”: a new art display of the Societe Generale art collection

Classical music and contemporary art are the two areas in which Societe Generale focuses its cultural patronage. Its work stands out due to its continuing commitment to promoting creativity and innovation aimed at excellence, and its bias towards openness, closeness and discussion with all of its audiences: the cultural sphere, the general public and Group employees. 

As with previous exhibits curated by art world figures such as Régis Durand, Jean-François Chougnet or recently Koyo Kouoh, Societe Generale's cutural patronage team aimed at offering new ways of discovering the Collection when it asked David Grimal to choose approximately 20 pieces and set each work to recordings of Les Dissonances for the first time, creating a dialogue between the visual arts and classical music.

The musician showed particular interest in works – paintings, sculpture and photographs – by artists such as Antoni Tapies, Eric Rondepierre, Takashi Naraha, Jalal Sepehr, the Gao Brothers, Aleix Plademunt, Nicolas Schoffer, Zao Wou-Ki and Sonja Braas. He envisioned a personal exhibit on a theme he holds dear: dissonance. Visitors can wander through the exhibit at their own pace, listening to music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, György Ligeti, Henri Dutilleux or even Astor Piazolla related to each work on iPod Touches provided for this purpose.

For David Grimal, "Dissonance is above all a question of viewpoint, of how we feel about what harmony represents. And the concept evolves according to the era and aesthetic norms. In an incoherent system, the common sense which may urge us to call this system into question could become the founding Dissonance of freedom or at least the liberation of consciousness. Art in all its forms is an important way for citizens to delve into their inner silence to contemplate their humanity and their place in Humanity. The selected works will be associated with pieces of music to venture even deeper into this silence which is so very necessary, sheltered from the noise of the world, in the search of a vital collective harmony."

Biography – David Grimal
After studying at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique of Paris under the aegis of Régis Pasquier, at which time he received advice and encouragement from such renowned artists as Schlomo Mintz and Isaac Stern, David Grimal spent one year at the École des Science Politiques de Paris before his life-changing encounter with Philippe Hirshhorn.
David Grimal pursues an international career as a solo violinist, which has seen him performing regularly over the past twenty years in the world’s leading classical music venues and with prestigious orchestras. He has been the honoured recipient of dedicated works by various composers.
In addition to pursuing his career as a solo artist, David Grimal has been keen to explore more personal projects. The liberty afforded by his collaboration with Les Dissonances has enabled him to develop his inner universe by venturing into repertoires not available to soloists. With Les Dissonances, he has founded “L’Autre Saison”, a series of concerts performed to the benefit of and with homeless people in the Église Saint-Leu, in the very heart of Paris.
He was appointed ‘Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres’ by the French Culture Minister de la Culture in 2008. He plays a Stradivarius, the “ex Roederer” from 1710, as well as the “Don Quixote”, a violin made for him by the French luthier, Jacques Fustier.

Les Dissonances have been supported by Mécénat Musical Société Générale since 2015.

New exhibition ‘Dissonance’
Societe Generale Towers, Paris, La Défense
12 November 2015 – 31 March 2016
Opening night on 3 December at 5:30 p.m

Guided group visits are available to the public through the Collection's website: www.collectionsocietegenerale.com

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