In the summer of 1965, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir made a visit to Lithuania. Although it lasted only a week, this visit, culminating in an excursion on foot through the dunes of Nida, left an indelible impression on those who met the two intellectuals on this occasion. Through the photographs of the young Antanas Sutkus, who was part of the delegation authorized to accompany the illustrious visitors, the event also came to occupy a significant place in Lithuania’s collective memory. A milestone in the relations between two countries, a catalyzer of reflections on freedom and cultural identity, this remarkable series of photographs is endowed with a philosophical and political dimension, quite apart from its artistic qualities. In a distinction rarely accorded to this artistic medium, one of Sutkus’ photographs of Sartre would even inspire two sculptures – one of them long exhibited in front of the BnF in Paris, the other planted in the landscape of Nida. This image, however, has always come down to us in truncated form. The original print restores the presence of Simone de Beauvoir at the side of her companion.
Exhibition produced in partnership with the Lithuanian photographers Association, in the framework of the Season of Lithuania in France 2024.
Hôtel La Louisiane
The Hôtel La Louisiane, 60 rue de Seine in the heart of Saint Germain-des-Prés, has built its identity in a setting full of chaos, freedom and nonsensical yet precious chatter. Since the days of Rimbaud and Verlaine, artists, creators and travelers in search of new experiences have taken up residence here for brief stays - among those who have lived here: Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Juliette Gréco, Lucian Freud, Albertine Sarrazin, Syd Barret, Keith Haring, Quentin Tarantino and other contemporaries to whom Hôtel La Louisiane owes its discretion.