The artists in this exhibition share a common intention: to reduce form in order to better reveal what unfolds between the works — invisible tensions, physical forces, light, and perception.

Minimalist geometric forms thus create a rich dialogue: floor-based installations respond to stretched surfaces; reflective spheres meet abstract photographs; coloured fabrics echo the lines of the paintings. Together, the works shape a journey marked by pauses, moments of breathing, and silent confrontations.

What does blue reveal in contemporary African art and its diasporas? Afroblue brings together 38 artists who express their memories, dreams, and stories through the colour blue. Explored as a living material, between sky and sea, blue bodies, ancient gestures, and contemporary forms, blue composes a poetic journey to describe today's world.

Upstairs, carte blanche is given to artist Wim Botha.

Internationally recognised for his vivid, emotionally charged painted portraits, Davidson presents here a major evolution in his practice. While Stranger marks his first large-scale series of three-dimensional works, the sculptures remain deeply rooted in his long-standing commitment to painting as a tactile and expressive medium.

Ghita Skali, an artist from Casablanca based in Amsterdam. Her multidisciplinary practice includes installations, videos, and interventions. She draws on strange news items, rumours, and historical facts to disrupt institutional power structures. Her work blends humour and critique, resulting in projects that circulate beyond exhibition spaces, through alternative merchandise trade, (il)legal documents, and objects one takes home.

An exhibition supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands in France and the Aix-en-Provence Biennale 2026
Exhibition walkthrough: Saturday 23 May & artistic and civic celebration on 14 July
Highlight event as part of the Printemps de l’Art Contemporain PAC festival: Saturday 23 May.

“PRÉSENCE” offers a new creative opportunity to the 26 contemporary artists featured in the exhibition. Through a sensitive and evocative PRÉSENCE at the heart of the works presented, the artists rehabilitate an aesthetic, perhaps fill a void, or revive the fading memory of places of remembrance.

Prompting reflection on our relationship to others and to ourselves, by opening new windows and holding up a mirror, this exhibition reveals the imperceptible and invites us to discover hidden realities.

A sea of crossings and exchange, the Mediterranean carries memories of journeys and intertwined cultures, but also exile and loss. For centuries, people have crossed it seeking refuge and dignity.

In 2026, the Fondation Villa Datris gathers 74 artists from 20 countries to explore the Mediterranean as a shared territory. Their works address migration, common roots, and today’s challenges: climate change, borders and violence… blending commitment and poetry to celebrate hospitality, solidarity, and hope for an open, human Mediterranean.