A large number of people turned out for the opening of an exhibition entitled ‘Hymnal – Humanity Gathered’ on Saturday 27 July at La Baptisse in Paris 7.

The exhibition, organised jointly by La Baptisse and Agapé Hub, featured works by a number of painters, sculptors, musicians, clothing designers and other artists.

The evening was part of a program of events taking place up to August 10 including live music, exhibition and drama.

Estienne and Johanna Rebeyrolle welcomed everyone and casted their vision for the exhibition and venue. This was an inaugural exhibition which is the first of many planned to take place in this historic building.

The vision of La Baptisse and Agapé Hub is to reach out to their communities through the use of creative arts.

A convivial atmosphere filled the room as people socialised and enjoyed refreshments.

Rich Swingle, a Broadway actor, performed two short extracts from his one person play ‘Beyond the chariots’, about Eric Liddell’s inspirational life after winning gold in the 400m at the 1924 Games. The full play will be performed there on Saturday August 3rd at 8pm. Admission is free.

Here are some words of Estienne, who was the director of the varnishing about what was the most surprising during the creation and the preparation:

« in fact what surprised me the most, is to see the vision take shape, what surprised me the most during the varnishing is that I took a step back and saw people discussing in the back while music while playing in the background, people in circle singing together, people having basic conversations as well as about art, spiritual conversations, all that create like this estuary that I’m speaking about the Baptisse that is the mixture between culture, spirituality and the world of work, since varnishing is artists at work ».

A must see!

Some photos: