History

The 2000s. A group of art enthusiasts lamented the fact that many talented artists from French-speaking Switzerland were forgotten shortly after their deaths, leading to the destruction of their studios and archives. On the initiative of founder Jean Menthonnex, a draft constitution for the Fondation Ateliers d'Artiste was drawn up in collaboration with art critic Bernard-Paul Cruchet and UNIL art history professor Philippe Kaenel.

On 17 June 2004, the Fondation Ateliers d'Artiste (FAA), a non-profit organisation active throughout French-speaking Switzerland, was established. In 2006, it was recognised by the Canton of Vaud as a public utility institution. Since 1 January 2018, the foundation has owned a group of historic buildings in Saint-Maurice, ideally located opposite the Place du Parvis.

The foundation's objective is simple: to encourage the conservation and maintenance of a collection of works representative of the careers and contributions of various notable artists from French-speaking Switzerland. These works, which are in danger of disappearing along with their creators, are sorted within the foundation. Some of them will form a coherent collection to be preserved (inalienable fund), which can be consulted in the foundation's archives by art history students interested in a particular artist; the rest will be hung in the foundation's gallery during temporary exhibitions, in order to (re)promote the work of a regional artist. Convinced that works age better on private walls than in museum cellars, the foundation systematically offers a selection for sale to art lovers (free collection).

Fondation Ateliers d'Artiste
Grand-Rue 78
1890 Saint-Maurice
079 210 24 44
info@ateliersdartiste.org

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