Street Art in Var

La Femme au Chapeau by Paul Nebac.

 

It's probably obvious that I love street art.

By this I mean the eye-catching art on public display.

But I also love casual artistry, where someone has effortlessly decorated a window or where I have glimpsed something simple yet stunning in the street, whether it be the way the light strikes an object or a perfect splash of colour or just an arrangement of goods at a market stall.

Here I have selected a few more traditionally - and sometimes quirky - artful things that have caught my eye while wandering around Var.

I came upon this statue sunning herself in Sainte Maxime. It is La Femme au Chapeau - Woman with a hat - created by sculptor Paul Nebac and installed on the main sea front in April 2015.

Does the hat mean she's 'sun smart'?



Woven and painted basketry at the Abbaye de Thoronet.

These 'basket sculpures' as I call them, were arranged on a bench at the gracious Abbaye de Thoronet, near Lorgues, the day we visited.

 

The abbey has perfect acoustics and is often used for classical concerts during summer.

I am not sure if these heads represent medieval knights, but they were unusual and unexpected - with no notification as to who made them or why they were there.




Eclectic guitarist.
 

This guitarist made me laugh.

It reminded me of a couple of musicians I know - one of whom was with us when we discovered it.

We found it outside a gallery space in Les Arcs - now sadly no longer there.

He was part of an entire band, fashioned in the same style, and designed to lure passers-by into the gallery to view the weirdly wonderful works inside.

Today, the Espace d'Art - art space - is an immobilière - real estate agent!








The port at St Tropez is filled with the sleek yachts of the rich and famous as international celebrities browse the galleries and haute couture shops during the summer months.

The port is also surrounded by artists - like a mini-Montmartre - where you can buy something more reasonably-priced or have your portrait sketched.

I particularly enjoy the annual outdoor sculpture exhibitions they have each year.

You can sit at an outdoor café with a kir or pastis and people watch or appraise sculptures like this one of three acrobats.






At the other end of the scale are the unselfconsciously brilliant colours of children's art in Frejus.

It was a summer school holiday activity and we watched the children drawing and painting on tables in the square.

When we returned, their works were pinned up in a colourful outdoor 'exhibition'.

Night-time in Les Arcs-sur-Argens with its illuminated art.

And finally night-time in Les Arcs-sur-Argens.

The tower of the donjon - castle - is illuminated with a chevalier - knight - as part of the town's medieval history.

This represents the knight, Helion de Villeneuve, who grew up in Les Arcs.

He not only fought in the crusades, but ended up founding the Hospital of St John on the Greek island of Rhodes.