The exhibition The Lemon is the Most Sincere Flower represents the culmination of a journey; it embodies a celebration of the most humble, yet perhaps the most inspiring, citrus fruit. This is not an exhibition where one whispers and admires silently. Oh no, it is a bold statement, a defiance of convention, where the humble lemon becomes the unlikely hero of a global artistic narrative.
Gathering around twenty artists from every continent, from Algeria to Ukraine, including Turkey, Georgia, Spain, and Japan, the lemon has opened the doors to artists from around the world, from the winding streets of Tbilisi to the bustling Istanbul. This exhibition stands as a sanctuary of the unexplored and a hymn to emerging art, exploring the multiple facets of this fruit that is as simple as it is influential. The humble citrus reveals itself under unexpected lights, both fruit and sun, this golden treasure that laughs and cries suspended in the branches transforms into the guest of honor. Through this exhibition, the lemon transcends its everyday status to become a central character, a muse that inspires and provokes.
The very essence of the lemon is found in various works, ranging from the subtlety of classic still life to the boldness of more experimental installations. Jean-Pierre Bertrand, an iconic figure in the minimalist treatment of this fruit since 1976, though no longer among us, brings a temporal dimension, connecting the past and the present in a single impulse. His spiritual presence in the exhibition guides the artists and sets the pace for the space, reminding them that art is a continuous dialogue between generations.
— Yvannoé Kruger
