Spiritual Art

Thank you, Margaret of Reflections on the Teche for prompting us to write about spiritual art today.

Last October, my husband and I were fortunate to travel to Roubaix, France. 

From Roubaix, we toured the exquisite city of Lille. After a day of walking and sight-seeing, our group was tired and most opted to return to the hotel to rest before dinner instead of an additional visit to a local art museum. 

Never one to quit on sight-seeing, I pushed on to La Piscine Musee-d'Art et d'Industrie de la ville Roubaix.

In my memories of high school French, I remembered that the word piscine had something to do with swimming....swimming?

I arrived at the museum and was delighted with art arranged in a 1930s, Art Deco style, community swimming pool -- turned museum. Not only was the pool area converted into a sculpture gallery, but the shower and changing rooms all displayed priceless art in very unique ways. 

There is no other appropriate reaction to entering the main salon than a gasp...the stained-glass windows of sunrise and sunset are the stars of the show that include stunning classic sculpture, paintings, prints and rare textiles. Every step brought me another gasp of delight and surprise. And to think--I had considered a nap instead! 

main salon and sculpture gallery--viewing the stained glass window, Sunrise

This unexpected visit to La Piscine was as stunning to me as my day at the Louvre. The unexpected design of the space energized and amazed me. It was an experience so full of joy that it that felt, a bit spiritual. I ended up staying until closing time. I'd go back in a heartbeat. If I lived there...I would visit regularly. 

Roubaix, France
October 2019

Art à la piscine

I thrilled to find Apollos there

blushing Aphrodites too

Art à la piscine

sculptures still and marble bare

gazed across the pool

Art à la piscine

I thrilled to find Apollos there

(c) Linda Mitchell--draft

The other end of the main salon...stained glass window, Sunset. And an Aphrodite by the pool