We discover works by three American artists, former GIs. “I wanted to wink at them. They fought for us, for our freedom during the Second World War”, adds Denis Janneau. These soldiers all landed in France in 1944. One of them, John-Franklin Koenig, was injured during the war. At the end of it, he made his convalescence in Biarritz. He also goes to the American University, located in Regina. The other two painters, John Harrison Levee and Bill Parker, returned to the United States. They return to study at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, thanks to a scholarship granted by the American government: the “GI Bill”.
Careers in France
The three American artists have the distinction of having made a career in France. Denis Janneau first became interested in the best known of them, John Harrison Levee: “I bought several of his paintings and dug into their stories. I discovered the two other artists, in a very different style. I also liked them. The idea came to me to do this exhibition”.
Franco-American collaboration is in the spotlight with “America” presented at the Luz 26 gallery until July 14.
Michel Hiribarren
To complete his gallery, he also offers analogue photographs. We discover a portrait of the actor Marlon Brando in the middle of filming “La Vengeance aux deux visages”, or even Marilyn Monroe, captured by the American photographer Milton Greene.
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