The June Exhibition at the Wauchope Art Gallery celebrates refused artworks that have been rejected from a Public Exhibition in the last five years.
So what is Salon des Refusés, I hear you say?…
Let’s go back to 1863…
Originating in 1667 the word ‘Salon’ refers to an official exhibition of art sponsored by the French government. Moving forward to 1863 there was protest by artists whose work had been rejected by the official Salon. Emperor Napoleon III ordered a special exhibition for the refused artworks which included works from Manet, Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, and Whistler.
The Exhibition known as the Salon des Refusés (French: Salon of the Refused) was a turning point in the history of art and paved the way for new artistic styles to come into recognition. Empowered artists began to arrange their own exhibitions and the importance of Art dealers grew.