Une Clameur

Commissioned by the agglomeration of the Pays de Gex, the bermuda curatorial team has taken over two heritage sites: the Fort l’Écluse and Voltaire’s Château.

Formerly a military citadel overlook­ing the Rhône, the Fort l’Écluse is built into the mountainside at a strategic point between the Jura and Alpine mountain ranges. The fort dominates the Rhône and is located along the Col de la Cluse mountain pass that unites France and Switzerland, and through which travelers and goods have circulated for over eight centuries.

In its heyday, Voltaire’s château at Ferney was not only the abode of the famed philosopher, but also the battle­field where he took up arms against the problems of his time. It consists of a vast residence with outbuildings, a chapel and a park. The château was Voltaire’s resi­dence for twenty years, during which the village of Ferney expanded and evolved.

These two heritage sites have histories that stand in stark contrast to each other. One was a space dedicated to war and defense, the other evokes a realized utopia and a living space, dedicated to the exploration of philos­ophy and politics. Nevertheless, both places share strategic features and are vibrant collective spaces, representative of the region.

The bermuda ateliers were inaugu­rated in 2022, and are located halfway between these two spaces. Bermuda is a living space that includes ateliers and residency spaces, a place where artists can explore and create. A space forged with utopian ideals in defense of the work of artists, bermuda disseminates works and artifacts to exhibition sites, and provides residencies for artists in the municipality of Sergy, in the heart of the Pays de Gex, inviting them to work in situ, following precepts established here several years ago.