Adapted from Célia Houdart’s novel Tout un monde lointain, Agnès Hostache’s new graphic novel, E.1027, is a colorful, poetic tribute to designer and architect Eileen Gray, and her modernist villa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
As a benefactor member of the Eileen Gray – Étoile de Mer – Le Corbusier association, Architecture de Collection is committed to promoting the exceptional Cap Moderne site in Roquebrune-Cap Martin, its posterity and the way it inspires contemporary design.
Back cover
“E for Eileen
10 (the tenth letter of the alphabet) for Jean’s J,
2 for Badovici’s B
7 for Gray’s G.
1027, an intertwining of initials like a secret rendezvous, to designate this emblematic modernist villa, designed by one of the first female architects, Eileen Gray, and Jean Badovici, her lover at the time.
More than half a century later, this is the story of another unexpected encounter, like the birth of a love in a landscape that intensifies everything. Gréco, an elderly woman haunted by her memories, returns every day. She circles around villa E. 1027, which is now off-limits. Judicial seals have been affixed. One morning, she discovers that the padlocks have been ripped off.”
A few words about the author
After 10 years as an art director in major advertising agencies, followed by 12 years as a draughtswoman and designer in an interior architecture agency, Agnès Hostache turned to illustration and began freelancing.
Working in gouache or acrylic, she brings to life everyday moments and details, those that often go unnoticed, but which are nonetheless the very essence of our intimacy.
Between her training in the applied arts and her experience in interior design, Agnès Hostache has a keen eye for the places that surround her. She subtly tells the story of places and their inhabitants. Her artistic approach, tinged with modesty and sincerity, is also explained by her taste for and proximity to the Japanese “Mingei udo” artistic movement, popular in the 1920s-1930s.
In 2018, Agnès Hostache exhibits Portraits d’illustres inconnus et autres petits riens at Artazart. The following year, she publishes her first graphic novel Nagasaki – adapted from Eric Faye’s novel of the same name -, which wins an award at the 47th Angoulême Festival, and receives the ADAGP revelation prize in 2020.
In 2022, the illustrator took up a residency at the “Eileen Gray – Étoile de Mer – Le Corbusier” association, in Villa E.1027, where she completed her novel. Thanks to her immersion and on-the-spot studies of landscape and architecture, Agnès Hostache gives her drawings a singular atmosphere, unique to the Côte d’Azur. Vibrant colors and a cinematic look, made possible by framing, angles of view, in-field and out-of-field work and different shots, set the scene for the story.
Agnès Hostache presented her book on Thursday March 23 at the opening of her new exhibition, which you can visit from now until May 21 at the Artazart bookshop-gallery in Paris.
© Manuel Bougot
History of the association « Eileen Gray – Étoile de Mer – Le Corbusier »
Founded in 2000 by Robert Rebutato (1937-2016), the “Eileen Gray – Étoile de Mer – Le Corbusier” association is now chaired by Magda Rebutato, his wife. The original aim of the association is to bring together Eileen Gray and Jean Badovici’s Villa E.1027 (1929), Thomas Rebutato’s Étoile de mer (1949), Le Corbusier’s Cabanon (1952) and Camping Units (1957), with the aim of working towards their conservation and restoration, while disseminating their history and safeguarding the natural character of the site.
At the same time, the association plays an important role in the cultural milieu, notably through its publishing and film production activities. “Eileen Gray – Étoile de Mer – Le Corbusier” also organizes educational and cultural events, workshops and research projects, exhibitions linked to the buildings in situ or their creators, and conferences and seminars.
Since 2008, management of the “Cap Moderne, Eileen Gray & Le Corbusier au Cap Martin” site has been delegated to the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.
Since 2014, the Cap Moderne association has been responsible for the protection and maintenance of the site, the management of certain developments and works, and the site’s cultural activities.
Thanks to the work of the association (and the architects Claudia Devaux, Renaud Barrès, Arthur Rüegg and Burkhardt Rukschcio), by 2021 the site will be restored to its original beauty and its status as an icon of modern architecture.
