"Delighted!" The Banksy Modeste Collection team "leaves Brest and the Bretons with a slight twinge in their hearts as the welcome has been warm, pleasant and exciting." For two weeks, the 280 works in the collection of the actor Béru, who was one of the few to meet the street artist in his studio in Bristol, by pure chance, in 2007, attracted more than 42,000 visitors from all over Brittany and all over France.
A record, according to the organization, based in the Montpellier region. This totally free exhibition, which is intended to be itinerant, has already passed through Grigny (91), Montpellier (34), Sète (34), Roubaix (59), Marseille (13) and Libourne (33) - where it had counted the highest attendance so far with about 39,000 visitors. The city of Ponant was therefore the seventh city to host it, within the workshops of the Capuchins, in the working-class district of Recouvrance, in the heart of a shipbuilding area now returned to the city (which is, moreover, the largest covered square in Europe to date).
Sometimes up to two hours of waiting
Some €142,000 had already been raised during the six events combined. The purpose of the exhibition, in addition to familiarizing the public with Banksy's universe (these are objects related to his rare official exhibitions, or related to his creations, and reproductions and silkscreen prints validated by his publishing house), is also to collect donations to support the smooth running of the event via an endowment fund, but above all to donate these same donations to local associations engaged in solidarity and militant struggles, in the image of the artist's commitment. For example, in Finistère, SOS Méditerranée 29 or the League of Human Rights (LDH), among others.
Libourne was currently in the lead with 41,000 euros collected; Brest now holds the record, with 48,000 euros raised for twenty associations (and 250 volunteers) invested – and also becomes the city with the most associations involved. The latter will receive this Friday, June 30 the sums that have been allocated to them.
The organization wanted to thank the public, "whose patience must be welcomed, because, before entering the exhibition halls (which had to be closed, for security and insurance reasons, Editor's note), whose gauge could not exceed 200 people – and the waiting time could sometimes stretch up to two hours! ".
The highlight of the exhibition, at the end of the scenographic tour, were his most recent stencils, made in the midst of the conflict in the heart of Ukraine, have toured the world.