Château des Réaux have still not sent us the information we requested. However, one of the artists in contact with us who was considering submitting paintings to the art exhibition competition did get a reply from them with the list of the judges for the competition. Since they don’t want the names published we will honour that but we will give some details that artists thinking of submitting their oil paintings might like to consider. Château des Réaux state the following: “The acceptance of works is decided by a jury, the members of which are figures of art and literature.”
There are five members of the jury who will decide what artworks are accepted etc. Of these, one is a published French art critic whose inclusion would appear quite valid. However, the other members are one poet (guess who), two civil servants and someone who works for an auction house (as yet unnamed). Four of the five members are French. We are really not sure why these people have been chosen and how they can be deemed qualified to judge this competition. It seems like a case of “it’s my game and I’ll choose anyone I like”. Certainly it is hardly an international jury and to describe these people as “figures of art and literature” is really stretching the concept in most cases. In any event, what would a “figure of literature” be doing judging an art competition anyway? Would you have Salvador Dali, Gil Elvgren, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet and HR Giger deciding who gets the Booker prize?
After reading the list of judges, the artist who contacted us decided not to send her paintings off to Château des Réaux, thanked us for our blog and immediately sold one of the paintings for far more than 305 Euros and without losing her copyright on it 🙂
1Jason on Apr 23, 2008 at 1:41 am:
I’ve done a couple of research on this matter, coz my younger brother had spent endless nights in creating some works for this competition. He had sent them a picture of his works via email, and got a quick response the following day. Telling him about the details and informations of how he is going to send his work and will be paid around 350 euro ( I think).
Well at first, I was happy for him, for a reason his an amateur artist willing to get in to the world of arts. I’ve read the entire contract and had a good picking on the website. And I’m just a bit confused about this certain guy named Mr. Evgeny Yukhnytsya, coz his name just instantly been changed on the contract as MR. Yevhen YUKHNYTSYA.
To cut the story short, I’ve made a couple of researches for my younger bro. This so called MR. Yevhen YUKHNYTSYA was a TABLE HOCKEY PLAYER, ( KNOWS WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS GAME ABOUT) anyway for you viewers not to be confused. I have the link for the website if you wish to view it. I have searched a lot about this guy and all comes out all the same topics about this said sport. Take note the guy is from UKRAINE as well. A young bloke I would say about on his late 20’s.
Here’s the link: https://www.ithf.info/stiga/ithf/ranking/player.aspx?id=310086
And another link: https://www.hockeysurtable.com/guest/guest.php
what I don’t understand is how the hell he became a poet if he is to busy playing his sport all over the Russian Territory and nearby Eastern European Countries.
By the way the owner of the castle is Jean-Luc and Florence de Bouillé along with their son Stanislas and his New Zealander wife Nicola-Anna.
If you’re in doubt yopu can contact one of the travel agents that are handling the castle.
Here’s the link for the agent: https://www.lodgingsinternational.com/lodgings/608.htm
Hope this helped a lot. Think again and again.
2Artists UK on Apr 23, 2008 at 10:04 am:
According to our contact at Château des Réaux Jean-Luc and Florence de Bouillé were the previous owners of Château des Réaux when it was a hotel and the listings you are referring to are old and should have been removed. We emailed several travel agents but none of them replied. The telephone number given by our contact for Château des Réaux apperars to be valid so it does look as if he does own Château des Réaux … whoever he is. Thanks for your comments though, particularly regarding the name discrepancy. We hope your brother is succesful in promoting his work.
3evelyne majorel pécal on Aug 19, 2008 at 3:19 pm:
je peux vous dire encore une fois ma satisfaction en ce qui concerne l’organisation du concours de mr. yukhnystsya, je copie exactement mon courrier “je viens de lire vos textes et je peux vous assurer que l’organisation du concours est extrêmement bien faite. en tant qu’ artiste, c ‘est la première fois que je constate un aussi grand “respect” pour les artistes. D’ordinaire, il faut toujours payer et encore payer pour simplement participer ou bien réserver un petit coin d’une quelconque salle. ce concours est absolument gratuit même les frais de port sont remboursés je n’avais jamais vu çà, et de plus,il donne une image de nous-mêmes très valorisante. on sent de la part des organisateurs une extrême délicatesse , pour ma part j’ai considéré ce “challenge” très divertissant. je remercie les organisateurs de m’avoir enfin fait découvrir mon importance même si je ne suis pas célèbre on donne la parole aux “inconnus”, aux non médiatisés, avouez que c’est nouveau et rare.
>
4Artists UK on Aug 20, 2008 at 1:49 pm:
Thanks to Evelyne Majorel Pécal for a positive on Chateau De Reaux. Yes, we are aware that all the costs of sending the artwork etc are reimbursed, although this is the first time someone has confirmed it has actually happened. The general opinion here is that 305 Euros is still a very low price for a good original oil painting with full rights transfer though …
5evelyne majorel pécal on Aug 21, 2008 at 12:06 pm:
je ne trouve pas que 305 euros soit un prix bas, je le trouve très honnête en fonction du travail demandé ; de plus la peinture à l’huile n’est pas imposée, tout autre façon de peindre est acceptée. pour ma part j’ai envoyé un tableau acrylique et il a été accepté. j’estime que les participants non pas à faire un “chef d’oeuvre” ce n’est qu’un concours après tout et très amusant qui plus est. pour ma part je l’ai considéré comme tel et je n’ai pas cherché de problème de toute façon là où il n’y en a pas.
6evelyne majorel pécal on Aug 21, 2008 at 12:18 pm:
je voulais aussi répondre en ce qui concerne le jury, j’habite très loin du chateau des réaux dans le sud de la france tout près de carcassonne, et il me semble que le choix du jury incombe aux organisateurs et non aux participants. ensuite, ce concours est organisé en france il est normal que des personalités du “lieu” du concours soit sollicitées (d’autant plus que ce concours est fait pour fêter les 600 ans du chateau). on ne participe pas aux jeux olympiques que je sache. c’est mon opinion bien sûr, je pense que les artistes ne sont pas “obligés” de participer. “cela reste un choix”. peu importe la “valeur” artistique du participant. (van gogh aurait été bien mal placé “de son vivant” dans le critère des cotations).
7Artists UK on Aug 21, 2008 at 3:12 pm:
Yes, it is a choice and although a professional artist is unlikely to consider 305 Euros a fair price for their work maybe amateurs will. However, when you talk about artists participating it is clear from the contract that although artists are legally able to assert their authorship of the painting they have transferred full rights on Château des Réaux are not legally bound to do the same. They don’t have to say who painted it. This is a choice they can make at any time. Anyway, we are pleased to hear from someone who has submitted a painting and been paid for it and we wish you all the best with your artistic endeavours.
8evelyne majorel pécal on Aug 21, 2008 at 4:44 pm:
merci de vos bons souhaits, je peux vous dire simplement, mon plaisir d’avoir participé, peu importe les lois du marché, le plaisir de la création doit être le plus le plus fort … je m’étonne tout de même d’être la seule à être satisfaite. j’ai découvert votre site en surfant au fil de ma curiosité, sans doute d’autres participants satisfaits ne sont pas au courant de vos recherches. dans tous les cas merci pour votre blog. j’espère correspondre avec vous encore. je vais m’absenter en fin de semaine. je m’informerai en revenant début septembre sur l’évolution en espérant que vous rencontriez d’autres artistes satisfaits.
9Artists UK on Aug 22, 2008 at 12:31 pm:
Well, Evelyne, we do already have another artist expressing their satisfaction with Château des Réaux as you’ll see if you look through the comments. All the best.
10Regine Freise on Jun 15, 2009 at 6:47 pm:
Hi everybody, we are in 2009 by now, no news about the contest or exhibition at the Chateau des Reaux. I had a painting with legs – female legs – and I was willing to sell it for 305 Euros. since I wouldn’t have sold it anywhere else, I guess.
I delivered the painting personnaly to the chateaux and was payed some weeks later.
I was very curious about that strange story, that was why I wanted to go there – being in France anyway. TBut they didn’t invite me inside…….
I also tried to google that poet and the academie mazarine. I didn’t find any site about the academie. If you google the name of the “president” who signes the marvellous paper “Mérite et devoument aux arts” , Mr. J.Fautous you’ll find a very amusing site on artmajeur full of funny titles and decorations 😉
So let’s see what happens next……….
11Artists UK on Jun 15, 2009 at 8:39 pm:
Thank you for that Regine. It would appear that there has been no announcement of any winners in the competition that was to have ended in February. Looking at their website they appear to still be buying paintings and there is a very curious note that reads:
We are glad to inform you that despite the reliable guard of Château des Réaux, all the paintings were moved to the special safe till the end of organization of the exhibition. All the necessary conditions for the good conservation of the paintings are observed.
What does that actually mean? Maybe you should ask Chateau Reaux for a list of the winners of the competition? I wonder where these paintings end up? Our best guess is that they are sold for a huge profit in Paris or other major city galleries. Is that what they mean by “the special safe”?