In echo of journey of Impressionism, the festival unfolds a path of excellence from the Dutch scene in five emblematic sites. Four major artists occupy the landscape, each explores the shifting boundaries between nature, technology, and artifice in their own way.
This exceptional showacse benefits from the invaluable support of theEmbassy of the Netherlands in France, which values the presence of these talents and the reach of their work to a wider audience. The festival also acknowledges the commitment of the Mondriaan Fonds, which supports the projects of Diana Scherer, Tanja Smeets, and Jacques Perconte.
From Zaandam to Normandy: a story of light
Although Normandy accompanied Monet through his later years, it was in the Netherlands that he had one of his
first great artistic awakenings. In 1871, returning from London to Paris, the young painter found refuge
in Zaandam and Amsterdam—land of canals, windmills, and the light is so pure it seems to
dissolve the horizon. In these landscapes, Monet discovered a new way of perceiving the world: a
profound unity between sky and water, between air and matter, between perception and emotion. As he
would later write:
"Zaandam is particularly remarkable, and one could paint a whole lifetime there."
This epiphany, which was born under the Dutch light, would reappear years later in the water lilies and
the play of light reflecting on water that enlives the Giverny ponds.
In 2024, Normandie Impressionniste dedicated a significant portion of its exhibits to the British connection
(notably through the works of David Hockney and Oliver Beer, in partnership with the British Council),
echoing Monet's time in London. In 2026, the festival continues this historical and
artistic journey across Europe: from London to Amsterdam, and on to Paris, it follows Monet's trajectory and
highlighting the artistic connections that run through the landscapes of the northern part of the continent.
A dialogue between territories
The aesthetic interplay between Normandy and the Netherlands is based on deep affinities between them. These two northern regions
share landscapes shaped by water, ever-changing skies, and a sensitive connection with nature and
its elements. Both cultivate a culture of light that is contemplative, meditative, and
profoundly human. By evoking these similarities, Normandie Impressionniste celebrates not only
Monet's legacy but also the continuity of artists who, even today, seek to reinvent the
connection between humanity and nature.
It is in this spirit that four contemporary Dutch artists, or artists working in the Netherlands, were
invited to engage in dialogue with Monet's vision and to revisit the theme of the garden from their own practices
and contemporary issues: Studio Drift, Jacques Perconte, Diana Scherer and Tanja Smeets.
Like Monet, the visionary artist who found renewal in foreign lands, the Netherlands continues to assert itself today as a remarkable land of welcome and innovation. The country is a cosmopolitan crossroads where art, design, and science meet, and whose unique relationship with the landscape echoes Norman identity profoundly.
Discover the stops along this unique artistic journey.
Diana Scherer — The Light in the Nets
From May 29 to August 30, 2026 — Saint-Nicolas Church, Caen
At Saint-Nicolas Church in Caen, Diana Scherer’s work unfolds before us in the form of a unique garden that was born of a collaboration between human intention and the power of nature. Taking its cue from Claude Monet’s gardens, the exhibition reflects on our contemporary relationship with the plant world, balancing freedom and control, nature and artifice.
Her work explores a fascinating idea: having plants « weave » themselves. By directing the growth of plant roots, she creates patterns that resemble textiles or drawings, transforming the plant into a form of artistic expression. She takes her inspiration from age-old weaving techniques, which she adapts into a natural and self-sustaining process.
Studio DRIFT — Meadow, hanging garden
From May 29 to September 27 – Sainte-Croix-des-Pelletiers Church, Rouen
Where high technology gives way to pure poetry. The renowned Amsterdam-based studio DRIFT takes over the Sainte-Croix-des-Pelletiers church with Meadow, a monumental kinetic installation composed of robotic water lilies.
In a delicate, mechanical ballet, these technological structures open and unfold above the visitors, mimicking the biological rhythm of real flowers. They create a landscape in perpetual motion that captures the very essence of Impressionism: the impermanence of light and the emotion of the moment.
Superblue, Miami, 2021
photo by Oriol Tarridas
Jacques Perconte – At the Edge of the Forest
From May 16 to November 1 – Michel Ciry Museum
Jacques Perconte (French, based between France and Rotterdam) has been developing a practice of digitally transforming video images since the 1990s, he plays with modifications of color and form in an aesthetic that is similar to that of Impressionism. During a residency in Varengeville-sur-Mer, Normandy, he imagined a "possible garden" that was halfway between land and sea. Through the works Brun, Buis and Bleu, he composes poetic landscapes where nature and technology recompose plants, sea, and light.
This work is presented in the form of prints and videos at the Michel Ciry museum, offering an immersion in imaginary plant landscapes.
Michel Ciry Museum, 2026
Tanja Smeets — Gardens in Dialogue: Contemporary Art in Lyons-la-Forêt
From June 13 to September 27, Lyons-la-Forêt Forest
In her large-scale installations, Tanja Smeets explores the processes of organic growth and
transformation, creating sculptural formations that seem to unfold and breathe within
architectural spaces. Constructed from everyday materials (plastic, textiles, and
industrial waste), her works blur the line between the natural and the synthetic.
Like living organisms, Smeets' sculptures appear suspended in a state of
metamorphosis: they bud, flow, and expand. This poetic ambiguity puts into question ouroverconsumption, the value of materials, and the fragility of our relationship with the environment.
surconsommation, la valeur des matériaux et la fragilité de notre relation à l’environnement.
Presented as part of the contemporary art trail in Lyons-la-Forêt, one of the most remarkable natural sites in Normandy, Tanja Smeets' installation establishes a dialogue between landscape,
architecture and traces of human intervention: it is a fleeting ephemeral between art and ecology.
, Maubuisson Abbey, Saint-Ouen-L'Aumône, France, 2024.
Photo by Catherine Brossais
Jacques Perconte – At Sea Level
From July 1st to August 31st at Rouen-Rive-Droite Station
Conceived during his residency in Varengeville-sur-Mer, Normandy, Jacques Perconte installed a monumental immersive projection at Rouen train station. It plunges travelers into a digital landscape of light and shimmering movements, blending flowers and sea, which is an echo of the the Normandy coastline and countryside.
Gare de Rouen, 2026
the Embassy of the Netherlands in France
Mondriaan Fund
