From Bresse to Nihon-ga: a dialogue between memory and Japanese techniques
In April 2025, the Château de Saint-Germain-du-Plain was delighted to welcome the artist Julia Genet for a research residency, foreshadowing the activities of the future East-West Cultural Exchange Centre.
During her residency, Julia pursued a unique artistic project centred on the ‘intimate peasant’ of the late Middle Ages, drawing on the story of her own ancestor, Guillaume Genet, a 15th-century peasant serf. Her research, at the crossroads of historical inquiry and contemporary creation, explores the subtle links between family memory, territory and temporality.
Near the present-day castle stands a brick tower with machicolations, the sole remnant of an older fortified complex, which was probably destroyed in the late 16th century. This fragment of medieval architecture has been a central focus of his artistic practice.
This place, steeped in history, echoes the life of his ancestor, who was likely brought here to perform manual labour or fulfil feudal obligations. Imagining this ancestor working on this very structure several centuries ago, whilst photographing it today, creates a poignant dialogue between past and present.
Julia Genet’s exhibition at the château takes on a special significance given her artistic background. Indeed, since 2019, she has been training in Nihon-ga at the studio of the artist Yiching Chen, whose practice draws on the techniques and sensibilities of traditional Japanese painting. She has also held an artist-in-residence position at Villa Pérochon, and in 2024 was awarded the ADAGP’s Artistic Research Grant.
This dialogue between local roots – through its work on the rural heritage of the Bresse region – and contemporary Japanese artistic practice resonates particularly well with the mission of the East-West Cultural Exchange Centre.
This residence fully embodies the Centre’s ambition: to provide an environment conducive to research and creativity, whilst fostering fruitful dialogue between cultures, eras and regions.
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to Julia Genet for joining us and for the depth of her research. If you are an artist with a project in mind, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the details of a future residency.
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