On 20 September 2019 a team of friends, colleagues and members of the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë gathered in the City Hall of Lyon (8ème arrondissement) to prepare our exhibition ‘ARTÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë’ on 21 and 22 September 2019. We welcomed all participants with great anticipation: 15 painters, 3 sculptors, 7 writers and 1 photographer, all from the security forces (gendarmerie, police, customs, transport police, prefecture).
The event started with an aperitif offered by the municipality of Lyon, in the presence of civil and military personalities, whom we thank for their presence. We presented our associations: the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë (ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë), the International Museum of Police and Gendarmeries (IMPG), as well as the Lyonnaise Society of Police History (SLPH). Around 100 visitors came and were pleasantly surprised by the diversity, quality and beauty of this exhibition, allowing the public to discover a facet of our colleagues which was unknown to them: art.
I would like to express my gratitude to all exhibitors. Thanks to them, these 2 days were a full success. I spent two exceptional days full of friendship, solidarity, and I would even say of universal love, which brings together the police. It had been a long time since I had felt like this. Thank you, my friends.
My thanks also go to the Mayor, to his safety assistant Mr. Daniel Perez, and to the staff of the Lyon City Council, for their assistance during the preparations for this event.
Further thanks go to: Linda F. for the musical entertainment during these two days; Antonio Gomez Montejano, painter, photographer, writer and President of ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Madrid (Spain), who honoured us with his participation in this exhibition; Robert L., Agnès A., Patrice A., Patricia B., Annick B., Thierry D’A., Pierre d’A., Hervé G., Philippe G., Ghislaine G. S., Lucien G., Michel L., Marie M., Bruno P., Florence R., Nora S., Virginie S., Dominique B., Julie C., Claude S., Philippe B. from Amiens (80), they will all know why they are mentioned…
Finally, a thank-you goes to Nelly Antoinette, who was at the origin of this initiative and a great help during this event. Thanks to her for donating her painting for the benefit of the tombola for the police orphanage, which was won by Frédéric Secondi, who decided to donate the painting to the orphanage.
Thank you to all the artists.
Until next year maybe.
SERVICE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP.
Jean-Claude Fleury, President ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Rhône, France