Reverie in Provence: mediterranean nostalgia at Art Central 2026

Reverie in Provence is a collaborative mural piece made by French artists Faustine Badrichani and Elsa Jeandedieu. Evoking a ‘paradis perdu’ shaped by the innocence of their shared childhood in the South of France. Exhibited at Art Central 2026 within the Soho House lounge, the piece serves as a portal into a realm of nostalgia, where femininity and the Mediterranean light of Provence meets the urban vitality of Hong Kong.

The artwork draws on the iconic imagery of the artist’s shared youth memories: the architectural silhouettes of pin parasol trees and the lush textures of figues de barbarie. Influenced by the vibrant palettes of Matisse and the dreamlike quality of Gauguin, the artists have created a sanctuary for introspection.

Central to this vision are female figures who exist free from the external gaze, representing both the individual experience of womanhood and a collective, universal identity.

This collaboration seamlessly blends two distinct artistic languages. Faustine’s minimalist approach and restrained palette emphasize the intimacy of the female form, rooted in her deep bond with the natural world. Elsa’s muralist experience and command in textures, brings a tactile, sensory depth to the work, utilizing her mastery of plaster and pigment to create a grounded, rhythmic energy.

Presented by Art Bridger, the project extended beyond the fair to the Soho House Hong Kong building in Sheung Wan, transforming the space into a cohesive dreamscape. Together, Badrichani and Jeandedieu invite the viewer to escape the constraints of reality and enter a world where memory and imagination flourish without bounds.