Culture

Erbil’s French Institute launches Iraq’s first-ever ‘Micro-Folie’ exhibition

“Our goal behind this project is to offer to the Iraqi and Kurdish people the opportunity to explore art at the big museums in Paris from Erbil.”

Dler S. Mohammed 2021/11/15 12:27

Madame Agnès Banipal, Director of the French Institute in Erbil, interviewed by Kurdistan 24 about the institute’s Micro-Folie project, Nov. 14, 2021 (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan French Institute in Erbil Agnès Banipal Micro-Folie Kurdistan Region Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The French Institute in Erbil launched the Kurdistan Region and Iraq’s first-ever ‘Micro-Folie’ project on Sunday, which will enable people located in Erbil to explore thousands of art pieces and paintings in eight big cultural institutions in France.

The exhibition visitors will have access to more than 250 masterpieces from major French cultural institutions such as Château de Versailles, Centre Pompidou, Musée du Louvre, Musée Picasso, Quai Branly, Philharmonie, national and university museums, and the Grand Palais.

The exhibition is the first one of its kind in Iraq. It will last for a month. Micro-Folie also offers entertaining animations, workshops, and games for audiences of all ages.

Apartments of Anne of Austria, Julio-Claudian dynasty 'Reign of Augustus'. (Photo: Louvre Museum Website)

“Welcome to our Micro-Folie exhibition, a unique experience to access a large number of artists’ paintings from eight big French cultural institutions in France from Erbil,” Madame Agnès Banipal, Director of the French Institute in Erbil, told Kurdistan 24 from the exhibition’s hall.

“For example, you can see Mona Lisa painting of Louvre Museum from Erbil through your tablet, and you can also check information about the artist and the painting as well,” she said.

Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, known as the Mona Lisa in the Salle des Etats. (Photo: Louvre Museum Website)

Through Kurdistan 24, Banipal welcomed all Kurdish and Iraqi people to visit her institute’s exhibition. She described the Micro-Folie project as a unique experience.

“I’m very excited to offer this opportunity to the Kurdish and Iraqi people by having this art collection digitally available here in Erbil because it’s probably not easy to go visit Paris and see them there physically,” she said. “Iraqi and Kurdish people are welcome to come to see the collection here at our institute.”

2010 fittings of the rooms dedicated to classical Greek and Hellenistic art Room 344. (Photo: Louvre Museum Website)

Banipal revealed to Kurdistan 24 that her institute is planning a similar project with Kurdish and Iraqi museums.

“We are also trying to have the same project with some Kurdish and Iraqi museums and have them prepare their art collections to give people in Paris an opportunity to see them,” she said. “For example, showing the antiquities of the museum in Erbil to people in Paris.”

“Through this project, we can strengthen the relations between the Kurdish and the French people,” she added. “Such cultural projects, including concerts, exhibitions, and cinema activities, are very important tools to strengthen bilateral relations.”

Banipal also said that the French Institute in Erbil has multiple activities, such as language courses, including French, Arabic, and Kurdish.

“We also have a library here, where you can find French books and Kurdish books translated to French,” she said.

According to its official Facebook page, the French Institute is the premier cultural and language learning outlet for nationals and expats in the Kurdistan Region. It was established in 2009 and features an exhibition hall, a library, and a language center where French, Kurdish, and Arabic are taught.