A REMARKABLE JOURNEY INTO THE MIND
Our last weekend of the Early Fall Seminar took us to the unique Palais Ideal du Facteur Cheval. This remarkable example of naive art/architecture was created over a 33-year period by postman Ferdinand Cheval picking up stones on his daily route, first in his pockets, then in a basket, then in a wheelbarrow. The site became increasingly well known after Andre Breton and Pablo Picasso visited and began to share their experiences of this unique venture. Over the years, it has become a pilgrimage destination for countless contemporary artists. About an hour and a half by bus from Lyon, it is tucked away from the mainstream. Nonetheless, a town has grown up around it to accommodate the daily stream of tourists who visit.
