The Conrad is set to be the pioneer of a magnificent evening on 1st November and for the first time ever will bring the spirit of Golegã and its horses to the Algarve.
Starting at 7.30 pm the evening will start with horse drawn carriages, matadors and horsemen from the Ribatejo. The balmy rythms of traditional music, as heard at the Golegã festival will create a backdrop to the evening’s festivities and All Saint’s Day couldn’t be complete in Portugal without the customary roast chestnuts, and a spit roast pig, Conrad – Style, to add to the flavour of the evening.
To add even more sparkle to this spectacular event, the art works of Christian Gaillard will be on display. His passion for bullfighting and its matadors has been the central theme of his paintings for more than two decades, and the French artist at 62 is not ready to give it up any time soon. This exhibition of works will include his meticulous oil paintings of matadors in their heavy brocade costumes and drama with his depictions of couples, intensely entwined in the sensual moves of the Tango. In addition to this, together with his son Solal Gaillard he will be presenting their book entitled Golegã – Men and Horses, and will show limited fine art prints of around 20 photographs from the publication.
The photographs and oil paintings that Gaillard is bringing to Portugal are so closely related to the theme of the evening and have a special link to the country, portraying the beautiful Lusitano horse, the men who ride them and the fair that has taken place since the 16th century in a town in Santarém where everything revolves around the horse.
Initially a professional illustrator, Christian gravitated towards the world of bullfighting through his memories of childhood holidays in Spain with his parents. After many years of painting as a hobby, he exhibited his artwork for the first time around 25 years ago at a French gallery. The exhibit was a success, definitively launching him into the world of painting. Often compared to Spanish masters like Velásquez and Goya, the painter will be at the inauguration of the exhibition, organised by the ArtCatto gallery in Loulé.
PLANETALGARVE 