Artist Vincent Girard in his atelier
BS1 Gallery: a new venue dedicated to contemporary art in Lyon
On June 11, 2026, Maison Brochier Soieries inaugurates the BS1 Gallery, a new space dedicated to artistic creation located in Lyon’s 7th arrondissement. Conceived as a continuation of the artistic collaborations developed by the Maison since 1953, this venue is part of a long-standing history in which the Maison engages in dialogue with contemporary art. On this occasion, the gallery presents the luminous works of Lyon-based artist Vincent Girard, a “weaver of light” followed by the Maison for more than twenty years.
Vincent Girard and Maison Brochier Soieries: a lasting artistic encounter
Cédric Brochier remembers his first meeting with Vincent Girard in the late 1990s. A discovery that did not immediately appear self-evident. Yet the encounter quickly went beyond the object itself. It was above all the person who left an impression:
“I mostly met someone very kind. Then, as I revisited his work, I began to find it interesting. Little by little, I grew accustomed to his universe.”
Gradually, a relationship developed. First through the acquisition of artworks, then through closer collaboration with the Maison’s printing workshops.
Exhibitions between silk workshops and Lyon’s heritage venues
In the 2000s, several exhibitions by Vincent Girard were held directly within the Maison’s workshops. One of them took on a particular form: it was conceived simultaneously in the workshop and at the Tour Rose in Lyon, then directed by Philippe Chavent, himself from a family of silk makers. The hotel rooms were designed by various Lyon silk houses and named after them, including Brochier Soieries and Brochier S.A., creating a unique link between hospitality and textile heritage.
Where light meets silk in the workshop
In these exhibitions, the artist’s lamps were placed on the printing tables, in direct contact with scarves and materials:
“The combination of his light and the silks created something almost magical.”
The workshop then became an exceptional space for experimentation, transformed for the duration of the exhibitions. Installations extended throughout the site, including the courtyard, where monumental works were displayed, such as over-two-meter-tall glass cypress sculptures.
An artistic relationship that has become almost familial
These experiences paved the way for a series of successive exhibitions, held every two to three years over more than a decade. The relationship between the Maison and the artist gradually went beyond a professional framework to become a close, almost familial bond:
“This relationship has, over time, become almost familial. Even though there was no textile creation in the strict sense, there was a real continuity.”
With the opening of the BS1 Gallery, Maison Brochier Soieries extends the singular story of encounters between artists and craftsmanship.
Practical information
BS1 Gallery
1 rue Jangot
Lyon 7
Visits by appointment only
Contact: Maison@brochiersoieries.com