20 years of SCAD Lacoste
Written by Katelyn Myrick. Photo courtesy of SCAD.
Lacoste, France has been visited by artists since the 15th century and more recently, by SCAD students since 2002. Some iconic European artists that have explored and have gotten inspiration from the land include Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh. This year marks 20 years of SCAD’s campus location in Lacoste, making it an important year to celebrate art, culture and education.
Starting as a medieval village and once the home of a historic figure the Marquis de Sade, SCAD transformed it into an artist’s paradise. SCAD restored more than 30 buildings, reinforcing the structure yet keeping its timeless beauty. Some of these renovated structures include the 16th-century Residents du SCAD and the Boulangerie which was once a bakery and is now the social center of SCAD Lacoste. Lacoste’s beauty is unparalleled with incredible landscapes and historic architecture. Featuring lavender and sunflower fields to its light to which has been referred to as the purest light ever.
To celebrate this landmark, SCAD is having year-round celebrations including opening a new sculpture garden, the Le Verger sculpture garden. The garden will be unveiled in September 2022 as well as SCAD’s Luberon Film Festival which takes place in July for 4 days. This quarter SCAD welcomed back students after an almost two-year-long hiatus. SCAD Lacoste has opened once again with a fresh perspective and even more creativity.
Current student Samantha Dederichs, who is currently in Lacoste, described her time there as “a once in a lifetime experience to see not only beautiful sites but iconic and historically rich cities.” She is currently a B.F.A. Fibers Major and talked about her excitement for being in a place where there is “a surplus of textiles and traditional botanical designs and patterns to study and learn about.” Apart from her classes, she said there are plenty of exciting extracurricular opportunities, such as ukulele classes and French cooking classes. She described Lacoste as quaint and filled with kind locals. She concluded her description by saying, “I have been very inspired and creative since arriving here and cannot wait to paint all the spectacular sceneries around the province.”
SCAD Lacoste is a great opportunity for students to immerse themselves in French culture. The scenery makes it a peaceful place for students to hone their craft and focus on growing as an artist.
