Daily Letters: Malak and Mona Varichon’s Exhibition in Brétigny-sur-Orge (Essonne)

Until March 14, 2026, CAC Brétigny is hosting an outdoor exhibition at Espace de la Croix-Louis in Brétigny-sur-Orge, in Essonne. Titled Letters from everyday life – Excerpts, beginnings, games, traces, this show brings together works by Malak El Zanaty Varichon and her daughter Mona Varichon.

Guided by a strong curatorial vision from Marion Vasseur Raluy, the exhibition delves into over thirty years of artistic creation inspired by family life, personal exchanges, and a keen eye for the nuances of everyday living.

Letters from daily life – Excerpts, beginnings, games, traces

By Malak El Zanaty Varichon & Mona Varichon
Curation: Marion Vasseur Raluy

Espace de la Croix Louis, Brétigny-sur-Orge
Open Tuesday to Friday from 2 pm to 6 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm
Until March 14, 2026.

An exhibition shaped by everyday life and family experiences

Letters from Everyday Life – Excerpts, beginnings, games, traces brings together an extensive collection of works created between 1996 and 2025. The exhibition features painted postcards, illustrated letters, collages made from children’s drawings, photographs capturing living and working spaces, as well as videos documenting daily life and current events.

• Collages and assemblages that blend drawings, paintings, and fragments of life
• Photographs capturing intimate moments, cityscapes, and domestic spaces
• Videos derived from phone conversations and daily life chronicles
• Letters and correspondence presented as complete artistic forms

Creativity is seen here as a spontaneous act, free from hierarchies between adults and children, amateurs and professionals, and without the aim of seeking formal institutional validation.

A cultural lineup centered around the exhibition

• Saturday, January 17, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
  Opening of the exhibition Letters from Everyday Life
  Guided tours alongside the artists and a reception on-site. Free admission
  
  📍 Located at L'Espace de la Croix-Louis, Bretigny-sur-Orge
  Free shuttle service connecting Paris and Bretigny, advance booking required
  Departure on January 17 at 2:00 PM – Meet at the François Mitterrand Metro station.
  

• Wednesday, February 4, 10:30–11:30 AM
  Storytelling Session - Time of Stories
  For children aged 4 and up.
  Surrounded by works by Malak El Zanaty Varichon and Mona Varichon, young visitors and their families explore the artists' worlds through a curated selection of children's books.
  
  📍Espace de la Croix-Louis, Bretigny-sur-Orge.
  
  
• Wednesday, March 4, 4:00–5:00 PM
  For children aged 7 and up.
  Workshop - Recto Verso
  Join us for a hands-on art activity inspired by the exhibition. Using tissue paper, tracing paper, and stickers, children will create hanging mobiles.
  
  📍Médiathèque Marguerite Duras – Bretigny-sur-Orge.
  
  Family and youth program: Free, with advance reservation through the Marguerite Duras Library team: +33 (01) 69 46 58 20.

Exhibition Design and Atmosphere

The exhibit design adopts a subtle and thoughtful approach, allowing the artworks and the everyday stories they evoke to take center stage.

The Croix-Louis Space thus transforms into a bridge between the personal and the communal, where drawings, images, and videos interact freely. The overall atmosphere encourages wandering and careful observation of details, creating an environment perfectly suited for reflection.

A Story of Artistic Legacy and Recognition

Having trained in visual arts for over thirty years, including a notable tenure at the Children’s Workshop at the Centre Pompidou, Malak El Zanaty Varichon is unveiling her first solo exhibition within a French public institution.

Mona Varichon, an artist and translator, has developed a body of work rooted in archives, utilizing documentation and contemporary storytelling techniques.

Together, mother and daughter present a collaborative piece that transforms family heritage into living art and living memory.