New exhibition: Ton Schillings
Ton Schillings (Heerlen) is an amateur artist and frequent visitor of Lumière. Throughout the years, his work was already included on our ‘Wall of Fame’, but this year, he created five new drawings especially for our 50th anniversary,
When Lumière moved location in 2016, many regular visitors and volunteers bought a seat to support the cinema. As a token of appreciation, these people were given a VIP pass entitling them to a year’s free cinema admission. Some volunteers donated these passes to people who couldn’t afford to go to the cinema that often. One of those passes ended up with Ton Schillings.
In the first year, Ton went to the cinema several times a week and would ring an hour beforehand to ask which film was showing. He would then watch one or two films, with a cup of coffee in between. Towards the end of the year, he became a bit anxious, as there were still so many films to see whilst the pass was about to expire. Lumière then extended his pass, so that he could go to the cinema even longer. As a thank-you, he drew a picture and secretly hung it on our ‘Wall of Fame’.
In the following years, he hung up even more works, always secretly and framed by himself, to match the style of the wall. A number of staff members and volunteers have also been given a drawing by him. All his drawings are personal and in his own style, but they are all about film. He draws freehand and from memory and his imagination, and although the drawings are not realistic, it is always clear which film he is referring to.
The exhibition is free to visit in the foyer of Lumière during regular opening hours.