picture (2009) French journal la Dépêche du Midi
The garden has a lot of sculptures of persons and animals made from concrete and painted in bright colors. One can see Adam and Eve, Mickey Mouse, Romy Schneider. Laurel and Hardy, and so on, all together over 200 representations. The sculptures have a somewhat two-dimensional character.
Sponge Bob is known in France too. Here he is, Bob l'éponge, in an art environment in the Toulouse area in the south of France.
Life and works
Joseph Donadello (1927-2024) was of Italian descent, so quite probably, like other Italians, he migrated to France to find work there.
He had a job as a mason for many years, but due to an accident, he had to find other work. And then he had all kinds of professions, like postman. shoemaker and truck driver.
Retired in 1981, he began around 1985 decorating his garden with a variety of creations.
The garden has a lot of sculptures of persons and animals made from concrete and painted in bright colors. One can see Adam and Eve, Mickey Mouse, Romy Schneider. Laurel and Hardy, and so on, all together over 200 representations. The sculptures have a somewhat two-dimensional character.
But Donadello also has made kind of frescoes on walls and small scale monumental structures, like this Panthéon.
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| this picture and the next one (2008) by Bruno Montpied, from his weblog |
This art environment is called the garden of Bépi Donal, a name that Donadello liked as his nickname.
As can be seen on next picture, Donadello also has made a lot of paintings, which fully cover the walls of his interior (together with the prizes won in jeu de boules competitions).
At age 96, Joseph Donadello passed away on May 4th, 2024.
A part of his creations have been included in the collection of the Musée les Amoureux d'Angélique in Carla Bayle, Ariège department, managed by Martine Boudra and Pierre Louis,
Documentation
* weblog by Sophie Lepetit, articles on August 9, 2011 (description, pics), on January 17, 2012 images of (interior works) and January 18, 2012 (images of garden elements)
* article in la Dépêche du Midi, 30-12-2009
* article in la Dépêche du Midi, 30-12-2009
(with a lot of pictures).
Video
* Video (2021, YouTube, 1.43) by l'Arc, scène nationale le Creusot
Joseph Donadello
le jardin de Bépi Donal
Saint-Lys
31470 Saiguide, dept Haute Garonne, region Occitanie, France
can be seen from the road,
visits only on appointment
visits only on appointment
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