CHà â€šTEAU D'IF

About

The Chà ¢teau was built in 1524—31 on the orders of King François I as a defense against attacks from the sea. The island became internationally famous in the 19th century when Alexandre Dumas used it as a setting for The Count of Monte Cristo, published to widespread acclaim in 1844. In the book, Edmond Dantès and his mentor, Abbé Faria, were both imprisoned on If. After fourteen years, Dantès makes a daring escape from the castle, becoming the first person ever to do so and survive. The sensational story of The Count of Monte Cristo, the book's all-encompassing themes of intrigue, betrayal, escape and revenge, its rich diversity and a powerful conflict between good and evil inspired young artists to create work across all Fine Art disciplines. Down in the dark cavernous spaces of the Shoreditch Town Hall basement CHà â€šTEAU D'IF blurs the boundaries between the story of Edmond Dantès and artists' personal experiences, between the past and the present, between fiction and reality.