The Côte d'Azur and Provence still cultivate their taste for art and propose many exhibitions,
plays and other events all year long. Focus on our flourishing cultural activities.
Aston Martin, costumes, gadgets, sketches, photos of film shoots... A collection of over 500 original items, plunging the visitor into the esthetic universe of the world’s most famous secret agent. From Roger Moore’s white tuxedo in “Octopussy” to the skeleton costume worn by Daniel Craig in the opening sequence of “Spectre” in Mexico, this major exhibition covers 50 years of legendary stylishness, distilled throughout a monumental 50-year cinematographic saga. From April 16th to September 4th. Grande Halle de La Villette, Nef Sud, 211 avenue Jean Jaurès, Paris 19 (01 40 03 75 75).
The great Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian is back in Monaco. As part of the 30th anniversary of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, the dancers are offering a special programme in which all the various facets of choreography are revealed. Topping the bill of this event, the ballet “Bella Figura”, one of Jiri Kylian’s iconic creations, whirls the spectator to an esthetic world both sensual and powerful. “Gods and Dogs” and “Chapeau” complete the list of ballets to be performed for the occasion. From April 28th to May 1st. Grimaldi Forum, 10 avenue Princesse Grace, Monaco.(00 377 97 70 65 20).
Signed Chardin, Corot, Daumier, Millet, Manet, Cézanne, Renoir, Bonnard, Matisse, Picasso and Dubuffet..., almost 75 works from private collections and prestigious French and foreign museums comprise this original exhibition tracing the history of the status of the child in French painting from the 14th to 20th centuries. Until July 3rd. Musée Marmottan Monet. 2, rue Louis Boilly, Paris 16 (01 44 96 50 46).
The Finnish gallery Angelo Sipa Koskinen is moving into the Galerie Helenbeck in Nice for an entire month. A unique oportunity to discover this very inspiring country’s art of contemporary ceramics, in works by artists both past and present. Until April 30th. Galerie Helenbeck, 6 rue Defly, Nice (04 93 54 22 82).
The most famous of all dolls is given a place of honour for the first time in a French museum. A truly international icon, Barbie has played a leading role in the cultural and social history of toys in the 20th and 21st centuries. In all, 700 dolls are on exhibition in a surface area of 1,500 m2, together with many documents, photos, videos and works by contemporary artists, setting in context the hectic life of this flagship figure of pop culture, born in 1959 but still without a single wrinkle ! Until September 18th. Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1 (01 44 55 57 50).
Born in 1967 in Gwangju, South Korea, the artist Peter Kim now lives and works in New York. Fascinating and precise, his work is based on lines and dots traced repeatedly until they form a dense mass giving the shape of recipients or bowls which seem to float in the midst of nowhere. Until April 24th. Galerie contemporaine du MAMAC, place Yves Klein, Nice (04 97 13 42 01).
Did you know that in one of the ancient languages of Persia, the word for garden, “pairi-daeza”, evolved into “paradise” ? Just one of the discoveries unveiled by this enchanting exhibition which traces the epic of fantastic gardens from those of Babylon to the recent Al-Azhar Park in Cairo. For the event’s duration, the esplanade of the Arab World Institute will play host to a fabulous ephemeral garden entrusted to landscaper Michel Péna. This devoted fan of the world of plants offers his contemporary interpretation of the gardens of the East. A playful and sensorial invitation to stroll through alleys of roses, jasmin, orange and palm trees. From April 19th to September 25th. Institut du Monde Arabe, 1 rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard, Paris 5 (01 40 51 38 38).
Made of resin and painted by hand, the work entitled “Peace & Toon”, 2.10 metres high, symbolizes world peace. In the guise of an upside-down peace sign and the head of a panda evoking friendship and love, this form has become the emblem of artist Thierry Trivès of Cannes, a leading name in today’s Pop movement. Exhibited until the end of August at 40, La Croisette, Cannes, by the Galerie Signatures 12, rue des Belges, Cannes. (04 93 38 62 00)
A unique opportunity to contemplate the furnishings which surrounded the Emperor at the time of his death. Taking advantage of an undertaking to restore the furniture from Longwood House, Napoleon’s residence on the island of Saint Helena, the Musée de l’Armée has amassed an exceptional collection of 240 works and objects, including this death mask revisited by Magritte. Until July 24th. Musée de l’Armée, Hôtel des Invalides, 129 rue de Grenelle, Paris 7 (08 10 11 33 99).
In this Year of the Monkey, contemporary Chinese artist Liu Yilin has taken over the gardens of the Parc Phoenix. From monumental sculptures to effigies of the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac, an astonishing and very colourful show ! Until August 31st Parc Phoenix, 405 Promenade des Anglais, Nice (04 92 29 77 00).
Known for his hyper-realist life-size sculptures, American artist Duane Hanson (1925-1996) used his unique technique to portray Americans from the working class. Recalling the Pop Art movement, his fascinating sculptures transform the banality and insignificance of everyday life into iconographic material. Initiated by the Serpentine Galleries of London, the exhibition presents Hanson’s major works. Until August 28th. NMNM, Villa Paloma, 56 Boulevard du Jardin Exotique, Monaco (00 377 98 98 19 62).
Kept until now in the private mansion and studio of Bernard Boutet de Monvel at the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, an exceptional collection of canvases painted by Maurice and Bernard Boutet de Monvel is being auctioned by Sotheby’s. The very worldly artist Bernard Boutet de Monvel transformed beauty into a life-style, constantly searching for harmony in each line and perfection in each stroke of the brush. A unique event. Exposition from March 29th to April 4th. Sale on April 5th and 6th. Sotheby’s, 76 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 8 (01 53 05 53 05).
Offering a considerable choice of shows, the 2016 edition of this rendez-vous for fans of classical music pursues its mission to see that it is discovered and enjoyed by as many spectators as possible. Highlights include concerts performed by today’s greatest quartets - including the Quatuor Diotima -, an exceptional portrait of Gustav Mahler (eight symphonies performed by four prestigious German orchestras), a discovery of music at the time of Louis XIV, and an invitation to experience the music of Brittany. From MArch 19th to April 10th. Yacht Club de Monaco, Villa Paloma, Auditorium Rainier III, Musée océanographique, Monaco (www.printempsdesarts.mc).
As part of the 30th anniversary of its fashion collection, the Museum of Decorative Arts has selected 300 items of feminine, masculine and children’s fashion, creating an unprecedented chronological frieze from 1715 to 2015. The angle of a trip through time has been adopted for the sober scenography in the “Nef”, deprived of its glass windows for the occasion. Cornerstone items are displayed in their historic contexts, backed by archive documents. From April 7th to August 14th. Les Arts Décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1 (01 44 55 57 50).
By means of subtle framing, Patrick Tosani has built a production based on a reflection on photography as a pictorial form, giving large-format series which stage ice, fire, rain... The subject is presented in all its material force, unfurling a wealth of details and offering a new source of imagination. Until May 29th. Théâtre de la Photographie et de l’Image Charles Nègre, 27 boulevard Dubouchage, Nice (04 97 13 42 20).
Consisting of about 100 works, this exhibition aims to offer an objective perusal of the work of the decidedly unique painter, Le Douanier Rousseau, based on a reflection on archaism. Masterpieces by Henri Rousseau from the collections of the Orsay and Orangerie Museums (from “La Charmeuse de Serpents” to “La Noce”) are confrronted by canvases on loan from prestigious international institutions. Works by Seurat, Delaunay, Kandinsky and Picasso evoke the richness of the links woven around Le Douanier Rousseau, a crucible offering an original path in the exploration of modernity. Until March 22nd to July 17th. Musée d’Orsay, 1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris 7 (01 40 49 48 14).
This exhibition offers a wonderful insight into the prolific collection of Yvon Lambert, in which Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat top the bill as true icons of contemporary art. On the upper floor, a film by Julian Schnabel on Jean-Michel Basquiat will be shown continuously, with David Bowie playing the Pope of Pop Art. Until May 22nd. Musée de Vence, Fondation Émile Hugues, 2 place du Frêne, Vence (04 93 24 24 23).
This exhibition spanning the work of Paul Klee is the first major retrospective in France dedicated to this iconic 20th-century artist since 1969. Comprised of almost 250 works split into 7 thematic sections, it illustrates the way in which Klee used irony, harking back to a practice originally found in the first school of Romanticism in Germany. From April 6th to August 1st. Centre Pompidou, place Georges Pompidou, Paris 4 (01 44 78 12 33).
Authenticity, beauty, rarity and originality, such are the keywords to describe the 44th edition of the “Salon d’Antiquités, d’Art Modern et d’Art Contemporain d’Antibes”. Over a hundred prestigious exhibitors will present artworks, antique jewellery, designer and antique furniture. Until April 16th to May 2nd. Port Vauban, esplanade du Pré des Pêcheurs, Antibes (04 93 34 65 65).
Born in Oaxaca in 1985, Mexican artist Edgardo Aragon takes an interest in international economic and political systems, revealing their impact on certain social groups in his home country. In his new work “Mesoamerica : The Hurricane Effect”, he proposes a critical cartography in photos and illustrations indicating the levers of power ruling Mexico. Until May 22nd. Jeu de Paume, 1 place de la Concorde, Paris 8 (01 47 03 12 50).
