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Day: 5 July 2023

Monaco the source of inspiration for George Condo showcase at Hauser & Wirth

by: Stephanie Horsman
05/07/2023

Hauser & Wirth are dedicating the gallery’s artmonte-carlo booth this year to a selection of drawings by George Condo, with a particular focus on pieces created whilst living in the Principality.  

American artist George Condo is a man of many talents. He’s made a name for himself in the art world over several disciples, from painting to sculpture, as well as from printmaking to drawing.  

The 65-year-old currently has a major – and very popular – solo exhibit at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM), which runs until 1st October, but prestigious art gallery Hauser & Wirth are giving fans another chance to admire his works at this weekend’s artmonte-carlo. 

MONACO AS MUSE 

From 7th to 9th July, the gallery’s artmonte-carlo showcase booth will host a series of drawings done by Condo whilst preparing for his NMNM show and during his stay at the Hotel Hermitage in Monaco in May 2023.  

Pieces such as Anger in Monte-Carlo are “directly inspired by the region”, whilst others are homages to past works, such as Scenes from a Ballet and Ballerina Drawing, both references to a stage curtain the artist designed for Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo in 1998 as well as costumes and scenography done for the company’s Artistic Director Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Opus 40 ballet in 2000.  

He also drew, quite literally, people on the streets of the Principality with abstract precision and not a little comic relief.  

artmonte-carlo
George Condo, Scenes from a Ballet, 2023 © George Condo, Hauser & Wirth, Jean-Christophe Lett

VISUAL THINKING 

Drawing, or “visual thinking” as Condo refers to it, is the cornerstone of his work. Using traditional techniques to create unconventional pieces filled with human-but-not-quite-human images and a cacophony of colour incongruously splashed onto canvases, he creates spell-binding work that is at once a bit disturbing as well as oddly joyful.  

His exhibition pieces are all in pen, ink and crayon, and are textured and layered to incredible effect.  

ALSO ON… 

In addition to the Condo show, Hauser & Wirth are championing the quirky sculptures and touching poetry of the late American artist John Chamberlain. Drawing from work done in the 1980s, the gallery’s curators have paired artworks with his poetry to dramatic effect.  

Also part of the exhibition is the public statue that sits in the gardens next to the gallery, 2008’s Nightynightcap. The Chamberlain show runs until 2nd September. 

 

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Featured photo: George Condo, Looking Both Ways, 2023 

 

Second home market plateauing, but demand for the Côte d’Azur remains high 

by: Stephanie Horsman
05/07/2023
second home cote d'azur

In the face of a national slowdown, the second home market on the Côte d’Azur continues to be very active, according to a new report from Sotheby’s International Realty.  

From 2020 to 2022, an incredible thing happened. Those years, which were marked by the global pandemic, saw a massive rise in people buying second homes with the goal of giving their families room to move about – maybe with a swimming pool and definitely with a garden or outside space – in addition to a place for adults and children alike to work from home.  

That unprecedented flexibility in schedules created a thriving real estate market, one where people learned they could spend more time enjoying their homes during regular working hours than in their downtime as working outside the office at least part-time became commonplace.  

Back to reality 

Now that life is settling back into old rhythms, the demand has settled too, according to a report put out by Sotheby’s International Realty.  

“The Covid period was exceptional for real estate in all of its markets,” says Sotheby’s International Realty France-Monaco Chairman and CEO Alexander Kraft, while noting strong growth in the second home market during that time.  

This latter segment of the market is now reaching something of a plateau, says the report, a trend that is “probably as a result of the current economic crisis, difficulty in obtaining financing, rising interest rates and global political tensions”.  

“This decline in activity is a normal phase of the market cycle after three record years,” explains Kraft, “and remains far less pronounced than among buyers of primary residences.” 

What are second home buyers looking for? 

That said, there are still those looking to have a place to get away from it all as a counterbalance to their city lives.

The demand for a second home remains particularly strong amongst French nationals, but “this continuing interest from the French is reinforced by the return of foreigners, particularly Europeans, Americans and, increasingly, Asian customers”, according to Kraft.  

Nice, the capital of the French Riviera, is bucking the national trend as prices and demand continue to rise for second home investments. Photo source: Arno Smit, Unsplash

The market on the Côte d’Azur 

Peter Illovsky, the president of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty group that represents five agencies between Saint Tropez and Menton, has added his local knowledge to the report, explaining that “the Covid period brought strong activity characterised by a buying appetite focused on properties with outdoor space, sea views or proximity to the sea”.  

Though not as hearty as during the health crisis, the market on the Côte d’Azur is playing to its natural strengths and, in many places, prices and demand continue to rise. Nice, for example, is seeing first and second home prices on the rise, a trend that does not seem to be abating.  

Nice, the capital of the French Riviera, featured prominently on a recent Sotheby’s list of locations to consider when buying a second home in the region, alongside Cannes, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Saint Tropez and the other towns found in its gulf.  

 

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Photo source: Michael Kroul, Unsplash 

Fears about rioting across France lead Beausoleil to cancel weekend events

by: Stephanie Horsman
05/07/2023

Beausoleil Mayor Gérard Spinelli has announced the cancellation of three weekend events, citing the riots and instability felt across France following the fatal shooting of a teenage boy in by police as the cause.  

Spinelli is taking no chances with the safety of his people.

On Tuesday 4th July, the border town and Monaco’s closest neighbour disclosed the postponement or otherwise cancellation of three events that were set to take place this weekend on the Place de la Libération. 

The municipality says that safety concerns must be regarded over all else, with lingering unease about the riots, which have broken out across France in the days following the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel in Nanterre by a police officer, being the catalyst for the decision.

These tensions were felt locally on the night of 1st July when youths reportedly set fire to containers in various places, including Ténao, Moneghetti and Foch.

CANCELLED SHOWS 

First on the list is the much-anticipated evening featuring Starmania, a popular Canadian-French cyberpunk rock opera written in 1976, which was to be performed by Etoiles Noires singers and musicians on 7th July.  

Then there is the cancellation of the break dance battle set to take place on 8th July as part of the Sun Break City Urban Arts Festival. This is the only part of the festival, which runs from 5th to 9th July, to be affected.  

Lastly, a screening of Frank Cimière’s film Operation Portugal, which had been scheduled for 9th July at 9.30pm, has also been given the chop.  

 

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Photo source: Rémy Hellequin / Unsplash

 

Reopening of ‘Handiplage’ on Larvotto beach

by: Cassandra Tanti
05/07/2023
handiplage larvotto

People with reduced mobility who are looking to have some fun at the beach in Monaco will once again have ease of access thanks to the ‘Handiplage’, which is now available at Larvotto.

For 18 years, the Soroptimist Club, in partnership with the Prince’s Government, has been offering people with reduced mobility and with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the beach for free, seven days a week, from 10am to 5pm.

The service, which will be available until 3rd September, involves a team of handiplagists as well as tiralos – a floating wheelchair-like design – to provide support for swimming.

Up to three hours of free parking is also available for this group.

Access from the upper promenade is possible via adapted lifts, while access to the beach is facilitated by a gently sloping ramp.

People can contact the team in advance on 06 43 91 97 57 should they wish.

 

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Photo source: Government Communications Department

 

Interview: Skweek, the burgenoning behemoth of basketball broadcasting

by: Luke Entwistle
05/07/2023
Skweek CEO Oleg Petrov

Skweek may have just secured the broadcasting rights for the Betlic Elite until 2030, but the Monegasque business and its CEO Oleg Petrov have even loftier ambitions.

Last week, Petrov spoke in a roundtable interview, attended by Monaco Life, about Skweek’s first year, which given their acquisition of the broadcasting rights for the Euroleague, EuroCup and now the LNB Betclic Elite, can only be appraised positively. However, there are more markets to conquer, and Skweek’s ambition to do just that is evident.

What are your initial reactions to the agreement signed between the Ligue Nationale de Basket (LNB), Skweek and L’Équipe?

We are very happy to have signed this contract with L’Équipe and the LNB for the French Championship. It is an important step for us. We are very young as a team, as a platform. It’s only been one year. From the first day, our interest has always been to unite French basketball because we really believe in the future of basketball in France and generally in Europe. It is a popular sport that is worthy of more exposure and more attention in Europe. There are lots of opportunities. The idea is to develop the NBA’s culture here in Europe; for now, the US is the king. We are committed to creating a big show, a great sporting spectacle, because France has a lot of talent. French players play at an American championship level. There is a strong base of young talent in France.

What has changed in the past year for you to gain the confidence of the LNB to allow you to win the broadcasting rights for future seasons? 

I think we have shown the commitment we have to the job. I think everything that we spoke about at the start, we have pulled off: the dedication, investment, effort, and respect for every party, a great desire to deliver results… We tried to convince the LNB and all the relevant bodies that we are a solid partner that is worthy of trust and worthy of this opportunity.

Can you comment on the figures reported in L’Equipe on Friday morning, which talk about a deal worth €2.5m per year? Could you also comment on the existence of an exit clause, which has also been reported… 

We don’t usually comment on figures. I can say that it is a considerable investment. In terms of the contract, we wanted a longer one than the seven-year one that we got. We wanted a contract of more like 10 years. L’Équipe couldn’t guarantee for over five years. It isn’t for a lack of will. L’Équipe wasn’t capable of or didn’t want to sign a longer contract. They may be able to extend further, however.

What is the strategy for further growth? 

Getting a lot of subscribers is the goal. With our interesting, attractive platform, we can bring in considerable sponsors and well-known brands and partners. At Skweek, we want to concentrate on the youth, the progress of a star: following that path from a small team to a professional team, to a Euroleague team, to a national and then an international team.

Photo credit: Stéphane Danna

We already have a good partnership with Adidas, with whom we covered the Eurocamp tournament. We are working together and have done coverage of the young Euroleague Final Four in Kaunas. That didn’t come about by chance, it is part of our strategy of focusing on the upcoming talents. The idea is to create this ecosystem of young stars and also develop partnerships with brands. These partnerships are important.

Are there designs on acquiring the NBA rights with the current deal with BeIn Sport expiring in 2024? 

Certainly, there is an interest. We accept that BeIn have a lot more experience and considerable financial means, but we are interested. I think there is another year so we will follow that closely.

And for other competitions in France and Europe as well? 

Women’s Basketball is of great interest to us. We have already spoken about it. There is a lot of opportunity there. We’ve seen that in football as well. France, as a basketball country, is the strategy, so acquiring anything we can here is the main objective. After that, youth competitions in other countries are very interesting. England could be an interesting market for us as we believe there are lots of opportunities there that are yet to be developed.

And, as you take a further step into broadcasting the game domestically, was it important to do so with a brand like L’Équipe that is already very much part of the landscape? 

Definitely. We already have had a good experience with L’Équipe. They are a strong brand, very well known here in France. Professionally I am very happy with the exchanges and the ideas and approaches. We’re speaking a lot and we don’t always agree, but there is a good strategy. Together with L’Équipe, this strong brand, we can do a lot.

 

 

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Photo credit: Philippe Fitte

 

Abandoned villa at the entrance of Monaco to be brought back to life 

by: Elsa Carpenter
05/07/2023

The Villa Dixie has been falling into ruin for some 30 years, but now the primely located property is to be given a new lease of life. Here’s what we know so far.  

The thousands of people who drive along the Avenue Prince Rainier III every day will know of Villa Dixie, if not by name, by sight. 

Dilapidated and falling to decay, a slowly crumbling wreck of a former home above the Moyenne Corniche, the Villa Dixie has been abandoned for as many as 30 years – possibly longer. Over the decades, as other palatial properties sprang up in Cap d’Ail and Monaco, this large property gradually fell into a state of serious disrepair.  

But then, sometime in May, a board announcing a valid building permit was erected at the perimeter of the property and soon after came the first construction vehicles.  

According to the Monaco Matin, a Monaco-based SCI purchased the plot in 2021. A building permit was applied for in its name, but was ultimately refused by Cap d’Ail’s town planners back in February due to “security reasons”.  

A complex project for many reasons

It will be an understandably difficult task to complete the major renovation works required in a site as complex as that of Villa Dixie. Commuters and visitors to the Principality pass beneath its façade in their droves every day; Avenue Prince Rainier III is one of the principal access routes into Monaco.  

And if access is one concern, the fact that the villa is in a “zone inconstructible” – land that cannot be legally built on – is another. Other than securing the path up to the property, the developers will be prevented from adding any extensions to the existing structure or modifying its foundations. 

Renovating the Belle Epoque façade will be high on the developers’ list, however. Then, behind the blockwork and graffiti tags is a property of several hundred square metres across multiple floors. Outside, underneath the thick blanket of weeds, should be a garden and even a pond or water feature.  

Whether anyone will ever call this place home again, though, is difficult to determine.  

Villa Dixie’s origins 

Little is known about its early days. The name Dixie suggests an American link, but the identities of the architect and the property’s first owner have been lost. There are stories of a wealthy diamond merchant from the north of France as one owner in years gone by, who is said to have sold the villa to a man who moved to South America. After his death, no heirs could be found. 

Villa Dixie’s precarious situation was further compounded by a serious rockfall in 1985 that, according to the Monaco Matin, killed a motorist instantly when a large block came through his windshield.

In 1992, a building permit was applied for by the owner at the time, but the Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes turned it down, arguing that the land was in a “large scale hazard one”. A few years later in 1996, the plot was classed as being in a red zone.  

Whether anyone will ever call this place home again remains to be seen, but the construction site is certainly causing plenty of speculation.  

 

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Photo by Monaco Life