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Month: September 2023

“Burning Gravity” brings Minjung Kim to Monaco for premiere exhibition

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/09/2023
Monaco Minjung Kim

Sotheby’s Monaco is hosting South Korean calligraphist and watercolour painter Minjung Kim’s first-ever exhibit in the Principality: Burning Gravity. 

South Korean-born Minjung Kim knew art was to be her métier from an early age. She pursued her passion throughout her youth, studying oriental painting at Hongik University in Seoul, before heading to Milan to train at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, where she was influenced by the expressionist works of Constantin Brâncusi, Carl Andre and Brice Marden.  

Over time, the artist, based between New York City and the south of France, forged her own path, drawing from her traditional Korean training and blending it with the minimalist and abstract genres she has adopted.  

STATUS OF ANIMA

Now, Minjung Kim’s simple yet powerful images are being showcased at Sotheby’s Monaco in a show entitled Burning Gravity, which pulls on a selection of works from her Street, Mountain, Phasing, Sculpture and Order & Impulse series created from 2017 to 2023.  

Her pieces are made with layers of nearly translucent Korean Hanji paper, using different techniques and materials to achieve the desired look.  

The use of this type of paper has a sentimental aspect for the artist, who recalls playing with the paper scraps left on the floor of her father’s print shop. The effect is somehow both earthy and otherworldly. 

“I feel the weight of life is too heavy and it comes from gravity of body,” says the artist. “I’m so eager to achieve my status of anima (the unconscious part of your mind that works automatically, without introspection or awareness) without body-gravity. The whole active process of making art is burning my own body through Hanji paper.” 

minjung kim monaco
Order & Impulse, 2023, Minjung Kim

A MONACO PREMIERE

Kim’s work has been exhibited around the world over the past two decades, including at the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea in Rome, the Hermès Foundation in Singapore and White Cube in London. 

Her works are also found in the collections of major institutions such the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Leeum Museum and the OCI Museum in Seoul, the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Princeton University Art Museum in New Jersey and the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama. 

The Monaco exhibition will run from Thursday 21st September to Monday 30th October at Sotheby’s Monaco Gallery – found at 20 Avenue de la Costa – with a special event on Tuesday 26th September at 6.30pm, which will feature a talk between Kim, famed French art dealer Almine Rech and Bernard Picasso, the art collector, curator and grandson of legendary artist Pablo Picasso.  

 

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Photos supplied by Sotheby’s Monaco

 

Photos: Francien Giraudi announced as new Goodwill Ambassador for the MAC

by: Elsa Carpenter
20/09/2023

The Monaco Ambassadors Club bestowed the grand honour of its Goodwill Ambassador Award on Francien Giraudi, the selfless and dedicated founder of Les Enfants de Frankie, at a magical and joyous night held at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort.  

Music, colour and creativity filled the Jardins Méditerranéens venue of the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort on Thursday 14th September as the members of the exclusive Monaco Ambassadors Club (MAC), their families and Prince Albert II convened for one of the Club’s major social highlights of the year: the awarding of the MAC’s Goodwill Ambassador Award. 

Francien Giraudi, Goodwill Ambassador 2023 

It was the Prince himself who handed the Diplôme d’Ambassadeur de Bonne Volonté to the well-respected philanthropic figure of Francien Giraudi, a woman who has been at the helm of the Les Enfants de Frankie association for 25 years. 

During these years, Les Enfants de Frankie has helped many thousands of sick, disabled and vulnerable children living in the Principality and across southern France achieve their dreams through special experiences, activities and projects organised thanks to the funds raised by Francien and her team. 

2023’s Goodwill Ambassador Francien Giraudi of Les Enfants de Frankie with Prince Albert II of Monaco at the special soirée. Photo courtesy of Monaco Ambassadors Club

A night of colour, entertainment and warmth 

The colourful and vibrant nature of Les Enfants de Frankie, whose logo is of a clown, was also honoured at the event through the specially chosen rainbow theme picked out by MAC General Secretary Alessandra Sparaco. 

Live music was supplied by the talented band Blackberry, who kicked off the evening’s entertainment with a much-enjoyed rendition of Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars, while a kaleidoscope of haute couture creations by Italian designer Gianluca Capannolo adorned the dancers of the soirée. 

On the tables and in the elegant wine glasses of guests featured beverages by Pernod Ricard and a delectable rosé by Château Ste Marguerite – bottles of which were also given away to members at the end of the night – and generous gifts from the MAC’s other prestigious partners and sponsors decorated the wrists and bags of guests. An adorable teddy bear bracelet by Monaco jeweller APM was among the most appreciated trinket of the night. 

Colour and creativity was the theme of the evening; designer Gianluca Capannolo and Francien Giraudi are pictured centre. Photo courtesy of Monaco Ambassadors Club

In all, it was a wonderful moment of celebration and friendship. These sentiments permeated the event, which was summed up in a speech by the MAC President Christian Moore as “a privilege” to attend. 

Moore also took some time to speak on the talents of this year’s esteemed Goodwill Ambassador. 

A legacy and an inspiration 

“Goodwill Ambassadors are exceptional people who live in Monaco and have made major contributions to Monaco, the world and society,” he told those assembled, before reeling off a prodigious list of previous recipients, which includes his late father Roger Moore, John Christodoulou, David Coulthard and Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

“In a few moments, a very special lady will be joining the list of illustrious individuals who have received this distinction in the past. She [Francien Giraudi] has been living in Monaco since 1975 alongside her husband and two children. A homemaker, she quickly integrated into Monegasque life. Even though she faced a language barrier, in 1980, she became the vice president of the “Les Voisins” association, which supports foreigners residing in Monaco, a position she held for 10 consecutive years. 

Prince Albert and other esteemed guests look on during the ceremony. Photo courtesy of Monaco Ambassadors Club

“Driven by a strong desire to help vulnerable children, she founded her own organisation, Les Enfants de Frankie, inspired by her personal story and with valuable guidance from Prince Rainier III of Monaco. For the past 25 years, she has been tirelessly leading this organisation. The numbers speak for themselves: whether it is children suffering from serious illnesses, facing disabilities, in deep distress, orphaned, or living in poverty, more than 75,000 families and nearly 150,000 children have benefited from her assistance. 

“She invests herself so deeply in humanitarian work that she has become a leader and advocate, always striving to be as close as possible to the children she supports. In 2002, she was invited to the United Nations General Assembly in New York for a session dedicated to children, accompanied by His Serene Highness the Crown Prince, to defend children’s rights. In 2008, she received recognition from the United Nations, granting her consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 

“Prince Rainier III of Monaco awarded her the Knight of the Order of Grimaldi medal, and she also received the National Order of Merit from France for her outstanding service to the nation.” 

Moore then invited Francien on stage to receive her award, after which applause, cheers and toasts to her tireless work went round the stunning venue. Prince Albert, also joining Moore in front of the many MAC members gathered, then bestowed the prize on Francien, who was joined at the event by many members of her family, including her young grandsons.     

 

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All photos courtesy of the Monaco Ambassadors Club

Winter Olympics: PACA and Auvergne region launch joint bid to host 2030 Games

by: Luke Entwistle
20/09/2023
paca winter olympics

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, in conjunction with the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, have announced plans to submit a bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympic Games.

The plans were announced in July, with both regions revealing a joint quest to submit a bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“The Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games in France in 2030 are a tremendous opportunity to build on the momentum of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games, and offer fabulous prospects for French sport and our athletes,” said David Lapparttient, the head of the French Olympic Committee.

That bid was officially submitted earlier this month, according to La Montagne, with the presidents of the respective regions, Laurent Wauquiez and Renaud Muselier, presenting the bid to the IOC.

2026 edition to take place in Northern Italy

However, the PACA and Auvergne regions face stiff competition in order to host the Games. Sweden, Switzerland, the USA, Canada and Japan have all also officially declared interest in hosting the event.

The hosts for the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are expected to be named during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games in June 2024, however, there are suggestions that the host country could be named sooner, perhaps even as early as October.

Whilst the identity of the 2030 hosts remains unclear, it has already been confirmed that the 2026 edition will take place in the Milan-Cortine region of Northern Italy.

 

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Rumours of a migrant camp in Menton denied in wake of Lampedusa crisis

by: Elsa Carpenter
19/09/2023
lampedusa menton

An estimated 10,000 migrants landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa last week alone, putting serious pressure on local infrastructure that is suitable for just 400. Border crossings of migrants into France are also rising, forcing French authorities to call in reinforcements and deny rumours of the creation of a camp near Menton. 

200 boats containing a reported 10,000 migrants arrived on the shores of Lampedusa the last week, according to media reports, leading Italian officials to reach out to their European neighbours to ask for assistance. 

France’s Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, travelled to Rome at the start of this week to meet with his Italian counterpart and try and find a way forwards in dealing with the ongoing crisis on Lampedusa, and while stating that France would not be accepting any of the recent arrivals.

In an interview with Europe 1, Darmanin said that France was “not preparing to welcome” any of the migrants currently installed on Lampedusa.

Meanwhile, in the French Riviera, rumours have been circulated in the media of a temporary migrant camp that may be erected to help with the processing of these thousands of migrants.  

“Fake news”

The Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has branded this information as “fake news”, and released a statement saying, “The #Prefect06 categorically denies any project to build a migrant camp in Menton.” 

It has been confirmed, however, that local police will be given “increased capabilities” to deal with the larger-than-usual numbers of illegal migrants crossing the border from Italy into the French Riviera.  

According to France 3 Côte d’Azur, the number of border personnel in the region will rise by 200. Soldiers numbering 120 may also be drafted in.  

Around 1,500 migrants are reported to have been stopped last week, up from the usual 100 per day. 

Following a decision to requisition a hotel near the Italian border to house an elevated number of unaccompanied minors earlier this month, there has also been talk of identifying similar properties in the Menton area to help process adult migrants who have crossed the border into France. No official statement has been made as yet on this matter. 

 

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Photo source: Red Charlie, Unsplash

Get a truffle taster this weekend ahead of the big autumn festival in Alba

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/09/2023

In the lead-up to the International Alba White Truffle Fair, Monaco’s neighbour of Beausoleil is hosting its own Italian-themed market this weekend, which will highlight the truffle alongside plenty of other Piedmont delicacies. 

With the Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba – the International Alba White Truffle Fair – just around the corner, its twinned city of Beausoleil has planned a special event for 23rd and 24th September.  

ITALY IN BEAUSOLEIL 

Beausoleil’s Marché des Couleurs et des Saveurs d’Italie, now in its 15th edition, will welcome a host of vendors offering exquisite Piedmontese delicacies, such as white truffles, wines, chesses, charcuterie, jams, pastries and more to the Boulevard de la République and Avenue du Général de Gaulle. Saturday’s market will run from 9am to 6pm, and Sunday’s event will take place between 9am and 2pm.  

THE BIG EVENT 

This local event is but a prelude to the 2023 edition of the International Alba White Truffle Festival, which officially runs from 7th October to 3rd December. 

The city of Alba, known as the white truffle “capital” of Italy, if not the world, is famous for this exceptional gastronomic event as well as its signature tuber.  

Each autumn, a market selling truffles from the Langhe, Monferrato and Roero areas of the region dominates the historic city centre of Alba.  

Visitors can also expect a variety of side events, such as cookery classes, exclusive dining experiences, cooking shows, wine tastings and courses on the unique characteristics of a true Alba truffle. 

For more information and the full schedule, please click here.  

 

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Photo source: Andrea Cairone, Unsplash

 

Formula E: Edoardo Mortara leaves Maserati MSG Racing

by: Luke Entwistle
19/09/2023
Edoardo Mortara - Maserati MSG Racing

After six years, Swiss-Italian driver Edoardo Mortara has left Maserati Monaco Sports Group Racing. Here are all the details. 

Mortara joined Maserati MSG Racing, known as Venturi at the time, back in 2017. Over the course of his stint with the team, one of the longest and most successful in the championship, Mortara won six races, scored 13 podiums and claimed a total of 422 points.

He came close to winning the Formula E Championship on two occasions, being crowned Vice-Champion in Season Seven, before once again getting close in Season Eight. However, Mortara struggled in Season Nine, being outperformed by new teammate Maximilian Günther.

In a press release, Mortara has reflected on his time with the team.

“The past six years have been quite a journey, and it has been an honour to represent the team during this time. Since 2017, we have experienced a lot together, it’s been a rollercoaster at times and by learning from the tough moments we faced, we grew to become a competitive outfit, fighting for race wins and world championships,” he began.

“I’m proud of the role I played in this”

The Swiss-Italian driver added, “I’m proud of the role I played in this. I want to take this opportunity to thank the team and for their trust in me and their support. I wish them the best of luck for the future.”

Team Principal James Rossiter said, “We would like to thank Edo for his efforts and success over the past six seasons. His experience, knowledge and expertise have been pivotal in our journey and development as a team.”

Maserati MSG Racing now have the task of recruiting Mortara’s replacement before the start of Season 10, which gets underway in Mexico City on 13th January.

 

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Photo source: Maserati MSG Racing