On November 13th, Le Méridien Beach Plaza welcomed guests for the vernissage of their ‘Celebrating The Riviera’ exhibition, offering a rare opportunity for people to speak with the featured artists and learn about their creative processes and interpretations of the French Riviera.
Their artworks have been decorating the hotel’s lobby since September and will continue to adorn the walls until January 9th.
A 20 year love affair with the Riviera
For Pip Todd-Warmoth, the French Riviera holds a particular place in his heart. “20 years ago, my wife and I were married in Menton and had a reception on the beach,” he recalled. “So the French Riviera holds a very special place for us.”
His paintings chronicle Monaco’s shifting skyline, preserving views of buildings that may soon disappear. “The city is always changing,” he said, gesturing toward pre-Mareterra structures in his work. “In five years, I don’t think these will still be standing.”
When asked about his favourite piece in his collection, Todd-Warmoth selected a landscape painting. “It’s that moment where man meets nature, the whole idea of looking up to the sky and the mountain,” he explained.
Swimming with inspiration
Local artist Carol Bruton finds her inspiration beneath the surface of the Mediterranean. “I swim all year, even through winter,” she said. “When I’m underwater and I turn to look up, these are the shapes I see floating between the sea and the sky.”
Additionally, her technique is quite unconventional. “I used to use paintbrushes, but now I use dried seaweed from the beach as my paintbrushes,” Bruton said.
Gesturing to her ‘Bubbles’ series, Bruton recalled a moment of underwater inspiration. “I was swimming with an octopus when it released a perfect oxygen bubble,” she said. “I took that image and recreated it again and again,” using cold glass and crystal to evoke the marine creature’s delicate breath.
Her ocean-inspired works have resonated in the Principality. “My biggest collector is Prince Albert II, so I’m very honoured,” she shared. “He’s deeply passionate about the ocean, and I’m proud to have that connection.”
An Irish take on the Riviera
Irish artist Jesse Grylls brought a different perspective to the exhibition, one shaped by the wild Atlantic coast. “I’m very influenced by the Atlantic and the wild Irish dark light,” he said, explaining his challenge in capturing the Riviera’s character. “The Riviera is gorgeous but it’s too soft. It needs a bit of roughness.”
His solution was to create a mashup of Riviera and Ireland. The works, as a result, blend the azure Mediterranean light with the wildness of Ireland’s western shores.
“Each painting takes months and months to create. There are layers and layers, and it goes on and on.” The challenge, he noted, lies in knowing when to stop. “It’s sometimes the colour ten layers down that actually makes the magic happen.”
For Grylls, exhibiting in Monaco presented an additional challenge as well. “I show in New York, Hong Kong, London and Mexico, but I’ve never shown here. I found it a challenge just to tone myself down a bit and be a bit more ‘Rivieran’.”
The exhibition at Le Meridien also features works by Paul Hughes, who creates paintings that connect natural elements like land, sea and sky through colour and texture, drawing on his background in both fine art and design.
The show runs until January 9th, with works displayed throughout the hotel’s lobby space. The exhibition is organised in partnership with Tanya Baxter Contemporary, a London and Hong Kong based gallery.
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Main photo provided.