Over the coming days, Monaco Art Week will be offering art enthusiasts in the Principality a rare and immersive art experience through its Walking Tours, which have been designed to highlight the diversity and dynamism of the local art scene.
On Tuesday 2nd July, the opening day of Monaco Art Week 2024, Monaco Life’s Niki Borisova joined the first group of many keen art admirers to embark on a special tour of nine exhibitions that feature in this year’s line-up.
In all, 18 galleries with branches or temporary addresses in the Principality are participating in this edition of the Monaco Art Week concept, which is being held under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II and will run until Sunday 7th July.
Tour highlights
The tour commenced at the Hôtel des Ventes de Monte-Carlo, which is hosting its ‘Summer Prestige Sales’ between Thursday 4th and Wednesday 10th July. The auction will be showcasing a range of jewellery items, collectors’ watches and luxury leather goods from renowned brands like Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Viewings of the many lots form part of the tour.
The next stop was at NM Contemporary on 17 Rue de la Turbie. The gallery is presenting Julien Spiewak’s ‘Corps de Style’, an ongoing project in which the artist integrates himself or parts of his body into scenes in museums and other historical sites, including the Palais Princier de Monaco.
Speaking to Monaco Life, Spiewak said, “Through these works, I aim to create a unique interplay between the human form and historical artefacts, inviting viewers to see these objects differently and to think about the stories they tell today.”
See more: Monaco Art Week: Moretti Gallery to host Ingeborg zu Schleswig-Holstein’s ‘And There Was Light’
From there it was on to the Lebreton Gallery on 31 Boulevard Rainier III where the spotlight was on Jean Cocteau’s early 1960s creations. The exhibition includes a distinctive collection of ceramics, drawings and tapestries that reflect the artist’s deep connection with the French Riviera landscape.
Moving towards the Carré d’Or, the tour stopped by the Collect/MC gallery located in the Le Saint-André building. This gallery has chosen to promote ‘Concrete Beaches, Artificial Landscapes’, an exhibition exploring the fusion of natural and artificial environments that draws inspiration from J.G. Ballard’s ‘Vermilion Sands’.
The next four galleries on the tour are found within the La Scala. One of the highlights here was Elisabeth Lillo-Renner’s Baroque-inspired ‘Curiosités’ exhibition that combines various objects with jewellery, using various media such as thread, fabric, Chinese ink and photography to challenge conventional perceptions.
Meanwhile, the M.F. Toninelli Modern Art, a private gallery that can usually only be visited by appointment, is presenting a selection of works by Italian artist Franco Angeli that date from the 1970s. Angeli’s pieces, including landscapes and personal portraits, provide insights into the artist’s experiences and the scenic beauty that influenced his creative vision.
See more: Espinasse31 Gallery to showcase ‘Harmony of Contrast’ during Monaco Art Week
Just outside the La Scala building, the Adriano Ribolzi Gallery (pictured above) is featuring new works by Indian artist Ganga Singh. His vibrant paintings draw inspiration from his Rajasthani heritage, and blend traditional and contemporary artistic styles to create dynamic, nature-inspired compositions.
Opera Gallery’s ‘Monaco Masters: La Côte d’Azur, Terre d’Inspiration’ is showcasing an impressive range of works by 20th and 21st century artists with links to the region. These include renowned names such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Joan Miró.
Damien Simonelli, the director of Opera Gallery Monaco, told Monaco Life, “We have had the privilege of benefiting from the High Patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco for over 10 years, and this exhibition honours great masters of modern and contemporary art inspired by the Côte d’Azur’s exceptional light.”
See more: Chagall, Picasso, Dubuffet and Léger to feature in Opera Gallery’s Monaco Masters 2024 exhibit
The last stop on the tour was at YellowKorner Gallery, which has been taken over by the international art specialist gallery HOFA. The exhibition here features Anne Von Freyburg’s ‘Papillotage’, a series of artworks that uses bold colours and forms to vividly comment on female representation.
For a taste of the Walking Tour experience, watch the Monaco Life reel below:
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Photos by Monaco Life