Prince Albert II inaugurated the 15th edition of Les Journées de l’Art-Bre, the open-air contemporary-art exhibition in neighbouring Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, on Thursday 17th September, unveiling a bust of André Malraux as this year’s event honours the 50th anniversary of the French writer’s death. The Sovereign was welcomed to the French commune by its mayor, Patrick Césari, alongside Martine Césari, president of the tourist office, and Anne-Hélène Mazzoni, director of its tourism events office.
Held each September in the olive grove of the Parc du Cap Martin, Les Journées de l’Art-Bre scatters sculptures and other works through the trees — the name a play on the French word “arbre”, or tree. The free, open-air exhibition, staged as part of the commune’s heritage season, has grown over 15 editions into a fixture of the local cultural calendar, and Prince Albert II has long attended as its guest of honour. Among its permanent features is a trail of busts honouring the many figures who once lived in or passed through Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, from Coco Chanel and Winston Churchill to Joséphine Baker and Jacques Brel.
This year’s edition is dedicated to André Malraux, the novelist, art theorist and statesman — author of La Condition Humaine — who served as France’s first Minister of Cultural Affairs under Charles de Gaulle and died in 1976.
The works on show
The centrepiece of the Prince’s visit was the unveiling of the Malraux bust, created by the artist Cyril de la Patellière, who was present for the ceremony. The Sovereign also saw the unveiling of a work titled “Poséidon” and viewed a portrait of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace by the artist Marcos Marin, before discovering “suspensions” and “basse-cour”, two pieces by Martin Caminiti. The inauguration closed with a speech by the mayor.
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Photo credit: Michaël Alesi / Palais princier de Monaco