Michel Sima’s iconic photographs of legendary artists, including Picasso, Chagall and Matisse, have gone on display at the Salle d’Exposition on Monaco’s Quai Antoine Ier. Monaco Life‘s Niki Borisova headed down to the vernissage of ‘Des Ateliers aux Ateliers’ to explore this fascinating collection of 20th century photographs.
From 18th September until 24th November, the Salle d’Exposition on Quai Antoine Ier will be hosting ‘Des Ateliers aux Ateliers’, ‘From Studios to Studios’ in English, an exhibition featuring over 150 photographs by Michel Sima. Organised by Monaco’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the show offers a retrospective view into the lives of the major players in 20th century art, conveyed in black and white photographs taken by the Polish visual artist.
Sima (1912-1987) was a photographer, a sculptor and even Pablo Picasso’s assistant at one point. Today, he is most well-known for his photographic body of work, which captured notable figures of the art world in the post-WWII era, including Picasso himself, who is seen in one image at the Château d’Antibes. Other iconic artists featured in the collection, many of whom appear inside their own studios, include Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall.
But the photographs are just one aspect of the exhibit. Alongside the main show, young artist Théo Casciani has been tasked with the exploration of what a studio means to an artist. Separated by a glass partition, Casciani, who was chosen for the project by the Department of Cultural Affairs, will use his own space to ruminate on the evolution of an artist’s studio, an atelier, in the years between himself and Sima.
The exhibition’s curator, Donatien Grau, said to Monaco Life, “This is a layered project with a lot of depth to it as we are telling a story of this great artist. This classic exhibition offers a physical, emotional and perspective experience.”
The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Sunday, between 1pm and 7pm. It is free to visit, but bookings are required for guided tours. Artistic workshops for young visitors will also be proposed by the organisers over the next two months. For more information, email infodac@gouv.mc or call +377 98 98 83 03.
Watch the Monaco Life Instagram reel below to see more of the exhibition:
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Photos by Monaco Life