A unique display of fine jewellery created by world-famous artists and passionately collected by Diane Venet is being exhibited at the Grimaldi Forum from Sunday 11th July.
Diane Venet, wife of artist Bernar Venet, began her unique collection of jewellery made by artists in 1967 when she purchased a brooch created by painter Roy Lichtenstein in New York. Her collection began in earnest though after meeting her husband in 1985, when she decided to dedicate all her purchases to commissions from artists.
For over 30 years, she has amassed an extraordinary selection of more than 230 pieces made exclusively by artists, 180 of which will be presented at the Grimaldi Forum.
Well-known artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jeff Koons, Niki de Saint-Phalle, Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein all created pieces either bought or made for Venet’s collection.
“These creations are always the result of an encounter, whether with the artists themselves or with other collectors,” says Venet. “Both groups have encouraged me. They have given me no small amount of support in my discovery of this new world where art, seemingly at play, surpasses itself.”
Diane Venet came from a family of art collectors and her father, Jacques Segard, was chairman of the Friends of the Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris. She met and married Bernar Venet in the mid-1980’s in New York, where she helped him organise his exhibits and became an avid collector of art herself.
Her idea for exhibiting her jewellery came in 2008, when it received such acclaim that she took her show on the road presenting at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, the Benaki Museum in Athens, Miami’s Bass Museum, and the Seoul Art Centre in South Korea, to name a few. Picasso to Koons: Jewellery by Artists will run from 11th July to 19th August at the Grimaldi Forum.
Inside Monaco’s summer exhibition of Alberto Giacometti
After the disappointment of having the 2020 summer exhibition cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, the Grimaldi Forum has come out all guns blazing this year with an event that parallels its past monograph exhibitions of Dali, Bacon, Picasso and Warhol.
This time, major 20th century artist Alberto Giacometti takes centre stage, his iconic Walking Man statue forming part of one of the biggest retrospectives of his work ever organised in the world, thanks to the exceptional loan of 230 works by the Giacometti Foundation.
During an exclusive preview for the press on Thursday, the foundation’s Curator Émilie Bouvard guided us through a giant exhibition space that gives prominence to all phases and mediums of Giacometti’s career – sculpture, paintings, drawings, and prints that the artist used to express himself.
Photo of Alberto Giacometti sculpture by Monaco Life
“The trail has the rhythmic character of a music score: first, a prelude retracing in chronological order, Giacometti’s works of his youth, the temptation of cubism and abstraction then his surrealist period,” says the Grimaldi Forum’s Scenographer William Chatelain. “Variations on the quasi-obsessional theme of the human figure follow, a motif that was to haunt the artist from the end of the 1940s to his death.”
Ten rooms follow the themes of Heads, Fayum Portraits, Animated Sculptures, Nature, Melancholia, Solitude, Marvelous Reality, Loves and Friendships, Women or Goddesses?, and to finish, At the Limits of Sculpture with the iconic Walking Man sculpture bringing the exhibition to a close.
At the heart of the trail is a digital studio, an immersive space for visitors supported by dialogues and animated photographs showing the special relationship Giacometti had with his models.
Photo of the exhibition’s digital studio by Monaco Life
The simple white walls and minimal ambiance is punctuated by the addition of one quote by Alberto Giacometti per room.
“The themes preferred by the artist – the representation of the head, the face, the female body – will be particularly prominent but the public will also discover this relationship with solitude and melancholia as well as his relentless work with his models: his wife Annette, his brother Diego, his close friends,” says Curator Émilie Bouvaard. “The visitor will also encounter another Giacometti, the artist experimenting at the very limits of sculpture, and the remarkable painter who also practised, next to portraits, the genres of landscape and still life.”
Alberto Giacometti lived from 1901 to 1966 and grew up in Switzerland in the Val Bregaglia alpine valley, a few kilometres from the Swiss-Italian border. His father, Giovanni Giacometti (1868-1933), was an impressionist painter esteemed by Swiss collectors and artists.
From 1922, he lived and worked mainly in Paris and is considered one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. His work was particularly influenced by artistic styles such as Cubism and Surrealism.
Philosophical questions about the human condition, as well as existential and phenomenological debates, played a significant role in his work. His critical nature led to self-doubt about his own work and his self-perceived inability to do justice to his own artistic vision. His insecurities nevertheless remained a powerful motivating artistic force throughout his entire life.
‘Albert Giacometti: a retrospective, Marvellous Reality’ is on show at the Grimaldi Forum from Saturday 3rdJuly to 29th August 2021.
Top photo of ‘Children’s Workshops’ by Alberto Giacometti at the Grimaldi Forum, taken by Monaco Life
See the gallery below for more photos of the exhibition…
South African drama Reyka will open the 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival this June, while organisers have also revealed who will be judging this year’s top international series.
As the Monte-Carlo Television Festival approaches, the organisers are gradually revealing the details of this anniversary edition, including the World Premiere Opening Screening and the jury members who will meet in Monaco to decide the winners of the Golden Nymph Awards 2021.
The glamorous red carpet opening ceremony for the festival takes place on 18th June at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco. A glittering array of acting and creative talent from around the world and this year’s eminent jury members will join H.S.H. Prince Albert II, Honorary President of the Festival, who will officially declare the commencement of the five-day event.
The two juries, made up of leading exponents from the worlds of television drama and news, will be officially presented during the opening ceremony, before starting to screen together all of the nominated fiction and news content from across the globe.
Fiction Jury President is Swedish writer, director and producer Måns Mårlind (The Bridge, Midnight Sun, Shadowplay) who will preside over fellow award-winning jury members, French actor Arnaud Ducret (Parents mode d’emploi, Mensonges), German producer Moritz Polter (Das Boot, Freud), iconic French actor and singer, Joey Starr (Polisse, Mafiosa, Le Remplaçant), British screenwriter and Direcror Kay Mellor (The Syndicate, Band of Gold) and Norwegian producer Anders Tangen (Lilyhammer, Home for Christmas).
Meanwhile, President of the News Jury, independent filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky (Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom, Cries From Syria) will be joined by the following jury members: Monegasque journalist Leila Ghandi, Italian producer Gisella Marengo, Editor of France Télévisions Hugo Plagnard and Spanish RTVE international & investigative TV reporter Pilar Requena.
The 60th Opening Ceremony of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival will conclude with the worldwide premiere of South African drama Reyka, a crime thriller starring Kim Engelbrecht (Dominion, The Flash), Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey) and Thando Thabethe (How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding). The series’ director is Zwelesizwe Ntuli (Hard to Get) and the producer Serena Cullen (Lady Chatterley’s Lover).
The story: haunted by her past, a flawed but brilliant criminal profiler returns to her hometown to solve a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer amongst the sugarcane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal. Having been abducted as a child, Reyka is traumatised by the experience but this also helps her enter the minds of Africa’s most notorious criminals and turn them inside out. Being mixed race in a country where one is expected to choose, her refusal to pick a side gives her the ability to see what others cannot, but her gift has consequences for her and those she loves.
“We are very pleased to welcome such an eminent line-up of jury members who will screen all competing programmes in Monaco during the festival, with the very difficult task to select the ultimate winners, to be awarded on 22nd June during the Golden Nymph Awards Ceremony,” said Festival CEO Laurent Puons. “It is also my greatest pleasure to open this 60th anniversary with the series Reyka. Beginning the festival with a South African production has a very special touch, especially in light of the close ties that exist between South Africa and the Principality of Monaco. This dynamic drama looks set to be a global hit and we’re thrilled to be able to kick off our festival with this worldwide launch.”
Previous opening screenings and premieres at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival include, among others, Crossing Lines, Empire, Absentia, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and L.A’s Finest.
Amber Lounge highlights local designers at trademark fashion show
Despite all the limitations of the health crisis, Amber Lounge has managed to pull off a successful fashion show during this year’s Grand Prix, raising over half a million euros for the Caudwell Children charity.
It was under the iconic glass atrium of the Grimaldi Forum where the Amber Lounge Fashion Show was staged on Friday night, welcoming celebrities, drivers, models and guests for a night of sustainable fashion, fun, food and spectacular lots up for auction.
“What a fantastic evening, I am really proud of how the Amber Lounge Fashion Show was delivered,” said Amber Lounge Founder and CEO Sonia Irvine. “It’s hard to explain the amount of work that has gone into making this event happen, so I just want to thank everyone who has made it possible and to have raised over €500,000 for our charity partner Caudwell Children makes the event a great success.”
The prestigious event, sponsored by the Antropov Foundation, welcomed the likes of Pauline Ducruet, Greg Maffei, Laurent Rossi Jost Capito, John Caudwell, Gareth Wittstock, Adrian Newey and Victoria Silvstedt, to name a few.
Meanwhile, race car drivers George Russell, Antonio Giovanizzi, Nicolas Latifi, Jack Aitken, Stoffel Vandoorne, Nyck De Vries, Mitch Evans, Norman Nato, Nick Cassidy and Andre Lotterer all took to the catwalk in support of Caudwell Children.
This year’s event showcased a number of designers including Beach and Cashmere Monaco by Federica Nardoni Spinetta, Inessa Creations Monaco by Inès Bensalah, Laura Spreti, Ymaginaria by Sofia Alemani, Pasquini Roma, and JFC Style Authority Menswear. Pauline Ducruet closed the Amber Lounge Fashion Show with her bespoke Alter collection.
The incredible selection of auction items included a Hayo Sol painting titled ‘Princess Grace Eternal’, a one kilogram Michael Schumacher gold coin, a trip on the Orient Express from Venice to London, ‘Ayrton Senna’ artwork by Marcos Marin, a Whistler ski chalet package for 12 guests, and 250 personal vintage bottles of Hatt et Söner bespoke champagne.
Photo gallery of Amber Lounge Fashion Show 2021 by Monaco Life…
The Sporting Summer Festival is back this year with a series of unmissable shows by internationally acclaimed artists at oh-so glamorous locations around the Principality including the Salle des Etoiles, the Opera Garnier and Casino Square.
The Monte-Carlo Sporting Summer Festival has been a Monaco institution since its inception in 1974. Each year in July and August, the festival features talent from around the globe and has something for everyone.
This year from 16th July to 14th August, the summer nights will be electrified with the sounds of several top-notch performances put together by Artistic Director Jean-René Palacio. The line-up includes some unmissable nights with the stars.
It all kicks off with English jazz-pop singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum headlining the Croix Rouge Monegasque Gala on 16th July. For the first time ever, the gala will be held in the newly-refurbished Casino Square giving party-goers a night under the stars with a view onto the world’s most famous casino and tunes from the multi-talented Cullum.
Next up is The Show: A Tribute to ABBA on 24th July, which ABBA’s official fan club described as “undoubtedly the best ABBA since ABBA.” No one will be able to resist singing and dancing along to their old favourites, all whilst being part of a good cause. To make the night even more authentic, original band member Ulf Andersson is part of the ensemble cast. Proceeds benefit local organisation Fight AIDS Monaco.
Zucchero, the nom de plume for legendary Italian singer Adelmo Fornaciari, plays on 25h July when he will perform renditions of his most popular hits such as Senza Una Donna, Il Volo, and Baila Morena. He has sold more than 60 million records worldwide over his 39-year career and will be giving his fans and newcomers to his music a night to remember.
On 31st July, two Russian acts dominate the evening. The first is the country’s most popular singer, Stas Mikhailov, who at 51 is the reigning king of music in the Federation, followed by Artik and Asti, a duo formed in 2010 and who found massive YouTube success. Their tour is called Sad Dance, but with their uplifting music, it’ll be anything but.
The ‘Night of the Orient’ is the first concert of August, taking place on the 5thand featuring the Arab world’s celebrated artist and voice coach Assi Al Hallani. The Lebanese singer has spent the past three decades delighting fans with his music, but is also known for his humanitarian acts, which include putting on several charity concerts to fight poverty and hunger.
6th August, the Summer Festival welcomes back singer, pianist and composer Paolo Conte. This accomplished artist, who also plays trombone and vibraphone, began his adult life as a lawyer before starting a jazz band with his drum-playing brother. He has never looked back and has had a musical run spanning from the 1960s.
One of the Latin world’s hottest singers, Enrique Iglesias, plays the festival on 7th August. Son of singing legend Julio Iglesias, Enrique has made a career as solid as his dad’s with 10 studio albums to his credit, three greatest hits compilations and an incredible 180 million records sold. Fans can now see him in the intimate setting of the Salle des Etoile, making any hot summer night even hotter.
10th August welcomes three amazing acts. First up is Valery Meladze, one of Russia’s most known contemporary and pop artists who has delighted fans for two decades. Though he’s a tough act to follow, Via Gra is surely up to the task. The gorgeous Ukrainian pop trio have many hits to their credit and are sure to rope in new fans as well as entertain old ones at the festival. Last but not least is iconic singer, host, and actress Albina Dzhanabaeva, who started her career with Meladze, but took off in her own right becoming a beloved Russian favourite.
Two families, one who hails from Montpellier and the other from Arles, formed an extended family band 40 years ago who have captivated audiences the world over. It would be difficult to find someone who hasn’t heard of The Gipsy Kings, and now they will be performing live on 13th August for the festival singing hits such as the Spanish infused Bamboléo and Djoba, Djoba.
Last but not least is a get-up-and-dance night of 1970s American disco with Sister Sledge. The four sisters who make up the band will be on hand to perform memorable hits such as The Freak as well as their biggest song, the iconic We are Family, which is now thought to be the benchmark of the Uptown Funk era. The ladies will perform on 14th August.
To get tickets for cool music on hot summer nights, visit the SBM website at www.montecarlosbm.com
Espinasse 31 Contemporary Art Gallery has brought the works of Tomoko Nagao and Robi Walters to the Principality for the first time with an exhibition at the Meridien Hotel.
The exhibition, titled High Chroma / High Vigour, features Milanese-based Japanese artist Tomoko Nagao and London born and bred artist Robi Walters.
The works have been curated by Antonio and Thomas Castiglioni, and bring together the two artists, highlighting their unique styles and expressive vitality.
“The exhibition is an exploration of fundamental properties of art—colour, material, dimensionality, symbolism—and how they make us feel. High Chroma / High Vigour creates a space in which Tomoko and Robi’s creations coexist and balance each other, focusing on their common expression of energy through colourful displays,” explains the gallery.
Art is meant to evoke emotion, say the organisers, and to this end the exhibition hopes that visitors view the works through their relationship with the artist rather than as objects to be simply looked at.
Tomoko Nagao is known as one of the leading figures in the international Micropop art movement. She started studies in her home country of Japan before moving on to London where she attended the Chelsea College of Art. This is where her personal style was developed, and her popularity has been on the rise ever since, boasting shows at the Victoria and Albert Museum as well as various events in Italy and Japan.
She takes aim at consumerism by referencing high-end luxury brands and corporations, reminding audiences of “the energetic brightness in symbols of capitalism, such as advertisements.”
Robi Walters is a contemporary artist based in Soho, London. His colourful collages have attracted the attention of celebrity collectors such as Thandie Newton, Usain Bolt and Jillionaire, to name a few.
In 2018, Michelin-Star Chef Tom Kerridge commissioned Walters to create bespoke works for his restaurant Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at London’s Corinthia Hotel. In 2020, he was invited by Aston Martin to become their artist in residence. Walters has been named by The Telegraph as one of the top creatives in the UK, going on to win the ‘Arts and Culture’ category in the newspaper’s ‘Amazing 15’.
Walters’ work has encapsulated the spirit of transformation. By constructing mixed-media pieces with unusual materials, such as packaging from household items and broken vinyl LPs, he focuses on the practice of taking discarded objects and making them beautiful to revivify their intrinsic worth—with a creative process and product that is reminiscent of both pop art and arte povera movements.
Both artists works are hopeful and vibrant, mirroring the new hope of a return to normalcy in daily life after more than a year of pandemic conditions.
The exhibit will be on display at the Meridien Hotel until 7th June.
Photo by Espinasse 31 Contemporary Art Gallery
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