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Pope Francis receives Prince Albert and Princess Charlene at Vatican

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/07/2022

Ecological and humanitarian issues were top of the agenda when Prince Albert and Princess Charlene met with Pope Francis at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Wednesday.

According to Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican Press Office, the pontiff said he was “impressed to meet a person who is committed and dedicates time to good works” after their meeting.

It was the second time that the princely couple met the Argentinean pope after a first visit in 2016. Prince Albert had met his predecessor, Benedict XVI, in 2009 and 2013.

The meeting between Pope Francis and the couple lasted about 25 minutes. During the traditional sharing of gifts, the Pope presented them with a bronze depiction of a child helping another child up from the ground with the words “love” and “help” etched on either side of the figures, as well as several documents including copies of his Message for the 2022 World Day of Peace and the Document on Human Fraternity.

Photo by Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace – Foto@vaticanmedia

Meanwhile, Prince Albert presented the Pope with an artistic sketch of the Chapel of St. John the Baptist located in the Palace of Monaco.

Monaco’s Vatican diplomacy is etched in ecological issues, given Prince Albert’s commitment to and defence of the oceans, as well as humanitarian issues, especially for children. Monaco regularly works with important Catholic organisations such as the Sant’Egidio Community and the Order of Malta.

The princely couple visited the Falon exhibition at the Vatican Museums. Photo by Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace – Foto@vaticanmedia

After the audience with the Pope, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene visited the Folon exhibition at the Vatican Museums, which is open to the public until 27th August.

The Monegasque princely family have regularly visited Vatican City throughout the decades. Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace were received by Pope Pius XII in 1957, John XXIII in 1959, and Paul VI in 1974. In 2005, Prince Albert’s first public appearance as sovereign outside Monaco was his attendance at the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

 

 

 

Photos: 2022 Red Cross Gala, glamour for a good cause

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/07/2022

American singer-songwriter and pianist Alicia Keys took to the stage in the heart of Monte-Carlo on Monday night for the 73rd Red Cross Gala, with Prince Albert and Princess Charlene joining the concert under the stars. Here are the highlights…

The Red Cross Gala has been a Monaco tradition for 73 years, attracting big name entertainment and hundreds of glamorous guests. The 2022 edition was spectacular indeed with Prince Albert, the organisation’s president, and Princess Charlene, the vice-president, both looking on good form – the Princess radiant in a powder blue floor length gown, whilst the Prince opted for a more casual look with white trousers and a blue blazer. 

Their niece, Camille Gottlieb, also attended the annual event.

The evening began with welcome cocktails on the Terrasses du Casino with a breath-taking view onto the Med before heading out to Casino Square for a live performance by Alicia Keyes.

Keyes performed her beloved hits as well as songs from her latest album entitled Alicia. The record marks her return to the spotlight after nearly a decade.

In all, 650 guests spent the evening at the dazzling event, which marks the Prince’s 40th year as president. He took over the post in 1982 after the untimely death of his mother, Princess Grace, while Princess Charlene celebrated her first full year as vice president.

Proceeds from the gala go towards supporting the actions of the Monaco Red Cross, which this year included special backing for Ukrainian refugees fleeing their war-torn country.

Since 1948, the Red Cross Gala has been a heady mix of glamour and humanitarianism attracting the good and the great from the Principality and beyond. Up until last year, the gala was held in the Salle des Etoiles, but following the renovation of Casino Square, the highly publicised event now takes place in the heart of Monte-Carlo.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene with Camille Gottlieb and Philippe Pastor, Frederic Platini, Bettina Ragazzoni-Janin and the Red Cross Committee, photo source: Pierre Villard/Monte Carlo Société des Bains de Mer’

For more than 30 years, a collection of art works by international artists has been created, illustrating the values of the Monaco Red Cross. Among the artists in the collection are Moretti, Arman, César, Velickovic, Paul Jenkins, Sosno, and Damien Hirst.

This year, Monegasque artist Philippe Pastor enriched the extraordinary collection with his emblematic work: Les Arbres Brûlés.

Click on the gallery for more images of the 2022 Red Cross Gala. Photos by Pierre Villard/Monte Carlo Société des Bains de Mer…

 

 

Princess Grace-inspired jewellery collection unveiled at Palace

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/07/2022

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene have welcomed guests to the Palace to celebrate and showcase a new jewellery collection by Van Cleef and Arpels in support of the Princess Grace Foundation USA.

The new creations, inspired by Princess Grace, were unveiled on 14th July, the same day the pieces became exclusively available in three boutiques in Monaco, Cannes, and Place Vendôme in Paris.

The new Van Cleef and Arpels collection features a Vintage Alhambra long necklace, a pendant, and a bracelet.

“With each piece of jewellery, the warmth of yellow gold unites with the iridescence of gold mother-of-pearl and the sparkle of diamonds. The reflections multiply from one motif to another, giving rise to creations imbued with a sunny elegance,” says the jeweller of its new collection.

The pieces will only be available for 18 months with a portion of the profits to be donated to the Princess Grace Foundation USA.

“In keeping with the organisation’s commitment to emerging artists, Van Cleef and Arpels reaffirms its dedication to the arts and to Grace Kelly’s majestic legacy,” said the company.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene with Brisa Carleton, CEO of the Princess Grace Foundation USA (far right), and representatives of Van Cleef & Arpels, photo by Eric Mathon/Prince’s Palace

“Two years ago the Princess Grace Foundation USA launched Grace Influential with the goal of ensuring new generations continue to be inspired by Princess Grace’s ongoing influence and impact,” Brisa Carleton, CEO of the Princess Grace Foundation USA, told Monaco Life. “One of our proudest collaborations as part of this new initiative is our partnership with Van Cleef and Arpels. It’s been a privilege to work with such an iconic company and one that has such close personal history with Princess Grace and Monaco. We are delighted that proceeds from this exclusive collection will go directly toward continuing Princess Grace’s legacy supporting emerging artists in theatre, dance and film.”

Grace Kelly had an affection for the maison when she lived in the United States. In 1956, Prince Rainier III gave her a pearl and diamond set from Van Cleef & Arpels as a wedding present, which she kept for the rest of her life. The following year, as a result of that commission, Van Cleef and Arpels became the Official Supplier to the Principality of Monaco.

Princess Grace expanded her personal collection over the years with high jewellery creations, such as the diamond and sapphire Daisy clip (1956), as well as jewels she wore on a daily basis, including animal clips from the ‘La Boutique’ collection and various Alhambra long necklaces.

“Whether in yellow gold, white mother-of-pearl, onyx or malachite, this iconic creation adorned the elegant princess on various occasions in her public and private life,” reveals the house. “

Princess Charlene wearing the tiara/necklace created by Van Cleef & Arpels and gifted to her by Prince Albert

“Today, the Maison maintains its relationship with the Principality of Monaco through prestigious commissions such as the Océan necklace, which can be transformed into a tiara; a gift from Prince Albert to his wife, Princess Charlene,” it added.

The Princess Grace Foundation USA is dedicated to honouring the legacy of Princess Grace of Monaco. Her commitment to advance the arts in the United States is sustained by the Princess Grace Award which supports and elevates extraordinary early career artists in theatre, dance and film through game-changing grants, and nurtures and supports Princess Grace Award winners throughout their careers.

 

 

 

Top photo by Eric Mathon/Prince’s Palace

 

 

 

 

Paul McCarthy’s Pirates Stew Pot in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/07/2022

Hauser and Wirth’s new exhibition by Paul McCarthy is a timely reflection on the links between violence, depravity and masculinity, despite the 20 years that have passed since its inception.

‘Paul McCarthy. Pirates Stew Pot’ at Hauser and Wirth Monaco marks the 20th anniversary of McCarthy’s Pirate Project. One of his most important bodies of work, the show highlights the artist’s dedication to this theme across multiple strands since 2001. Originally stemming from Paul McCarthy and his son Damon’s fascination with the Disneyland amusement park attraction ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, the selection of works includes sculpture, drawing, video and photography, and explores the complex universe of the pirate theme.

McCarthy’s pirate world offers an allegory of society, focusing on a range of unrestrained behaviours or forms of resistance, from untrammelled greed, rampant commercialisation and social ostentation to sadism, perversion, anarchism and corruption. Two decades after its inception, the work continues to be relevant in the context of current global conflicts for the way it addresses the links between violence, depravity and masculinity.

Piggies, Painted – Paul McCarthy 2008/2018. Photo by Monaco Life

“Paul thinks it is very relevant to show the exhibition at this time because of the context of the war on Ukraine,” Gregoire Schnerb tells Monaco Life. “The series started in 2001 when George W. Bush decided to invade Iraq, and throughout the work of Paul, there’s been a denunciation of the American society and all its kitsch; all the positive images it conveys and the parallel with war. On the other hand, there is the image of celebrity, beauty, and wealth, contrasted with imperialism and violence.”

The exhibition in Monaco starts where the project began, with a series of large-scale Pirate Drawings including‘Large Pirate Drawing (Poop Deck)’ and ‘Cut off the Lips’ (2001). These works, McCarthy says, lay bare the psychological sources of this wide-ranging project about the imaginary world of pirate yarns. Enormous sheets of paper serve to gather associations and mould thoughts into pictorial form. Combining charcoal, pencil and marker with collage, McCarthy examines the flow of images from the consumer world and the porn industry.

“It is the second exhibition that we have here in our Monaco space and it is important for us to show the work of Paul McCarthy, to show exactly what the gallery is about,” adds Schnerb. “McCarthy is a central artist and part of our DNA. The artists that we show are linked, and he is representative of the values that we have at the gallery.”

Pig, Paul McCarthy 2003, photo by Monaco Life

Utilising playfully oversized characters and objects, sculptures such as ‘Piggies, Painted’ (2008/2018) and ‘Paula Jones, Painted’ (2007/2018) merge the fantasy Pirate world with figures from the real worlds of politics, philosophy, science, art, literature, film and television. McCarthy locates the traumas lurking behind the American Dream, presented as a Hollywood or Disney-style stage set gone wrong, and identifies their counterparts in the art historical canon.

The exhibition also celebrates ‘Caribbean Pirates,’ an immense two-volume artist’s book by Paul and Damon McCarthy, released in 2019. It details the ongoing endeavour of the Pirate Project, an acclaimed example of McCarthy’s multidisciplinary practice, through photographic documentation and production stills of the performance alongside a text by the artist and an essay by John C. Welchman.

The exhibition will run until the end of summer.

Click on the images below to see more works from Paul McCarthy’s Pirates Stew Pot…

 

 

 

All photos by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

A picture is worth a thousand words

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/07/2022

Photographers are once again being encouraged to submit their photos for the RAMOGE – Man of the Sea competition, highlighting the relationship between human activity and the Mediterranean sea, in all their positive and negative dimensions.

‘RAMOGE – Man of the Sea’ (L’Homme et la Mer) international photography competition is on now until 30th September 2022, under the auspices of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).

This year, it features an internationally renowned jury, composed of Riccardo Busi (President of FIAP), Greg Lecoeur (Nature Photographer of the Year – National Geographic, 2016), and Sergio Pitamitz (Environmental Photojournalist of the Year – NPPA, 2016).

As part of its awareness-raising activities, the RAMOGE Agreement invites all lovers of the sea and photography to highlight in their photos the relationship between human activities and the Mediterranean in its multiple aspects.

The ‘RAMOGE – L’Homme et la Mer’ competition is divided into three categories for adults: Free theme, L’Homme et la Mer, and RAMOGE Zone, as well as a category dedicated to young people aged under 21. The competition is free and open to all.

To participate, simply register and upload your photos on the RAMOGE website: https://ramoge.org/concours-photos/.

The RAMOGE Agreement is a scientific, technical and administrative cooperation tool between the French, Monegasque and Italian governments for the protection and conservation of the marine environment in the area of sea stretching from Marseille (France) to La Spezia (Italy). Since 1976, the RAMOGE Agreement has been organising awareness-raising initiatives targeting citizens and tourists on key environmental issues concerning the Mediterranean Sea, and is the promoter of this photo contest.

 

Photo of 2021 3rd place winner of the the ‘Man and the Sea’ category: “Pirate Slurp” by Giannicola Marello.

 

 

Nice Airport launches new summer destinations

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/07/2022

From Transylvania to Iceland, Sardinia to Crete, Nice Airport welcomed a host of new airlines and new routes in July. So, where are you heading this summer?

With all the bad press surrounding air travel this summer in Europe, it’s nice to hear a bit of good news with Nice Airport adding some fantastic new flights to some very travel-worthy spots.

At the start of July, perennial low-cost favourite EasyJet added two flights a week to Alghero, Sardinia, as well as three flights per week from Nice to Brest. Both flights run out of Terminal 2, with the flight to Alghero running until 4th September and the one to Brest until 28th October. These flights feature reasonable ticket prices, even during the peak months of the summer season.

Nice Airport has added a new airline company to the line-up, as well. Amelia Airlines has been around for 40 years but this is the first time they have added a Nice flight to their itinerary. From now until 3rd September, the airline is offering a weekly flight from Nice to Brive in the enchanting southwest of France. 

Meanwhile, Wizzair has added a flight to mysterious Transylvania and the vibrant city of Cluj. The Nice to Cluj flight runs two flights each week from 1st August to 28th October.

Icelandair has added a Reykjavik routing that allows passengers to visit the natural beauty and warm people of Iceland. They will be running two flights per week in July and August, taking advantage of the short summer season the island nation has to offer.

Air France has also jumped into the fray, adding a new Nice-Crete flight. Travellers will now be able to go to the most populous of the Greek Islands and enjoy the pink sand beaches and clear waters of the coast, as well as the delights of Heraklion three times a week for all of July and August.

Finally, the latest addition at Nice Airport is an Iberia flight to Valencia three times per week in the high season months of July and August. Visit all the city’s offerings, and enjoy the futuristic buildings, planetarium, oceanarium, walks, parks and beaches.

For those looking to stay closer to home, the trains of the region have 30 stops, each one as charming as the last. Take a day trip to a new beach, enjoy one of the many different village restaurants, or just wander through the streets of a town not visited before.

The options are plentiful this summer, so take advantage of the new choices, as well as enjoying the best of the established.

 

 

 

Photo source: Nice Côte d’Azur Airport