This July, renowned foundations and galleries welcome visitors for their latest summer programming at their glorious Riviera locations. Here are some of our top recommendations if you find yourself in the area, including Venet Foundation, Villa Carmignac, Fondation Linda et Guy Pieters, Fondation Maeght, Echo Fine Arts, and La Commanderie de Peyrassol.
“The Infinite Woman”
Villa Carmignac
Sandro Botticelli, “La Vierge à la Grenade,” v. 1487. Collection Carmignac; Mary Beth Edelson. Selected Wall Collages, 1972-2011. Courtesy of David Lewis Gallery, New York and the Estate of Mary Beth Edelson. Photo by Nicolas Brasseur/ Fondation Carmignac.
For this year’s contemporary exhibition, Fondation Carmignac’s Villa Carmignac presents “The Infinite Woman,” curated by Alona Pardo. The show explores the multitude of ways women have been portrayed in the art world, particularly in terms of identity, sexuality, pleasure, and power. With over 80 oeuvres on display by more than 60 artists, viewers are invited to journey through emotions of both familiarity and uncomfortability.
“The Infinite Woman” takes over the iconic villa’s rooms and gardens with an exploration of mythologized femininity, guilty pleasures, the body, and the rigidity of gender categories. At every turn, viewers are met with thought-provoking pieces from the likes of Picasso, Judy Chicago, and more. “Despite Western civilisation’s drive and desire to define ‘woman’ through our reproductive capabilities, psycho-pathologies or sexuality,” explained Pardo, “the works presented in ‘The Infinite Woman’ deny or refuse those traditional readings and instead propose the idea of ‘woman’ as a fugitive entity, always beyond definition.”
What we love: Villa Carmignac’s latest exhibition is a riveting combination of iconic historical works like Sandro Botticelli’s 15th-century piece Madonna of the Pomegranate to contemporary revolutionaries like feminist artist Mary Beth Edelson.
April 27–November 3, 2024
Piste de la Courtade Île de Porquerolles, 83400 Hyères, France
“Brigitte Bardot par Ghislain Dussart”
Fondation Linda et Guy Pieters
Installation view of “Brigitte Bardot par Ghislain Dussart, BB Fondation © Fondation Linda Guy Pieters.
To celebrate the French actress, singer, and model’s upcoming 90th birthday, Fondation Linda et Guy Pieters presents “Brigitte Bardot par Ghislain Dussart.” With the exhibition, the Saint-Tropez-based foundation continues its mission to uplift the contemporary world of art, this time in recognition of two leading figures in global pop culture.
The exhibition celebrates the 20 years of artistic collaborations and friendship between Bardot and Ghislain “Jicky” Dussart. With his masterful approach to portrait photography, Dussart captured Bardot over two decades, crafting masterful stories of the icon for all to see.
What we love: The exhibit is an arrangement of some of Dussart’s most well-known photographs of Bardot, demonstrating their friendship and creative bond through his lens.
June 15–September 22, 2024
28 Bd Vasserot, 83990 Saint-Tropez, France
Stefan Brüggemann
Venet Foundation
Stefan Brüggemann, “Headline and Last Lines in the Movies (Inside Out),” 2024, Spray paint on glass, Site-specific dimensions, Courtesy the Artist, photo by Jerome Cavaliere, courtesy Venet Foundation.
This summer in le Muy, the Venet Foundation hosts Mexican artist Stefan Brüggemann for his second solo exhibition in France, entitled “Inside Out,” curated by Jérôme Sans. With his newest show, Brüggemann bends the definition of a canvas, painting directly onto the gallery’s glass windows–the first of its kind in the space. With his worded spray paint, the artist built an exploration of the power of language, oversaturated information, and knowledge.
In addition to his spray paint, Brüggemann presents ready-made style stainless steel doors that lead to nowhere. One door, placed inside the central gallery, mimics a fire exit, toying with the distinguishing features between real and fake. With “Inside Out,” Brüggemann prompts viewers to reflect on the frameworks through which we interpret existence and truth.
What we love: Since Brüggemann sprayed his pieces directly onto the gallery’s structure, the painted exhibition is a unique installation within the artist’s vast repertoire.
From June 16
150 Chem. du Moulin des Serres, 83490 Le Muy, France
“Bonnard-Matisse, a Friendship’’
Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght
Henri Matisse, “Portrait de Marguerite Maeght,” 1944, Fusain sur papier, 61 x 47 cm, Collection Adrien Maeght, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, © Succession H. Matisse.
Pierre Bonnard, “Nu de profil,” 1917, oil on canvas, 103 x 52.5 cm; Collection Musée Bonnard, Le Cannet, Photo by Musée Bonnard Yves Inchierman.
This summer, Fondation Maeght –founded by iconic French art dealers Marguerite and Aimé Maeght– celebrates its 60th anniversary with its latest temporary installation, “Bonnard-Matisse, a Friendship.” The exhibition reflects on the relationship and mutual respect between Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse, as well as their artistic and personal relationships with the Maeght family.
Throughout the show, its curator, Marie-Thérèse Pulvenis de Seligny, tracked each artist’s journeys while simultaneously highlighting their shared desires to diverge from the conventions of the time. “Bonnard-Matisse, a Friendship”’ is a panorama of the two artists’ creative journeys, as it presents works that display their paths to their oeuvres in their totality. “The Fondation Maeght offers a unique framework in which to approach artworks,” explained de Seligny. “Art history is presented differently in this place, frequented by so many of the most renowned artists, for whom Bonnard and Matisse were among the most influential.”
“Art history is presented differently in this place, frequented by so many of the most renowned artists, for whom Bonnard and Matisse were among the most influential.”
– Marie-Thérèse Pulvenis de Seligny
What we love: The show includes never-before-seen portraits, documents, family photographs, and correspondence stemming from Bonnard, Matisse, and Maeght. With these, Fondation Maeght gives us a unique view into the story of the two artists’ lives and creative visions.
June 29–October 6, 2024
623 Chem. des Gardettes, 06570 Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
Vee Speers
Echo Fine Arts
Vee Speers, Transcendence, Globe, 2023.
Echo Fine Arts celebrates its new location in Cannes with its inaugural show “Fashioned From Nature” by Australian artist Vee Speers. The show celebrates Vee Speers’ iconic and coherent photography style, which has landed the artist dozens of global showcases. “Fashioned From Nature” groups pieces from six out of nine of Speers’ series, uplifting her artistic journey and whimsical portraits.
Vee Speers’ portraits evoke a sense of transcendence, moving beyond mere representation to capture something ephemeral yet liminal, where themes of transience and permanence coexist harmoniously. With the photographer’s captivating creations, viewers are transported into a fantastical world as they celebrate Echo Fine Arts’ newest location.
What we love: With her combination of humankind and the natural world within her photography, Vee Speers invites visitors into a playfully fantastical realm.
June 29–September 7, 2024
19 Bd Victor Tuby, 06400 Cannes, France
Bertrand Lavier
La Commanderie de Peyrassol
Installation view “En couleur,” by Bertrand Lavier (Nobilis n°7, 2023 et Orange Eames, 2021) Courtesy Bertrand Lavier, Mennour, Paris and Commanderie de Peyrassol Photographie : Jean-Christophe Lett © ADAGP, Paris, 2024.
For its latest temporary exhibition, the renowned wine estate, countryside getaway, and contemporary art space La Commanderie de Peyrassol hosts artist Bertrand Lavier for “En Couleur.” The monographic exhibition reflects on the prism of color that runs through Lavier’s portfolio of works, presenting around 20 pieces that vibrantly fill the gallery space. La Commanderie de Peyrassol celebrates the friendship between its owner, Philippe Astruy, and Lavier, including their original collaboration for Lavier’s first work at the commanderie, L’Hommage à Lou in 2011.
The show is a timeless representation of Lavier’s contributions to the contemporary art world. “It’s unprecedented, for me,” explained Lavier, “in terms of emotional connection. Indeed, it’s the first time that I’m about to exhibit, on such a large scale, at a friend’s place. It’s a museum-scale project that I’m excited about.”
“It’s the first time that I’m about to exhibit, on such a large scale, at a friend’s place.”
— Bertrand Lavier
What we love: “En couleur” is a blend of Lavier’s most iconic pieces, such as Socle de peinture rouge, and newer projects, including La Dauphine, an abandoned old car repainted in 2020s style with electric blue by the artist.
April 1–November 3rd, 2024
1204 chemin de la Commanderie de Peyrassol, RN7, 83340 Flassans-sur-Issole
