http://www.cityoutmonaco.com Monaco culture, theatre, music & art Fri, 24 May 2013 09:38:04 +0200 Fri, 24 May 2013 09:38:04 +0200 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) http://www.cityoutmonaco.com http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/images/cityout_logo.jpg en-US info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Exploring the depths of the Monaco sea-life painter
Carol Bruton was born in Toronto, Canada and studied art at the Bellas Artes de Madrid, Camden Arts Centre in London and Edinburgh College of Art. She has exhibited worldwide, including  the Jersey City Museum, New York and at Christie’s London. Carol currently lives and works in the South of France.  Can you give a little background as to how you became an artist? My childhood was spent in Spain, a country I still visit regularly. The strong influence of the starkness of the landscape of Southern Spain with its predominant colours of blue and ochre has greatly influenced my work. I am however always looking for ways to stray from familiar surroundings and find my way along unknown paths. I regularly swim in the winter sea and have become fascinated by the shapes of cellular division under the surface of the water. In my latest work, I use pigments and gloss in order to show the depth and transparency of the sea and then with small brushes, create the floating, organic mass.  Who or what are your key influences in your work? I have always loved the Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rochko. His floating, transparent lozenges of colour have inspired my own search for the message behind the simplicity of image.  I also like the German artist Peter Zimmermann. His use of epoxy resin and technique of applying multi-layers infuses his paintings with richness and mystery.Angels, 70 cm by 70cmWhat makes a masterpiece? Being transported into an imaginary world. Enjoying the ‘raw material’ of a painting – the colour, the paint texture, the brushstrokes.Feeling that some pattern or design has been imposed on the painted world which makes it more beautiful than the real world. I think that in my own journey I am striving for all of the above. Sea Drop, 100cm by 73cm   What is the message that you wish to convey through your paintings? In my painting Angels I was able to depict the link between the artist and a greater force. I wish to attract the viewer with both intricate detail and the ability to reduce the painting to its most simple form. Therein, I believe lies the power of the image.  To commission Carol, visit her website www.carolbruton.com  Carol Bruton Monaco exhibition at CREM
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-arts-carol-bruton-profile Fri, 24 May 2013 09:38:04 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-arts-carol-bruton-profile info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Call out for Riviera artists to join Monaco 'digital'art show
MonacoUSA will host an ART ROCKS! Networking Happy Hour on Tuesday May 14. The popular expat group is inviting professional artists, who must also be members of MonacoUSA, to participate in promoting their work during MonacoUSA's novel ‘digital’ show.Kate Powers, owner of StarsnBars, promotes ART ROCKS! The images will be projected non-stop at Star Deck at STARSNBARS in Monaco throughout the night on a giant LED screen as well as on the four smaller plasma screens.  Each participating artist has donated one work of art to be used as prizes for a charity tombola. Proceeds from the sales of the tombola tickets will be donated to the Comité National des Arts Plastiques de Monaco. The evening starts at 6pm and MonacoUSA Executive director Annette Anderson said: "We are very excited about the evening because it allows us to showcase and support local artists as well as offering art lovers attending the event a chance to win  some outstanding art work . Plus, proceeds from the tombola ticket sales will benefit a Monaco community group.  It's not just a win-win opportunity, it's win-win-win!" ART ROCKS! is the latest in a series of monthly themed NETWORKING HAPPY HOURS  sponsored by the MonacoUSA Association.  Each month 150-200 members and friends enjoy an evening of apertifs, snacks and music while meeting new social and business contacts. All nationalities are welcome and there is no entrance fee. 
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-events-monacousa-art-rocks Wed, 08 May 2013 19:05:41 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-events-monacousa-art-rocks info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) CityOut curates the best of this year’s contemporary art fair
CityOut takes its pick of the best of this year’s international contemporary art fair.Tanya Baxter Gallery London, Stall A1-A2-A3-A4 The top Chelsea gallery and Art Monaco regular hangs a collection of top Chinese, Indian and European paintings for true art lovers. The British booth is undoubtedly the highest quality assemblage on show. Look out for Marc Quinn, Banksy, Gerhard Richter, Pip Todd Warmoth plus a larger than life political satire by Ling Jian with an estimated value 193,000 euros (below). www.tanyabaxtercontemporary.comUntitled by Ling Jian Cordeiros Galeria Portugal, Stall B15-B17-B19 One of the most popular stalls of the show. A stunning assortment of Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and Russian artists. Look out for two key works from Spain’s internationally acclaimed Antoni Tapies. He fuses a mix of materials on canvas (materic painting) to create something quite curious. And if its the curious you're after, then peer into the weird world 'doll-house' by Madrid’s Rafa Macarrona, titled Zariguellas.www.cordeirosgaleria.comTapies Composition con ropa y cuerda (1975) 178cm by 175cm Irreversible Projects USA, Stall 12 Art publisher and curator Noor Blazekovic presents The Sinking World of Andreas Franke. The Viennese photographer and diver combines his two passions to create a unique concept that fuses shipwrecks and underwater art. The artist hangs his unique art under the water! Definite must-see and one of the fair’s most incredible insights into a truly amazing communion of artist and nature. www.irreversiblemagazine.com www.thesinkingworld.comBart Gallery USACrime pays for 13 members of notorious Los Angeles street gang, Tooner Ville. They star in Bjoern Thomas' Bloody Supper (below), a provacative contemporary interpretation of the biblical Last Supper. The dangerous journey by the German photographer to produce these powerful images merits the 8,000 euro price tag alone!  www.b-art.me www.bjoern-thomas.comBloody Supper (limited edition of 6) by Bjoern Thomas Nina Torres Fine Art Gallery USA, Stall 16-17 Miami-based gallery owner and organizer of Miami River Art Fair, Nina debuts with a vibrant mix of Latin American and European art from over 3,000 artists on her books. One of the few booths to exhibit Latin American art. Home 3 by Giselle Behrens (Venezuela) is a sensual use of digital art. The artist is a rising star for collectors worldwide. Look out also for Belgian painter Peter Engels painting live during the weekend with palette knife and acrylics on canvas to create a new work.www.ninatorresfineart.com www.peterengels.euHome 3 by Giselle Behrens (2013) Ari Kupsus Gallery Hungary, Stall H10 Arguably one of the most eye-catching and well-curated booths at the Grimaldi. View the enchanting figuative work of Welsh artist Michael Milburn Foster and a slection of paintings from his Dancers series. The artist captures well on static canvas the movement and intensity of two Hungarian dancers who performed naked in his studio.www.arikupsusgallery.com Women Dancing III, 100x100cm, oil on canvas, 2012Artis Foundation Russia, Stall A24 Haunting , mesmerizing photographs from Moscow’s Joseph Badalov who uses a unique artistic method with mirrors, lenses, polythene sheeting, sand and flame. All photographs are made without any computer editing or Photoshop. His work, exhibited in Monaco, captures imaginary scenes from the love poetry of Shakespeare’s, the urban underworld and nature. www.artisfoundation.comDawn by Joseph Badalov Check out over 4,500 unique paintings, sculptures, video installations and photographs, at Art Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum. 25-28 April.Art Monaco 2013 events and opening times
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-event-best-of-art-monaco-2013 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:47:46 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-event-best-of-art-monaco-2013 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Discover the dreamlike qualities of painter Kay Hare
Kay Hare is a Monaco-based fine-art painter. Originally from North England, Kay moved to Monaco in 2011 and the classically trained artist's work focuses on dreamlike, ethemeral visions, representing the imagination and its subconscious wanderings.Can you give a little background as to how you became an artist? I've been painting professionally for 20 years. My painting started in my late teens when I was provided free studio space in return for working and raising funds for the long term unemployed and disadvantaged children in North England. This project gave me access to oil paints and other materials as well as the space to experiment. This led on to an interest in formal training. I started a part time foundation course in Fine Art at the University of Northumbria. Graduating in 2000 from Central St Martins School of Art, London. I have exhibited throughout the UK and internationally.   Who or what are your key influences in your work? The English Post-War painter Prunella Clough inspires me  because she takes realistic views and pushes them into her own dreamlike landscapes. She was highly innovative and her distinctive style has been influential to me. In my early career, I was fascinated by Jackson Pollock. His layering process with oils on canvas slowly built depth and create images that are provoking. This technique I used to create imaginary images that were unplanned and spontaneous. It also captures time and motion from the densely splattered paint.   Tell us about your latest series of work focusing on abstract dream landscapes? My recent collection of paintings are from the period of 2011 to 2013. All the images come under the title of Dream Landscapes. from my travels around the French Riviera, sometimes drawing or memorising a physical area or landscape I am fond of. These memories I then translate onto a canvas which then creates a dreamlike landscape. The pastel colours I use are reflected in the buildings and skies that can often be seen in Menton, Monaco, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and other villages in the Riviera. Where I live has a huge influence on how I work and what I paint.Foreign Places (2012) 100cm x 100cm by Kay Hare Can you expand on why memory is such an important aspect of your creative process? Things remain in my memory more than others. It is probably their aesthetic value. Their colours... their calming influence. I do not hold on to to memoreies that hold negative emotions or do not inspire. A landscape that is aesthetically pleasing makes me want to create and to dream! It is the search for Utopia!Do you ever deal with nightmare visions or Dystopias?No. My reality is not dealing with negatoive landscapes. The subject of death does emerge in my work. A recent painting Jasmine Garden looks at the idea of the perfect, perfumed garden. But within this 'perfection' lies imperfection through a cemetery contained within the landscape. Death is not symbolically an ending but a channel into another realm. Another motif throughout my recent work is the use of birds to signify 'freedom' and 'rebirth'. Death in other cultures is an end to suffering and the start of a new spiritual beginning.Jasmine Garden (2012) 100cm x 100cm by Kay Hare What do you want your paintings to communicate to viewers? I would like my paintings to inspire and uplift. Without having to pin down exactly what they are, a bit like perfume. It's there, but you can’t get a hold of it.What is your next project? I am now working on a new book featuring sketches of Monaco and the surrounding area. The skteches will capture everyday scenes - not so much the big tourist landmarks. My belief is that there is pleasure in the mundane. I am hoping to exhibit the sketches in Monaco later in the year.  To commission Kay Hare, contact kh[at]kayhare-art.com or visit her official website at www.kayhare-art.com  
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-arts-kay-hare-profile Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:43:59 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-arts-kay-hare-profile info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Catch 'Old Masters' of traditional photography in rare Monaco exhibition
Catch a unique opportunity to celebrate the 'Old Masters' of traditional photography at Sem-Art Gallery in Monaco. Running from 19 April to 31 May, the Gallery has invited Hamiltons of Mayfair, London to show nearly 30 photographs and prints from some of the world's top artists from the last century. Hamiltons have brought a collection that reminds visitors of what nearly 200 years of traditional photography has contributed to art history. The exhibition also highlights how fast technology has advanced, rendering digital photography the new mainstream artform and photographers such as Helmut Newton or Richard Avedon as 'Old Masters' in their art. Key works to look out for include:Richard Avedon's Stephanie Seymour, his controversial black-and-white portrait of one of the world's top supermodels at the height of her fame. Rare Polaroid 'sketches' by Helmut Newton that show the creative process of some of his most famous works. These Polaroids today fetch up to 35,000 Euros at auction and show how both the traditional photographer and an extinct technology brand - once global giants - are today both memories of a past age.German-Australian Helmut Newton at work in his heyday French fashion photographer Jeanloup Sieff's series of signed vintage prints, including classic scenes from Monte-Carlo and Paris. Sem-Art Gallery is proud to welcome Hamiltons, one of the world's foremost galleries specialising in the modern masters of photography. Hamiltons owner Tim Jefferies said: "Traditional photography will cease to exist as a practice in our lifetime. This is a tragedy as digital photograpy has never come close to capturing the beauty of traditionally made and printed photographs."Tim Jefferies: Looking at the future direction of art photography To witness the beauty for yourself, get along to Sem-Art Gallery, who have also chosen the Hamiltons exhibition to run during Grand Prix week.Sem-Art Gallery, 20 avenue de la Costa, 98000 MonacoReview Art By Iranian Woman at Sem-Art Gallery
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/semart-gallery-hamiltons-gallery-exhibition Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:19:32 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/semart-gallery-hamiltons-gallery-exhibition info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Artist Dawn Dudek launches new art project fusing social media and painting
A new art project has launched in the French Riviera that combines fine art painting and digital technology. Canadian-born artist Dawn Dudek has uploaded a series of 124 images to Pinterest. She has started to paint every image on canvas-paper as part of a project to encourage us all to think about how we store and use everyday images on our computers.Artist Dawn Dudek, in front of one of her earlier works “We make choices when selecting and sharing images on social networking sites such as Pinterest. I thought about how these choices define us as individuals, and how this affects our perceptions of people and ourselves. I reviewed the many collected images I had posted online. When I saw them as a whole I became intrigued by the relationship they had to each other. I wanted to take this process a step further and decided the best way to explore these associations was to paint every picture pinned on my Pinterest board and assemble them. After all, if I love these images so much, why don’t I paint them?” said Dawn. Pinterest is a social media platform, launched in 2010. It is a internet image board where users can post and curate their choice of digital images online. The free to use service has around 48 million users worldwide. Traditional and digital art lovers can follow Dawn's progress on Pinterest and her website where the project titled If you love it so much why don’t you paint it has already begun to turn pixel into paint. Every individual painting is available to buy online as a limited edition print as soon as each piece if finished.Cafe Passage (30cm x 25cm) by Dawn Dudek. Painting #9 of 124 The artist has also come up with the novel idea of creating mini-Pinterest-style boards using her paintings. She will select and juxtapose her individual artworks to create new compositions called PinSets. Dawn discovered in the early stages of her project that even a small collection of random images could hold one or multiple unifying narratives when placed together.Example PinSet: What stories emerge from a series of random images? The project raises interesting discussion on the power of the image, our interplay as curators of digital content and who we are relative to our images. Dawn said: “The core of my Pinterest project is to look at all the images amassed as a collection and see how it affects the individual. As a visual artist, I have an affinity with single images and also what they say about me as a collective. When you see them as a mass, it’s like a visual self-portrait.” Dawn is expected to complete all 124 paintings by early 2014 and she will show her work in an exhibition. Venue and more details on this to follow. Visit Dawn Dudek official websiteCheck out Dawn’s Pinterest PageFollow Dawn's blog on TumblrFollow the project on Twitter
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-arts-pinterest-project-dawn-dudek Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:42:31 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-arts-pinterest-project-dawn-dudek info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Exhibition of recent work from the Cuban artist
Marlborough Gallery Monaco presents the recent work of acclaimed Cuban artist Julio Larraz in a new show, opening on 25 April until 21 June 2013. The solo exhibition brings together around 15 recent works, paintings and watercolors. While Laraz's first 2002 exhibition in Monaco presented mostly large still-lifes, this exhibition focuses on his favorite themes featuring various characters and enigmatic landscapes. We find the same mysterious and seductive atmosphere which is the basis of all his work.Julio Larraz, Master Spy, 2011, oil on canvas, 72" x 60"   Stylistically, Larraz’s work may be characterized by simplicity of touch, dramatic lighting, sensuous colors, exaggerated scale, and a combination of reality and fantasy that is generally tropical in atmosphere. His subjects are often metaphors for such things as isolation, melancholy, the absurdity of power, or political intrigue. Born in 1944 in Havana, Cuba, Larraz grew up in a home of cultural and intellectual distinction. His parents ran La Discusión, one of the oldest newspapers in Havana. His father had compiled one of the largest private libraries in the country comprising several hundred thousand volumes on painting, history, philosophy, and literature. When the family emigrated to Miami in 1961, this invaluable collection had to remain behind. Larraz’s first exhibition was in 1971 at the Pyramid Gallery in Washington, DC. His first New York exhibition was at the Far Gallery in 1974. In 1975 he was awarded the Cintas Grant by the Instituto de Educación Internacional in New York and in 1976 the painting prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and National Institute of Arts and Letters in New York. He received in 1977 the Purchase Prize from the Childe Hassam Fund Purchase Exhibition, American Academy of Arts and Letters and National Institute of Arts and Letters. His paintings may be found in public collections and museums in Wash­ington, DC, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colombia, France, and Mexico. Recent exhibitions include:Julio Larraz: Treinta años de trabajo: obra sobre papel, at the Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá, Bogota, Colombia; Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City, Mexico; Museo de Arte de Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico; Museo de Arte Costarricense, San Jose, Costa Rica, 2004Julio Larraz, Le Bellevue, Biarritz, France (in collaboration with Marlborough Gallery), 2008Julio Larraz, The Victorian Museum, Rome, Italy, 2012. The artist lives and works in Miami, Florida.CityOut Directory: Marlborough Gallery Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/marlborough-gallery-monaco-julio-larraz Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:04:52 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/marlborough-gallery-monaco-julio-larraz info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Profile of the Monaco-based fine art portrait painter
Marta Grigorieva is a Russian-born, now Monaco-based artist who specialises in painting fine art portraits. She has captured on canvas some of the world's top celebrities, Royals and high-profile people. Her work, beyond hanging in private collections, has also been exhibited worldwide, including Sothebys of New York, Sochi Art Museum and Harvard University.Can you give a little background as to your journey to become an artist?From the earliest age I can remember, I imagined and saw faces on the surfaces of people and animals. I started drawing aged six. After qualifying with a degree in Economics, I turned my focus to art. I worked in the 1990s at Christies auction house in New York and then returned to academia to study fine arts and art history at Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. I also took painting courses at the university. I went on to study with the artist Nelson Shanks at the Art Student League, perfecting figure and portrait painting for five years. After moving to Italy in 2001, I began to receive commissions to decorate public spaces with murals, interiors and exteriors of buildings. Many commissions and exhibitions followed. Today I paint full time. Who or what are your key influences in your work?Nelson Shanks, my mentor at Arts Student League of New York - and the best portrait artist in America in my opinion. His method and technique are timeless; academic painting with impressionist colours. He has painted President Clinton among others. Other great artists inspire me. Those who painted with a distinct way of seeing light and colour, applying secret geometry within their art. Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Sargent, Matisse, Picasso, Lucien Freud to name a few. You paint between your studio and clients' homes. Does this affect your work?The current portrait I am working on, commissioned by a Monaco family, is a life-size portrait of five people. The painting is being done in their villa in Cannes, where I am putting the final touches directly on to the canvas and the wall where it will be displayed. This young, beautiful family with three young daughters, alternate sittings for the portrait. I worked for the first two months on this portrait in my studio from photographs. The final 3 months has been in the family's house. It helps getting to know the personality of the sitters, observing how they interact as a family. How do you capture so evocatively the 'life' of a subject onto canvas?Painting from life sittings helps to capture the moment in time; the essence and personality of the subject of a portrait. I  always striving to convey a life-likeness and resemblance. And it helps to get to know my subjects before painting them.Princess Michael of Kent, Oil on canvas, 70cm x 50cm (2011) Which subjects made your personal favourite paintings?I have enjoyed painting famous subjects such as Princess Michael of Kent, Nelson Mandela, and Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Stelios also commissioned me to paint Pavarotti and Frank Sinatra from their concert in New York. The painting hangs in his music room near a grand piano. I painted this work in Monaco in 2011 in a magnificent building overlooking the Metropol Hotel, the Casino, and the sea. That was very inspirational!Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Oil on canvas, 120cm x 90cm (2012) Why do think the fine art portrait is still an important art form today?In Pre-Revolution Russia representatives of my family were among the oldest hereditary nobility. We had portraits in the family and it has always been a tradition. These portrait's are part of our history and remain for posterity. Portraiture is also in high demand in countries such as UK or France. There is a timeless element to most portraits. Paintings always tell a story and portraits reflect historical situations of their time. You also teach children art in and around Monaco. Tell us about this aspect of your work.Art opens doors for so many creative professions. I teach children in Monaco and it's great satisfaction to be able to help children to find their unique direction in life. Helping to develop and nurture future generations of people who will shape our world. Fashion designers or graphic artists, fine artists, filmmakers - a variety of professions inspired by visual creative flair. Art is not simply decorative, but empowers commercial enterprise. It is my hope to develop an art school in Monaco, where children can become familiar in a playful way with important cultural elements of art history and painting. This, I believe, will make them more aware and prepare for the future success.Twin Sisters, Oil on canvas, 70cm x 50cm (2008) To commission Marta or to enquire about private art lessons, contact mgpaintings[at]gmail.com or visit her official website at www.martagrigorieva.com
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What: Cinema Sporting Where: Place du Casino, Monaco Information: 08 92 68 00 72 (€0.34/min) Programme details (including French language movies)  Located in the art deco Sporting d'Hiver building in the Place du Casino, the Cinema Sporting is Monaco's premier venue for the latest films in French plus a selection of movies screened in their original language. During the summer months, a wider range of English-language movies shows at the Open Air Cinema near the Palace. This Week:Rock of Ages, based on the Broadway musical of the same name, plus one showing of the all-new Spider-Man adventure: --- See left-hand panel for what's on today, or below for films in the coming week. Ticket prices: afternoons: Mon-Fri €7.50, weekends: €10.50 evenings: Tue-Wed €7.50, Thu-Mon €10.50 under-20s and over-60s: €7 for selected showingsFilms this week Saturday 14 July 7.00pm: Rock of AgesSunday 15 July 9.00pm: Rock of AgesMonday 16 July 5.45pm: Rock of Ages 9.00pm: The Amazing Spider-Man
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/cinema-sporting Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:01:52 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/cinema-sporting info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) 
Does Ang Lee’s fantasy film signal the end of cinema storytelling?
CityOut catches Ang Lee’s fantasy 3D tiger and asks has traditional cinema storytelling been finally savaged by the ‘beast’ of technology? The movie industry has successfully made our screen monsters and defined our fears for over a century. But Richard Parker, the tiger who stars in Life of Pi, may just scoop the Oscar for Best Movie Monster Who Wasn’t There.Pi of the tiger: A pixel-perfect Richard Parker in Life of Pi The pixel-perfect puss was a top-cat tribute to how far CGI technology has come in creating a creature that looks, moves and acts better than a real Bengal tiger ever could. Technology allowed director Ang Lee to tell a fantasy tale previously deemed impossible to film. Cinema after Life of Pi may not have shown that film can better the emotional ‘hook’ of books, but film has moved one godly step closer to being able to create the impossible – emotionally resonant digital characters.Sea of reflection: Life of Pi raises questions for man and beast Richard Parker is a movie miracle who will probably lose his awe-factor ‘bite’ over the next few years as new developments and new spectacles emerge. Just think how quickly films like Terminator 2 (1991), Gladiator (2000) and the Lord of The Rings trilogy (2001-03) have lost their cinematic mantle as groundbreakers in CGI technology. The concern is that for the future of cinema, if Nature itself can now be replicated and manipulated so coyly, what sense of reality and truth shall we all be left to deal with?Can cinema ever replace real human emotion and drama? Nowhere is the role of special effects and its control of our emotion seen better than in Life of Pi’s treatment of the sea and water. Throughout the film, Lee creates a series of emotions and worlds using the sea, its inhabitants, and the elements affecting it. The end result is some of the most terrifying and breathtaking scenes cinema goers have seen. The last film that created such terror out of a few fake fish and the unknown depths was Jaws. This Spielberg classic was released way back in 1975. High tension was created by the lo-tech Hitchcockian hallmarks of ‘what we don’t see will hurt us’ and one of the most memorably tense musical scores ever. Do we now live in an age where our imaginations, like our most fearsome and rare animals, are not welcome in the cinemas?Has CGI technology finally killed cinematic storytelling? What cannot be enhanced by technological wizardy is for a plot to be unfolded. Luckily for us, auteur Ang Lee never sacrificed the art of storytelling over a reliance on mind-boggling cinematic spectacle. And there lies the hope for future cinema. Although anyone who watched Transformers 2 may not quite agree!For more opinion and discussion about Monaco cinema, check out CityOut's new Arts section.
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In a new series of stunning images for CityOut, artist Calypso de Sigaldi explores the sanctuary of marriage and shows the many roles role a woman can take to sustain romance, sensuality and entertainment in her relationship. In this deeply sensual and at times provocative work, de Sigaldi believes the art of amour (Romance, Trust, Play, Surprise) is still very much alive in a modern-age saturated with empty, and, at times, tasteless erotic imagery.'I love you' by Calypso de Sigaldi“Romance is the essential emotion which nourishes all others. Without Romance it is difficult to have trust and to enjoy each other within a relationship Without a sincere romantic feeling there is also not respect... and then the relationship becomes something else which isn't Love anymore.” 'Grapes ' by Calypso de Sigaldi“Trust is another form of respect and there exists many ways to show Trust. The simplest one is to not be suspicious of our partners... But Trust is also to play games with your lover... Where we allow him a certain control over us and know he will not abuse it... Trust in this circumstance is in two ways... Knowing we will not come to harm and that our respectibility will be preserved. A refined can be playful but never forgets how to be trustworthy and elegant.” 'Girl on Blackjack table' by Calypso de Sigaldi“Games are the spice of relationships. They must be subtle, played in a dignified spirit, and clearly respected in their rules and boundaries by the couple. Many couples after many years together have tenderness for each other, mutual habits and companionship, but it's essential to play and have mischief to keep desire alive.”'Rock Chick' by Calypso de Sigaldi“A woman who is not aware of this male primal instinct to hunt will meet trouble! It is a woman's duty to reinvent herself to surprise and 'hunt' the man she loves also. We know very well the story of Henri IV. The French King was not faithful to his wife, the Queen. The Pope warned him of his folly, until one day the King invited his trusty advisor to stay at the palace for a week. During the Pope's stay, every meal served was exactly the same. On the first day the Pope was grateful, thinking the meal a delicious one. But after a week of identical meals, he started to complain. It was then the King said to the Pope: "Don't you see! It is exactly like my Queen!"... So let us try to not serve excactly the same "meal" every time - even if we are the same woman. Be surprising!” For all woman this Valentines Week: Respect yourself, reinvent yourself to stimulate your lover, and embrace the danger of True Love. Thanks to... Make-up: Ezio Fontana Hair: Massimiliano Borrelli for Nouvelle Idee Lingerie: Absolutely Pom Jewelry: Marco Molinario, Monaco Footwear: Stuart Weitzman, Monaco Accessories: Zepter Calypso would also like to thank Fairmont Monte-Carlo Hotel for use of their suites and SUN Casino (SBM) for the generous loan of the blackjack table.Official website of Calypso de Sigaldi 
 Profile of an artist: Calypso de SigaldiBeauty & the Beast by Calypso de Sigaldi
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/calypso-de-sigaldi-a-love-story Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:16:15 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/calypso-de-sigaldi-a-love-story info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Catch the artist's latest work at Quai des Artistes
Catch Monaco-based artist Kay Hare's latest work at a new exhibition at Quai Des Artistes from 21 February. The Monaco-based painter, originally from England and a graduate from Central St Martins School of Art in London, will display paintings from her Dream Landscapes collection.Artist Kay Hare The exhibition runs from 21 February until 2 April 2013 and will show 10 of her paintings.A Different Light, Oil on canvas (2012), 50cm x 50cmQuai des Artistes, 4 quai Antoine 1er, Monaco 98000Official website of Kay Hare
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/art-exhibition-monaco-kay-hare Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:12:56 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/art-exhibition-monaco-kay-hare info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Pioneering Monaco gallery Sem-Art puts on one of the most dynamic art shows of 2012
Sem-Art Gallery prides itself on drawing attention to not just art, but geographies. The belief that Art is without boundaries has always been the gallery’s thematic mantra. The art venue’s current exhibition is no exception to the rule. The Other Half of Iran is the first ever female-only showcase of Iranian art in France. Eight artists, all born and still working in Iran, are on show. Each one dealing with the question: ‘What has been the role of women in Iranian society over the past 50 years?’Mosiac (2010) by Monir Shahoudry Farmanfarmaian Although Sem-Art denies there is a political backbone to their exhibition, it is difficult to overlook the controversy of putting the words “Iran”, “women” and  “art” in the same sentence. Yet the gallery urges visitors to look beyond preconceived assumptions. The exhibition on its purely artistic merit is a vigorous blend of art styles (calligraphy, painting, sculpture), and a rare assemblage of emerging and established artists. The latter in no way breaks the continuity of the exhibition.With The Passage of Time Series (2012) by Samira Alikhanzadeh The fact that all the art created belongs to the fairer gender is either a mute point or a cause for rejoice, dependant on your viewpoint.  What is more relevant, is that the artists’ unfair treatment by their country’s rulers has long been a issue. Attacking this suppression is evident in some shape or form across most of the artwork on show. Yet the hidden power of this lightweight exhibition lies in the heavyweight decision to stage it.  However much the gallery argues the exhibition is politics-free, it has taken a bold step under the curatorial direction of Nina Moaddel. Little wonder the gallery has been able to garner the attention and support of such luminaries as super-curator Hans Ulrich Obrist.City Girl (2010-12) by Shirin Aliabadi The exhibition is open to the public until late December, and it will be interesting to see if one of Monaco’s top commercial galleries can translate a headline exhibition into bottom line sales. But maybe this is one show that does not need the false blessing of the notoriously clandestine ‘universe’ of art collectors. In a time where politicians are randy to condemn the threat of Iran’s political agenda, the eight ambitions of the artist bring tranquility to the media fervor that surrounds Iran right now. Iran is certainly not a nation that has fully relaxed its Draconian traditions or solved the political strife between the genders. Yet there is something spiritedly cathartic in how the women have translated their lives as females, as Iranians and as modern citizens through their respective artworks. This is a show of neutral global human values, as much as it confronts one gender’s national sufferance. Take the opportunity to witness the full spectrum of Iran’s hardline history over the past half-century as told from The Other Half of Iran.Untitled (2012) by Bita Vakili The exhibition runs until 20 December 2012. CityOut Directory: Sem-Art Gallery Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/sem-art-exhibition-art-by-iran-women Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:05:30 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/sem-art-exhibition-art-by-iran-women info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) New art exhibition by the Italian painter and sculptor
Marlborough Gallery Monaco welcomes back Italian painter and sculptor Roberto Barni for his second exhibition. This personal exhibition that opens the gallery's Spring season displays 30 recent works that consider the artist's perspective on the human condition and our increasing isolation in society and with nature.Roberto Barni: Reflecting on our disconnection with society Look out for work that includes solemn-faced bronze figurines placed in disjointed, precarious situations, detailing the artist's expression of the futility, disconnection and short-sightedness of modern man.Adosso, 2010, bronze, 208 x 145 x 50cm  There are also two monumental size sculptures on display, plus a selection of red and white paintings. Circolo vegetale, 2009-2012, 200 x 180cm The artist, who lives in Florence, began exhibiting in the early 1970s. His work has been on show in Europe and abroad. His sculptures can be found in many public places including the Princess Rose Garden in Monaco.Roberto Barni. Until 29 April 2013.CityOut Directory: Marlborough Gallery Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/marlborough-gallery-monaco-robert-barni Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:43:04 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/marlborough-gallery-monaco-robert-barni info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Look out for the new exhibition featuring over 35 artists
One of Monaco’s top art venues has opened a group show that features over 35 famous artists and over 60 works across painting, lithographs, drawings, sculpture, photography and jewelry. The exhibition at Galerie Marlborough runs from 6 December to 25 January 2013. It features important artists from the 20th and 21st Centuries including:Arman Laurent Baude Roberto Barni Davide Benati Claudio Bravo Grisha Bruskin Pol Bury Miguel Chevalier Chu Teh-Chun Béatrice de Domenico Richard Estes Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe Juan Genoves Konstantin Grcic Red Grooms Ellsworth Kelly François Kovacs Guy Laliberté Julio Larraz Benoit Lemercier Alberto Magnelli Fausto Melotti Jacques Monory François Morellet Robert Motherwell Tom Otterness Philippe Perrin Pablo Picasso Jean Pagliuso Beverly Pepper David Rodriguez Caballero Hedva Ser Sacha Sosno Takis Manolo Valdes Jacques Villegle Doug WadaThetis Circle (2011) by Beverly Pepper is on show in Gallery Galerie Marlborough is open Monday to Friday 11am to 6pm and on appointment. In December, it will open specially on 15 and 22 December from 11am to 5pm.CityOut Directory: Galerie MarlboroughDebut show for new Marlborough directorProfile of an artist: Tom Otterness10 years of modern art in Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/galerie-marlborough-monaco-dec-2012-exhibition Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:41:45 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/galerie-marlborough-monaco-dec-2012-exhibition info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Marlbourgh Gallery’s new director Veronique de Lavenne opened her first exhibition with a fairytale start.
Veronique de Lavenne kicked off in earnest her career at Marlborough Monaco with a playful debut exhibition by Tom Otterness. Opening night was attended by over 100 Monaco locals and VIPs. Marlborough Gallery's new director Veronique de LavenneDe Lavenne’s landmark premier show was dedicated solely to the American Otterness, who renowned for his fairytale-style sculptures. It is his second exhibition in Monaco and comprised 20 of his unique bronze sculptures.Tom Otterson and Immigrant Family (Image: Bruce Schwartz)Sitting Bear (2011) bronze. By Tom OtternessOtterness is inspired by figures of modern iconography, fairy tales, and the universe of cartoons. Using this childlike and popular imagery, the artist explores a range of adult themes (class struggle, overconsumption) without causing any offence.Bad Wolf (2007) bronze. By Tom Otterness During the show, de Lavenne said: It was a pleasure to prepare this Tom Otterness show at the Marlborough Gallery! This is the first exhibition I supervise as new director, as I’ve just arrived last month! I love Tom Otterness’ mi-fables. They are so accessible. A few people in Monaco are already familiar with his work and I think we will have a lot of interest for it! I’m sure the exhibition will be a success! De Lavenne previously held prominent positions at the Maeght Gallery in Paris and the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. She then founded and ran her own company Moving Art, which organises exhibitions for companies. Over its 12-year history, the gallery has welcomed international artists such as Richard Estes, Claudio Bravo, and Chu The-Chun.  Tom Otterness is the next in a long list of famous artists to show their work at the Monaco venue.Tom Otterness runs at Marlborough Gallery from 11 Oct to 30 NovProfile of an artist: Tom OtternessCityOut Directory: Marlborough Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/tom-otterness-marlborough-monaco-gallery Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:40:53 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/tom-otterness-marlborough-monaco-gallery info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Rare photographs by Italian Ferdinando Scianna on show in Monaco.
Entrepot Gallery opens a new autumn exhibition with photographs by Italian Ferdinando Scianna. 21 black-and-white photographs are on display and were all taken in the artist’s native Sicily.Bagheria (1962) by Ferdinando Scianna The collection includes religious festivals, social events, and bodies contorted by mysterious forces.Enna (1963) by Ferdinando Scianna Entrepot Gallery owner Daniel Boeri said: “Scianna takes a moment in time and through his images creates a visual event. His pictures were taken 40 or 50 years ago, yet they speak to us today."Prizzi (1964) byFerdinando Scianna Scianna was a Magnum Agency photo-journalist who worked worldwide and close friend of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Yet the Italian never forgets his native Sicily and always says he takes his photographs with his “Sicilian eye”.Siciliens runs from 12 October to 16 NovemberInterview: Daniel Boeri, L’Entrepot GalleryMonaco Art Competition: Le Fait DiversCityOut Directory: Entrepot Gallery Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/ferdinando-scanna-entreport-gallery Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:39:37 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/ferdinando-scanna-entreport-gallery info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) L’Entrepot Gallery of Monaco hosts world-exclusive piano concert and cocktail party to toast three-year anniversary..
L’Entrepot Gallery - one of Monaco’s best-loved and most daring art galleries - put on a world-exclusive music concert to toast its three-year anniversary. Hundreds of guest attended the Theatre des Varieties last night to enjoy Monaco’s very own musical maestro, pianist Nicolas Horvath. He performed a tribute to legendary composer Philip Glass, supported by world-renowned conductor Avner Soundry and the Ensemble Instrumental de Nice. The concert was followed by a cocktail party held at the gallery.Nicolas Horvath (third left) and Nice Ensemble take the stage The evening was a world-first for Glass’s compositions to be played by a pianist other than the American. The programme on the night included Glass’s famous tribute score to the classic 1931 Dracula film. Speaking after the performance, L’Entrepot Gallery owner Daniel Boeri said: “A marvelous concert. I am extremely happy. This was a truly spectacular way to celebrate all that our gallery has achieved over the years. This concert was for all our artists, staff and visitors who have made working at the gallery such a special experience.”L'Entrepot's tribute to the composer Philip Glass (above) Highlights of Boeri’s three years at L’Entrepot include: •    Bringing Street Art to Monaco with the 2009 exhibition StreetArt.IT •    Promoting little-known fringe artists such as Benjamin Spark •    Summer 2012 exhibition of world-famous installation artist Christo •    Charity auction 55 Riviera Artists, raising €60,000 for 2010 Haiti disaster •    Annual art competition Open Des Artists for emerging European artists The gallery - a favourite venue for Prince Albert of Monaco among others - is set to continue its status as a plucky pioneer within the Monaco art scene. An exhibition of Italian photographer Ferdinando Scianna will run 12 October until 9 November.Visit the L'Entrepot Gallery official websiteInterview: Daniel Boeri, L’Entrepot GalleryMonaco Art Competition: Le Fait DiversCityOut Directory: L’Entrepot GalleryCityOut Directory: Theatre des Varietes
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/lentrepot-art-gallery-birthday-event Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:36:59 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/lentrepot-art-gallery-birthday-event info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Swing along to Opera Gallery for its new photo exhibition celebrating the work of Gered Mankowitz.
The Swinging London Years come to Monaco as Opera Gallery opens its latest exhibition to the public. Gered Mankowitz, the artist best known for his portraits of rock stars, brings his iconic photographs to the top art venue this October. The exhibition features celebrity portraits by Mankowitz, mainly from the music business, and focus on his most prolific period during the 1960s in London. Sitting pretty: An early portrait of Mick Jagger by Mankowitz The photography show includes images of Jimi Hendrix, Marianne Faithfull and the Rolling Stones. Mankowitz toured with the Stones during the 1960s and produced several album covers for the band. Marianne Faithfull, London, 1964. One of many images by Gered The two-week exhibition has been appropriately titled The Swinging London Years and is supported by Monika Bacardi Association for the Arts.Gered Mankowitz runs from 12-26 October Visit the official Gered Mankowitz websiteCityOut Directory: Opera Gallery Monaco  
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/gered-mankowitz-opera-gallery-monaco Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:31:36 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/gered-mankowitz-opera-gallery-monaco info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Artist set to open controversial photo exhibition in Monaco.
The fractured lifestyles of the rich and beautiful are the focus of an art exhibition set to rock and mock Monegasque society. The Beauty and the Beast is the new photography show from Monaco artist Calypso de Sigaldi.  It will feature shocking images of the “bad habits” of stereotypically beautiful women. The series of photographs - on display at the new Reis & Maas gallery in Monaco - features models in literal poses representing the worst complexes of modern-day society. Fashion Victim by Calypso de Sigaldi pokes fun at the industry “I am trying to make people think about their behaviour and how they represent themself,” says De Sigaldi. The artist defines herself as an “image maker” rather than a photographer, and someone who is trying to catch the emotions behind the good looks. De Sigaldi urges audiences not to take her work too seriously, and that humour and fantasy make up a huge part of what she does.  She says: “I don’t like to treat serious subjects in a serious way, I believe, like the writer Jean de la Fontaine or Molière did in their times, that you can have more impact using humour and fantasy.”Obsessive Desire by Calypso de Sigaldi De Sigaldi swapped the fashion scene for the art gallery over a year ago. The ex-model and advertising art director said: “My experience in each of the roles in fashion contributes to my photographic style which in turn benefits from my knowledge of the 'tricks of the trade'. The Beauty and the Beast is a fusion of fashion photography with fine art sensibilities, creating a set of images that both celebrate and critique the female form. Her previous photography show Kiss Me, bang bang! was the artist’s take on the great heroines of the last century, including Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, and French actress Sarah Bernhardt. “Someone asked me if I was a feminist, as most of my work speaks about women. I am not a feminist, but I am a woman! I enjoy speaking about the world from a woman’s point of view,” defends de Sigaldi. The show is the artist’s first collaboration with the Reis & Maas Galerie. The gallery opened in May of this year. Gallery owner Ramon Reis said: “We are very pleased to welcome Calypso to our gallery. Her collaboration with so many other artists to get the work done is impressive. From Italy to France and Monaco she has created a beautiful environment of creativity. Reis & Maas will always welcome artists with such energy and passion.”The Beauty and the Beast opens at Reis & Maas on 16 October and runs until 15 November. Reis & Maas Gallery, 4 rue Princesse Caroline, 98000, Monaco Visit the official site of Calypso de SigaldiProfile of an artist: Calypso de Sigaldi What’s on Winter 2012: Reis and Maas CityOut Directory: Reis and Maas, Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-art-exhibition-calypso-de-sigaldi Sun, 03 Feb 2013 21:53:47 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-art-exhibition-calypso-de-sigaldi info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) The Théâtre des Variétés is one of Monaco's principal venues, with an exciting year-round programme
What: Théâtre des Variétés Where: 1 boulevard Albert Ier Contact:+377 93 25 67 83; +377 98 98 82 74 E-mail:tvarietes@gouv.mc The theatre is one of principal venues for the Philharmonic Orchestra of Monte-Carlo, whose popular Wednesday lunchtime concerts take place here. The theatre also screens a number of art-house movies on Tuesday evenings, and every four years plays host to the Theatre World Cup festival (Mondial du Theatre), the next edition of which takes place in 2013.  Coming up Monday 14 January - Monday 11 March, 2013 Conference: Conferences Foundation Prince Pierre Bookings: places available from 4pm on the day of the conference at the theatre or at www.fnac.comWednesday 23 January, 2013 8.30pm Classical Music: Frack "HOMMAGE A NINO ROTA" Tickets: www.fnac.com   -- - Getting there 43.7338177|7.4215824||1 Boulevard Albert 1er, 98000 Monacofrom Nice: Enter Monaco using the "Basse Corniche", then head towards the port and the casino via the tunnel under the Rocher. As you exit the tunnel, turn left into the Condamine Car Park before reaching the port: the theatre is at the bottom of the slope. from Menton: Enter Monaco centre using the expressway, exit rue Grimaldi and continue until Place d’Armes. Turn left immediately after the traffic lights and head towards the Port. Before reaching the port, turn left into the Condamine Car Park: the theatre is at the bottom of the slope. Please note : You cannot access the theatre by car from the car park: you need to drive along the port and come back via rue Grimaldi. But it is possible to reach the theatre from the car park by using the lift. Car park under 24 hr surveillance. Reduced evening rates from 7 p.m. onwards.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/theatre-des-varietes Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:46:08 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/theatre-des-varietes info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) International Circus Festival launches next year's program
The 37th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo promises another spectacular event after it announced its 2013 programme. The event, which runs 17-27 January, will feature a variety of old and new faces that include:FRENCH NEW WAVE French horse trainer Jean-François Pignon will be in the circus ring for the very first time. Passionate about horses and creator of some of the greatest liberty horse acts in the world, Pignon has adapted his show to the size of the Fontvieille big top. Expect a unique and unforgettable circus moment!Monaco's flying circus features Jean-François Pignon in 2013RETURN OF THE EAST The National Pyong Yang Circus of North Korea is back in the Principality of Monaco with two amazing acts. The first, a flying trapeze act, the only one featuring two flyers that can achieve a quadruple somersault. The second, a vertical rope act with a pair of classical dancers performing at great heights with movements that audiences are only used to seeing on the ground. It has never been seen before!STATE-SIDE ANTICSThe Club House Duo from America star Alex and Bella Cher in a modern comedy. Bella is a lowly maid who transforms into a ballerina! With this as a starting point they present several very original and surprising fill-in acts. A great comedy show that is guaranteed to amuse all ages! FOLLOW THE NEW GENERATION In 2013 New Generation will take place on 2-3 February. For its second edition this event will be showcasing a selection of young artistes presenting some startling acts. The Organising Committee - presided over by HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco – have put together a truly innovative mix of circus troupes. Look out for more news and features on the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo 2013. International Circus Festival 2012
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-circus-festival-2013 Mon, 31 Dec 2012 13:41:41 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-circus-festival-2013 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Catch artist Carol Bruton's sea-inspired exhibition at CREM
Catch Monaco-based artist Carol Bruton's exhibition featuring a series of sea-inspired works at CREM from now until 14 December.Sea Cells 1 (2012) by Carol Bruton The Candian-born artist has studied internationally in Madrid, London and Edinburgh. She has also spent time living and painting in Europe, Middle East and Africa, gathering inspiration for her work.Sea Cells 2 (2012) by Carol Bruton Carol’s new series shows her fascination with cellular division within the sea.  She uses pigments and gloss in order to show the depth and transparency of the sea and then with small brushes creates the floating, organic mass. Sea Cells 3 (2012) by Carol Bruton  "To bring my work to a wider audience in Monaco is great. The sea is a huge part of life in the Principality and close to the hearts and souls of the people who live here.  I would like to thank CREM for giving me the space to show my work and I hope that my paintings have added to the club's elegant and refined reputation." said Carol.Sea Cells 4 (2012) by Carol BrutonJoin CREM and visit all their regular monthly events.CityOut Directory: CREMProfile: CREM
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/carol-bruton-exhibition-crem Sat, 15 Dec 2012 10:39:20 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/carol-bruton-exhibition-crem info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) New James Bond film Skyfall opens tonight in Monaco.
007 returns, but this time in altogether more audacious fashion in the latest installment, Skyfall . Daniel Craig dons his tuxedo for a third outing as the M16 secret agent, while Academy Award winning Sam Mendes makes his directorial debut with the super-spy franchise. Critics in the UK caught the first screening last Friday (12 Oct). Here’s a round-up of what the pundits made of the 23rd official James Bond movie: The Times of London were backing Bond all the way. Critic Kate Muir wrote: “Skyfall is a great British bulldog of a movie. From the moment the orchestral sound of Adele belts out, sending a nostalgic shiver down the audience’s collective spine, we know this will be a triumphant return to classic Bond.”Knot fussed: Will the critics stop Monaco fans turning out for Bond? Peter DeBruge writing for Variety believed the film was a bold attempt to transport the 23rd Bond movie to a new place: He wrote: “Skyfall radically breaks from the Bond formula while still remaining true to its essential beats, presenting a rare case in which audiences can no longer anticipate each twist in advance. Without sacrificing action or overall energy, Mendes puts the actors at the forefront, exploring their marvelously complex emotional states in ways the franchise has never before dared.” The Guardian was rather less shaken, more stirred by the film, and gave only a disappointed three stars. Reviewer Xan Brooks concludes that bad-boy Bond, referred to in the movie as “a creature in the shadows fighting creatures in the shadows”, would “be better left there with all guns blazing and the lights turned low.” The Daily Telegraph gave the film a better four-star rating. Perhaps because their cinema critic was fascinated by the latest Bond villain Raoul Silva (played by Javier Bardem).  “Bardem’s lip-lickingly camp turn makes him the oddest Bond villain since the Roger Moore era, and his nicotine hair flops queasily over his forehead in a way that calls to mind Julian Assange.” Robbie Collin wrote.Javier Bardem as sinister villian Raoul Silva in Skyfall Stateside, the Hollywood Reporter was glowing in its praise, dubbing the film “a beautifully made” classic that took viewers “into the vexing world of shadowy terrorists and cyber warfare.”Movieline perhaps best summed up the new Bond as having "most of the familiar ingredients of a Bond film — beautiful women, intense action scenes.a charismatic villain and sleek cars." Yet James Bond seems to have matured from the more wooden, tongue-in-cheek characterisation, " to focus on human circuitry.”James Bond has a new love interest, played by Berenice Marlohe All in all, Skyfall seems worth missing a night in a Monagasque casino yourself for. A rather more dark and daring outing for Bond than ever before.Skyfall is released in Monaco on 26 October
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/james-bond-skyfall Sun, 28 Oct 2012 12:55:23 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/james-bond-skyfall info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Come and support this wonderful new arts venue!
The new Theatre des Muses opens its door after three years building work, and is set to be a popular fixture on the Monaco arts scene. Enjoy Theatre des Muses in elegant surrounds The 100-seat theatre has just launched its winter programme. It promises an exciting first season, featuring stage plays and drama education for all ages. The venue, a former bakery, is privately owned and run by Anthea Sogno, an accomplished actress, playwright, and theatre director. The Monegasque artiste and her team have created a truly wonderful space that is delightfully bijou, yet retains a grandeur befitting of a Monaco venue.Anthea Sogno stars in her own adaptation of a Victor Hugo classic Sogno is eager to make her unique theatre work and is clearly filled with the passion to do so. She said: “I love theatre because it is a ‘cottage’ where everything exceptional is permitted, where everything is possible, and where the artist remains free.” Theatre des Muses was officially opened by Prince Albert of Monaco on 11 September. Sogno performed a solo piece for the Prince and her audience. Her play told the story of the venue’s amazing incarnation. Sogno said: “I first met the Prince while riding an elephant at the Monaco circus. I said to him way back then,  ‘The next time I will greet you it will be on the stage of my own theatre!’” The dream came true for her, and Theatre des Muses is definitely fit for a Prince and a principality.Welcome Monagasques, to the newest theatre in town! Theatre des Muses, 45 Bld du Jardin Exotique, 98000, Monaco Theatre des Muses: Winter Season 2012Theatre launches courses for English-speakers CityOut Directory: Theatre des Muses Monaco
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Famous for his public art and playful sculptures, but who exactly is this eccentric artist?Where’s Tom from? Born in 1952 in Wichita, Kansas. In 1970, he moved to New York to join the Art Students League. He still lives there and his studio is in Brooklyn.Why is Tom known? For sculpture, and his distinctive ‘childish style with adult themes’. His works  adorn many public places worldwide, in particular in New York.
Artist with Immigrant Family (2007) Photo: Bruce SchwarzWhat’s Tom’s most famous works?Tom Otterness on Broadway, a series of 25 monumental sculpturesReal World, public artwork and a social allegory on the adult play parkLife Underground, 100 statues placed around 14th Street New York subwayThe Real World on display in Hudson River Park, New YorkWhere’s Tom been exhibited? His works are on display around the world, including, The Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Israel Museum, Jerusalem.When’s Tom next in Monaco? Right now, for only his second Monaco exhibition and featuring 20 unique sculptures at Marlborough Monaco Gallery. 16 October – 30 November 2012.Enter the charming world of Tom OtternessCityOut Directory: Marlborough Monaco Gallery
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/tom-otterness Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:42:16 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/tom-otterness info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) CityOut interviews ex-model and now provactive fine art photographer Calypso de Sigaldi.
CityOut interviews ex-model and now provactive fine art photographer Calypso de Sigaldi.The Beauty and the Beast opens this month (16 October) in Monaco. Tell us about the exhibition. The photographs are my way of showing what amuses me in the society in which I exist today. A world that is supposed to be glam, chic and beautiful. I live in Monaco, yet I could be representing… Monaco,Milan, London, New York, or any other centre of fashion. I shoot only about the life that I know. Also being of French culture, I have this kind of sarcastic humour that some other countries may say is cruel. But it's our cultural form of humour.Surely some of the themes you deal with in this photo series could be regarded as 'cruel'? No, not cruel. The worst thing in life is to be cruel. In my current work, I am just joking and being ironic. I like to tackle serious subjects, but in a non-serious way!  I try through my photography to be like my heroes, Moliere and Jean de la Fontaine (who also used animals to speak about humankind).Wild Sunset by Calypso de Sigaldi Would you say your art is both beautiful and beastly, in that you take us as base creatures. Through a lens, you create something false, something artificial. You amplify our beastliness and make us beautiful. Perhaps more beautiful than we really are? I agree with this statement. I don’t like the dolly-bird image of female beauty. Maybe because I've been a model in the past and heard some absurd stories of women who didn't possess this knowledge. I also don’t like the way society regards 'beauty'. We dub 'beautiful people' as dumb or brainless. Beauty for me comes out of personality, not just the physical.But how do you show the internal beauty of a person through your photography? Probably because I am a woman I can create a good rapport between the subject and I. Girls have those evenings when they are intimate together and share secrets. When I shoot I try and create these girly moments, when a girl feels safe and allows herself to be open.What is the difference between fashion photography and how you work today? My work is similar, but the only difference is that I don't have to focus any more on a product. I can concentrate more on the emotion I build a story from a theme I have in my mind. All my pictures are like a movie; there is a cast, a set, make-up, props, a style. I work with a team to build a reality that didn’t exist anywhere except in my mind.Glory Days by Calypso de SigaldiYou shot The Beauty and The Beast series in your living room. Surely this is unconventional? Yes, of course it was! I'm trying to bring to Monaco a type of photography that doesn’t exist here. I don’t have the usual tools – top models; the studio; the team. I had to bring them from Paris, Milan, and elsewhere.Why do you only focus on female beauty and the female form? I don’t only focus on females. To me its easier to be inspired by a woman's life because I am a woman. I love also to shoot men. But I shoot men from a woman’s point of view. It's also more fun to use women. We can use make-up, clothing, hairdos.Victor Victoria by Calypso de SigaldiIn your work, you don’t book professional models. Instead you prefer to work with unknown girls and friends. Why? Before in my career, I used to cast from premier model agencies and I could be extremely picky about who I would select to photograph. In Monaco there isn’t the same quality of modeling agencies, so I had to work with who was around me. I also discovered it was very beautiful to share your knowledge and confidence of being female with a girl  was young, innocent and often with a complex. This is an emotional and very beautiful journey between artist and subject.You mean you take someone very fragile and manipulate for art? No, not at all. Many young and older women live in modern-day society with complexes. I am not trying to manipulate anyone. I am only trying to 'give back' what has been gifted to me. I worked in the fashion industry during a period where I was luckyenough to have good people around us who explained to us when we were young why our difference made us beautiful. Today we live in a society which believes in a uniform notion of 'beauty',. A society that forces women to conform. This has led to me witnessing many women who have very low self-confidence and who strive to become this social stereotype.Why did you quit the fashion scene to focus on fine art? I am still totally in love with fashion. But I am not in love with the way fashion promotes itself today. The fashion photographers who made me love my original work were free to express themselves decades ago. Marketing took away their liberty to express. The notion today is to create a mass-market image. Before the image, the work was intellectual and elitist. There is less space for originality now. My peers advised me the great era of fashion photography was over, and so I made the move into fine art.Do you miss working in the fashion industry? Today, not really. My collobroration with Reis & Maas allows me to be free as an artist. This is reminiscient of when I was happiest working in fashion. The gallery is very free and in vogue. They allow me to express myself with a total freedom.What’s been lost since the industry’s heyday of the 1980s? Freedom. It has became a business. In the early days it was not. People were crazy, avant-garde. Today the reaction is: "Lets think about the impact on sales."   Next project after Beauty and The Beast...? I have a big project I'd like to do which is about seduction. It will involve both men and women. It will focus on the Dandies of the 18th century and to show the fun, the trauma, and the lightness of seduction during this age. The Dandies were very sophisticated and refined in how they seduced. Today seduction tends to be aggressive and vulgar. This is a shame.Catch Calypso's latest exhibition at Reis & Maas Galerie Monaco (16 Oct to 19 Nov).Beauty or beastly? The art of CalypsoVisit official website of Calypso de Sigaldi
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/interview-calypso-de-sigaldi Wed, 10 Oct 2012 23:16:27 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/interview-calypso-de-sigaldi info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Pop diva set to party in the principality as she bids au revoir to French Riviera.
Monaco is set to welcome Lady Gaga for one last extravaganza after her second and final Riviera show this evening (4 Oct) in Nice. The American pop diva will have an after-show party at Life Club in Monaco, following the gigs which were part of her Born This Way Ball world tour. This official Gaga Monaco event will be attended by VIP guests and fans of her music. Support acts, DJ Starlight and DJ White Shadow, will take to the stage as part of the night’s entertainment. This week Gaga faced fresh criticism for her on-stage antics during the European leg of her tour. She promised another “30 years more” of the same controversy that has made her a pop legend. Better news for the 26-year-old singer/songwriter this week, as she became the first Twitter user to reach 30 million followers.Lady Gaga's world tour runs until 2013
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The hunt is on once again to find the next art sensation who may be living undiscovered in the French Riviera.Open Des Artistes is an art competition devised and run by L'Entrepot Gallery and sponsored by Monaco Telecom. It is open to all up-and-coming Mediterranean artists – not only Monaco residents - and who work across any discipline. Now in its third year, the theme for this year’s competition is Le Fait Divers (news in brief). The closing date to submit a concept proposal for an artwork is 9 November 2012. Outstanding entries will be produced and put on show in a special exhibition at L’Entrepot, running from 7 to 15 January next year. The winning artist will be selected by a panel including Daniel Boeri, L’Entrepot owner. The winner will receive a public cash-prize to produce their work. The finished art will appear in photographic form on the cover of the Monaco Telecom Phone Book. The telecommunications company has sponsored the competition each year since its launch in 2009. Boeri said: “This year’s competition is a chance to find some new, unknown talent and for all the artists who enter the competition to gain exposure.” Past winners include sculptor Damian Paul-Jal (2009), conceptual artist and sculptor Michel Lavail (2010), and last year’s winner Italian Mimi Rep.More info about Open Des Artistes 2013L’Entrepot Gallery celebrates 3rd birthdayInterview: Daniel Boeri, L’Entrepot GalleryCityOut Directory: L’Entrepot Gallery, Monaco
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-telecom-and-l-entrepot-gallery-2013-art-competition Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:09:22 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-telecom-and-l-entrepot-gallery-2013-art-competition info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Fine art auction at the Café de Paris on 29 July: paintings, ceramics and stunning jewellery
What: Accademia Fine Art Auction Where: Hôtel de Paris When: Fri 27 to Sat 28 July 10am to 8pm (public view) Auction: Sunday 29 July at 5.30pm Web: http://www.accademiafineart.com The latest sale from Monaco's Accademia auction house includes treasures from the Sultan of Brunei, made by the British jewellers Asprey, a Monaco private art collection made under the guidance of Professor Anton Luigi Laura, and a special focus on Russian art with a fine sketchbook by Natalia Goncharova containing 21 watercolours of ballet costumes. The Brunei collection is utterly outstanding, with a number of exquisite combinations of crystal, gold, enamel and abundant settings of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Typical is the unique butterfly box pictured below, which is expected to fetch between €140,000 and €180,000 at auction. From the same collection comes a functioning terrestrial globe, its continents fashioned from 18ct gold and each capital from a single ruby. A chronometrical mechanism indicates the time as the clockwork globe sweeps around. Of particular interest to buyers in both Monaco and Moscow is the 21-leaf sketchbook of Natalia Goncharova. The great-niece of Pushkin and a leading member of the Futurist movement, Goncharova collaborated with Diaghilev, Stravinsky and others on the work of the Ballets Russes - the celebrated dance company with which Monaco is most intimately associated, and whose centenary was celebrated here just two years ago. The book is a catalogue of the costumes for the ballet 'On the Dnieper' (''На Днепре'), scored in 1930 by Prokoviev for a performance by the Ballets Russes a year after the death of Diaghilev. The sketchbook, personally inscribed to Countess Piella Giustiniani Bandini, represents a unique view into the style and history of an extraordinary artistic collaboration, and is being auctioned with an estimate between €180,000 and €220,000. In addition, the 265-lot auction includes a wealth of chinoiserie, Meissenware, and a number of excellent paintings both ancient and modern. Viacheslav Plotnikov's view of the Hotel de Paris from 1962 (below) is one of several pieces likely to attract Monaco buyers, in the price range of €2,500 to €3,500: The pieces are being shown in the Salle Beaumarchais in the Hotel de Paris from 27 to 28 July, with the auction itself at 5.30pm on Sunday 29 July.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/accademia-fine-art-july-2012 Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:34:35 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/accademia-fine-art-july-2012 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Monumental works from the Pompidou Centre in Paris to go on show in Monaco's Grimaldi Forum
What: Extra Large - artworks from the Pompidou Centre Where: Grimaldi Forum, Espace Ravel When: 13 July to 9 September, 10am to 8pm (Thursdays 10pm) Contact: + 377 99 99 30 00 Admission: €12(€8), free for under-18s This summer's highlight exhibition in Monaco is on a uniquely grand scale. In an amusing change of perspective, the tiny Principality is to host fifty of the biggest pieces from the Pompidou Centre in Paris for the duration of the high season. It's a fantastic chance to get to know some of the most important names in modern and contemporary art, especially as many of the works have never been exhibited outside Paris before. The exhibition includes large-format paintings by Joan Miró, Jean Dubuffet, Matta, Joan Mitchell, Jacques Monory, Pierre Soulages, Frank Stella, Sam Francis, and Yan Pei-Ming; and sculptures and installations by Joseph Beuys, Christian Boltanski, Daniel Buren, Richard Long, Alain Séchas and Jean Tinguely. Also represented will be the work of Sol LeWitt, Anish Kapoor and Bill Viola - all masterpieces linked by one unusual factor - their sheer monumental size. The works will be on show at the Grimaldi Forum from 13 July to 9 September, and as well as the exhibition itself, the organizers have arranged four special opportunities for visitors to meet the artists and find out about their working methods and techniques. They include Yan Pei-Ming, Franck Scurti and Alain Séchas on each of the first three days of the exhibition, and Claude Viallat on 21 July. These 'Encounters with the Artist' are included in the price of the ticket (see above) Combined ticket option: with the purchase of a ticket to the exhibition, a preferential fee is offered for the performances of Sequence, presented by the company Les Sept Doigts de la Main (The Seven Fingers of the Hand) at the Grimaldi Forum as part of the Monaco Dance Forum from 20 to 22 July.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-extra-large Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:14:06 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-extra-large info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) 50-year retrospective of the work of one of Monaco's greatest contemporary sculptors
What: The Circle of Love: Sculptures by Kees Verkade Where: Salle d'Exposition, Quai Antoine Ier When: 29 June to 29 July 2012, daily 10.30am to 7pm From the prince's palace, where the early history of the Grimaldis is perfectly captured in the form of the cowled bronze figure known as 'La Malizia', to the rose gardens of Fontvieille, presided over by the matriarchal form of Princess Grace; from the leaping athletic forms at the Stade Louis II to the delightful Le Premier Pas at the Princess Grace Hospital, Monaco is renowned for its public art. What you may not know is that all the above, and more, are the work of a single artist. Sculptor Kees Verkade was born in Haarlem in 1941 and studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague. His bronzes fall into a number of categories, but he is best known for his deep appreciation of the human body in movement: acrobatic dancers, leaping lovers and children at play. His works have been exhibited and installed across the world, from New York to Nice; but it is here in Monaco - Verkade's home since 1979 - that one of the greatest concentrations of his work is on daily display.To celebrate the long-term relationship of Verkade and the Principality, a new exhibition in the harbourside gallery on Quai Antoine Ier takes a retrospective look at the artist's work over the last fifty years.  Circle of Love is named after one of Verkade's best-known works, which shows two lovers linked in a graceful hoop. As well as sculptures, his oeuvre is represented in a selection of colourful gouaches and silkscreen prints, all giving an insight into the style and technique of this master of the human form. This is the first exhibition of Verkade's work in Monaco since 1999, and is the perfect opportunity to examine close up the methods of one of the most exciting of contemporary sculptors. Oh, and if you're taking the plane to Monaco, don't forget to check out Verkade's 'Flight' (above), created specially for Nice-Côte-d'Azur Airport.
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What: Monaco Cathedral Where: Monaco Ville Web: http://www.cathedrale.mc 2011 marked the centenary of theconsecration ofthe Cathedral of Monaco, the building best known for its starring role in the 1956marriage of Prince Rainier to Grace Kelly, the so-called 'Wedding of the Century'.  As well as being the principal church of Monaco, it is also the chapel of the Grimaldis, sharing with London's Westminster Abbey and Paris's St Denis the honour of being the resting place of generations of royalty. But this is principally a living church, and each month sees a wide programme of events, musical, artistic and religious. The latest programme is published below, and you can find out more by visiting the cathedral's new website at the link above. Programme of Forthcoming Events 28 June 2012 at 8.30pmSacred Airs: Idriss Damien, flute quintet 7th Monaco International Organ Festival (Tickets: + 377 98 98 83 03)Sunday 1 July at 5pm Jacques van Oortmerssen (Netherlands)Sunday 8 July at 5pm Louis Robilliard (France)Sunday 15 July at 5pm James David Christie (USA)Sunday 22 July at 5pm Lüdger Lohmann (Germany)Sunday 29 July at 5pm Bernard Foccroulle (Belgium) --- About the cathedral There has been a church in this glorious spot for 700 years, but the present cathedral - the work of architect Charles Lenormand - was only begun in 1875. It wasn't until 1903 that the building was officially opened, and a further eight years before consecration took place in 1911. Dedicated to St Nicholas, the cathedral is a Byzantine-style building made from local limestone quarried at La Turbie, not far from Monaco. The stone, from which the nearby Oceanographic Museum is also constructed, has a special quality, maintaining a pearlescent sheen and whitening naturally in the rain (that relatively rare occurrence!)  Pieta from the atelier of Francois Brea Once past the ornate facade, with its depiction of Christ in Majesty, there are some notable objects to look out for: an altarpiece by Louis Brea of Nice, and a superb 'Pieta' (the grief of Mary over the dead Christ) by his relative Francois Brea, both masterpieces of 16th century painting.  A vast Bishop's throne in Carrara marble is another highlight, and of course the armorial pennants and the graves of the Grimaldi dyasty, culminating in the north aisle with those of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. Like all cathedrals, Monaco is more than simply a monumental edifice - though it is that as well, of course. Perched on its symbolic Rock, it is also a beacon of faith which has inspired hope and faith for centuries.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-cathedral-events Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:13:14 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monaco-cathedral-events info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Work of Dutch modernist Kees van Dongen goes on show at Monaco's National Museum
What: The Studio of Kees van Dongen Where: Villa Sauber,  Monaco When: 15 June to 25 November 2012 When the 91-year-old Kees van Dongen died in 1968 in Monte Carlo, the world lost one of its most pioneering painters. In the first decade of the twentieth century, the Rotterdam-born artist was one of a group whose use of unconventionally bright colours earned them the nickname 'Fauves', or 'Wildcats'. Where impressionists such as Monet would often use colour in striking new ways to produce effects of light and shade, in Fauvism, colour was an end in itself, heightening and intensifying the viewer's emotional response to colour in the same way that Cubism did for shape and form. As with many modernist movements, the Fauves  - who included Matisse, Henri Rousseau, Delaunay, Vuillard and Vlaminck - were determined to shift the boundaries, to challenge the ordinary way of seeing the world, and did not mind courting controversy as they did so. For van Dongen, this new direction proved hugely profitable: he became much in demand as a society painter, creating portraits the rich and famous which emphasized the exuberant bohemianism of 1920s and 1930s society. After the war, van Dongen lived variously in Deauville, Monte Carlo, and Paris, where a 1949 exhibition was wildly successful. It would be another forty years before the Musée d'Art Moderne 'rediscovered' his work in an important Paris exhibition, followed by one in his home city of Rotterdam. In 2008, the 40th anniversary of van Dongen's death, the Museums of both Montreal and Monaco hosted a major retrospective, centred on some of the artist's works held in Monaco's permanent collection, including 'Spotted Chimera', and 'Archangel's Tango', both of which can be seen hanging in the artist's Paris studio in the photograph below: Four years on, the Villa Sauber, one of the two homes of the New National Museum, is honouring Monaco's adopted son once more by displaying items from its collection in a new hanging on the ground floor. The display is not intended to be on the same scale as the 2008 retrospective; rather the intention is to give a feeling of the intimate atmosphere of the artist's studio, from his days in Montparnasse to those in Montmartre. --- Meanwhile, on the villa's first floor, there will be a display of the extraordinary panoramic view of Monaco by the earlier painter Jean-Baptiste Olive created for the Monaco Pavilion at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. Born in Marseilles in 1849, Olive had an extensive reputation as a maritime painter and was responsible for some of the murals in the famous Train Bleu restaurant at Paris's Gare de Lyon. Mounted on wood, the painting was later installed in the lobby of the Monte-Carlo Sporting, no doubt because it offered the same panoramic view. Subsequently, however, this once glorious canvas was split up into thirteen panels and stashed away in the store-rooms of the Société des Bains de Mer. It has now been exhumed for restoration, and will form part of a major architectural exhibition due to take place at NMNM in 2013.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/kees-van-dongen-villa-sauber Thu, 14 Jun 2012 17:56:06 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/kees-van-dongen-villa-sauber info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Opera Gallery Monaco brings together sixty masterpieces to help raise funds for children in need
What: From Impressionism to Pop Art Where: Opera Gallery When: 7 July 2012 (opening 6.30pm) to 12 August 2012 For its annual summer show, Monaco's Opera Gallery has assembled some sixty paintings by the great masters of modern art, from impressionism to pop art and beyond. Following the success of their Picasso exhibition in 2011, which brought together 32 of the master's works, Opera Gallery have chosen this year to expand their portfolio to embrace the wider international scene, recognizing that the art market remains one of the most stable against a still unsteady economic backdrop. The exhibition, whose works span at least a century, includes such masterpieces as Monet's 'The River', a gouache by Magritte, three works by Raoul Dufy, and a pair of silkscreen portraits of the Prince and Princess of Wales from 1982 by Andy Warhol (below).Andy Warhol (1928-1987) Other works of note include Marc Chagall's 'King David', a work on paper from 1948-9, as well as his 1968 painting 'The Circus'; Fernand Léger's 'Still Life'; a late painting by Georges Mathieu entitled 'Vaires' from 1965;  an untitled Joan Miró of 1960; and a much sought-after Picasso, 'Bust of a Man with a Pipe', from 1969. The Monaco opening will take place under the patronage of HSH Albert II, in his role as honorary president of the humanitarian association Mission Enfance Monaco. The partnership is based on the assumption that artistic expression and acts of generosity are intimately linked as part of our common humanity. Claude Monet (1840-1926) The River (signed bottom right)About the Gallery Opera Gallery Monaco is part of Opera Gallery Group, comprising twelve galleries worldwide. It is one of the few international networks of galleries present on several continents: North America (New York and Miami), Europe (Paris, Monaco, London, Geneva), Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul) and the UAE (Dubai). Each gallery is located in the heart of a major international art capital, in the neighbourhood's most active and most prestigious area. About Mission Enfance Monaco A proportion of the sale price will be donated to this important association, which since its foundation in Monaco in 1991 has been helping children in distress throughout the world. Under its president, Anne-Marie Fissore, the organization has already given assistance to more than 500,000 children, giving them a proper education to help lift them out of their difficult situations.Domitille Lagourgue (Director, Mission Enfance), HSH Prince Albert II de Monaco, and Anne-Marie Fissore (President, Mission Enfance)
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/impressionism-pop-art-opera-gallery-monaco Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:58:16 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/impressionism-pop-art-opera-gallery-monaco info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) The work of British artist Marc Quinn in a stunning new show at the Oceanographic Museum
What: Marc Quinn: The Littoral Zone Where: Oceanographic Museum, Monaco When: Saturday 12 May to Monday 15 October 2012 Open: Daily 9.30am to 7pm (7.30 pm in July and August)* Admission: €14 (€10, €7) Information: +377 93 15 36 00 Following the enormous success of Damien Hirst's exhibition 'Cornucopia' at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco in 2010, another controversial Young British Artist has picked up the baton, again seeking to unite art and nature in a building which is fast becoming one of the major focal points not just for marine biologists but also lovers of contemporary art. Marc Quinn, who was born in London in 1964, is no stranger to lurid headlines in the tabloid press, especially since his 1991 piece Self, described in catalogues as made using 'stainless steel, perspex, refrigeration equipment, and blood'. His own blood, in fact, 4.5 litres of which he sculpted into a likeness of his own head.  Today, there are several 'Selfs' in existence, since he repeats the exercise every five years. Remarkably, this gory but undeniably fascinating bust has fetched a great deal of interest - and money - in the international art market, with the original selling for £1.5 million to an American collector in 2005. Although this may sound like something from a gothic horror story, what propels Quinn's vision is something far more scientific. Other objects have included a 'portrait' made from the DNA of human genome pioneer Sir John Sulston, and 'Garden', a collection of plants which could not survive in the same habitat in nature, yet are happy to do so when cryogenically frozen and placed in an artwork. The Origin of the World (Cassis madagascariensis) Indian Ocean, 310Bronze, 2012 Quinn piqued interest in a more public way with his monumental marble statue for the empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. Statues in London typically celebrate the glorious deeds of male military leaders. This one sought to raise awareness of other members of society: it was of a pregnant woman, Alison Lapper, who was born with no arms and shortened legs. Throughout his work, the fascination with what makes is human is supremely evident. Recent projects include a new series of flower paintings executed in reverse colour and two large-scale orchid sculptures in white painted bronze. About the venue Built literally into the side of the legendary Rock of Monaco, the Oceanographic Museum has been guarding the ocean for over a century. It was designed as a palace dedicated to the sea, and a place to display the results of the oceanographic surveys carried out by its founder. These days, the museum is more a point of cultural exchange and discussion, with the common heritage of mankind at its heart. For Quinn's exhibition, sixty pieces will be on display throughout the halls of the museum, as well as in the front courtyard and on the panoramic terrace. Sculptures and paintings will gain particular emphasis from their juxtaposition with scientific displays, and of course visitors buying a ticket for the aquarium will have free access to the exhibition. In this way, the artist will be helping to fulfil the vision of HSH Prince Albert I, who had the museum constructed in the first place to 'gather together in one place the two driving forces of civilization: art and science'. *exhibition open daily except on the day of the Monaco Grand Prix
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What: Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra Where: Grimaldi Forum, Auditorium Rainier III, Théâtre des Variétés   When: from 1 May 2012 to August 2012 Web: http://www.opmc.mc This summer, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra returns with a fabulous programme including works by Brahms, Beethoven and Bernstein. As well as the ever popular Music for Young Listeners on 9 May, there will be two more 'cine concerts' featuring the orchestra's interpretation of the soundtrack for Charlie Chaplin's classic satire Modern Times. In July and August, the scene shifts from the orchestra's home turf of the Auditorium Rainier III to the courtyard of the Prince's Palace for a suite of summer concerts performed and conducted by some of the world's greatest musicians, including Pinchas Zukerman, Gautier Capuçon, Ute Lemper and Lawrence Foster. The full programme of events is listed below. --Releases on the OPMC Classics labelUnder its late and much-missed conductor Yakov Kreizberg, the orchestra produced the first in a series of 'OPMC Classics', recordings which have already met with extremely favourable reviews. Available are a boxed set of Stravinsky (including the Firebird and the Rite of Spring), Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe with Debussy's L'apres-midi d'un Faune' and a selection of Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and Mussorgsky. Now they are joined by a limited edition vinyl release of extracts from Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherezade, Mussorgksy's Night on a Bare Mountain, and Rachmaninov's second Symphony. More information is available on the orchestra's official website - just follow the link at the top of this page.ProgrammeSunday 6 May at 11am and 5pm Auditorium Rainier III Ibert: Flute concerto Tchaïkovsky: Eugene Onegin, Lenski's Aria Beethoven: Symphony no 2 Emmanuel Pahud, flute; conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk Wednesday 9 May at 4pm Auditorium Rainier IIIFor Young Listeners: An ornithologist's guide to music Conducted by Patrick BatonSaturday 9 June at 8.30pm Salle Garnier Cine-concert: Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times conducted by Frank StrobelSunday 10 June at 6pm Salle Garnier Cine-concert: Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times conducted by Frank StrobelThursday 12 July at 9.30pm Prince's Palace Bernstein: Candide, overture Gershwin: Piano concerto in in F Antonín Dvořák: Symphonie no 7 in d minor, op. 70 Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano; conducted by Krzysztof UrbanskiSunday 15 July at 9.30pm Prince's Palace Mozart: Violin Concerto no 3 in G, K 216 (Strasbourg) Tchaikovsky: Symphony no 5 in e minor, op. 64 Pinchas Zukerman, violinWednesday 18 July at 9.30pm Brahms: Akademische Festouvertüre, op. 80 Tchaikovsky: Variations on a rococo theme for cello and orchestra, op. 33 Brahms: String quartet in g minor, op. 25 Gautier Capuçon, cello; conducted by Kristjan JärviSunday 29 July at 9.30pm Prince's Palace Massenet: Le Cid, extracts Rodrigo: Aranjuez harp concerto Franck: Symphony in d minor Xavier de Maistre, harp; conducted by Jésus López-CobosThursday 2 August at 9.30pm Prince's Palace Beethoven: Piano Concerto no 1 in C, op.15 Beethoven: Symphony no 6 in F, op. 68 'Pastoral' Conducted from the piano by Christian ZachariasSunday 5 August at 9.30pm Prince's Palace Cabaret of European song: Kurt Weill, Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel Ute Lemper, contralto; conducted by Lawrence Foster
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-philharmonic-orchestra-2012 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:32:58 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-philharmonic-orchestra-2012 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Suzanne Held's exhibition continues in Nice until May
Four years ago, the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco mounted a major exhibition of the work of photographer Suzanne Held. She has spent the last thirty years as a special correspondent, travelling the world and producing extraordinary and beautiful photographic collections of some of the most exotic places on earth. And now, visitors to Nice's Asiatic Arts Museum have the chance to share her vision of India in a new exhibition which runs till May. Ever the adventurer, Held was the first journalist to cross the 5000m-high Tibetan plateaux into Nepal when the border was first opened, and with the aid of the army she covered the discovery of the great Lost City archaeological site in Columbia, the first European to do so. She has published some thirty pictorial albums, including volumes on Vietnam, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Angkor, Thailand, Java, Bali, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Rajasthan and Japan, as well as the books 'Sur les routes de la soie' (On the Silk Route) and 'Himalaya - Monastères et fêtes bouddhiques' (Buddhist Monasteries and Festivals of the Himalayas) published by Gallimard. An expert on Asia, Suzanne Held has visited India over forty times and travelled its length and breadth, and the current exhibition in Nice, which runs till May 2010, is the product of those journeys. Revealed in all its squalor and splendour, her pictures show the vibrancy of a culture which had clearly captivated her - one in which the sacred and profane mingle in streets and landscapes filled with colour and rhythm. Fom the temple of the Sun at Korarak and camel racing across the lunar landscape of Pushkar in Rajisthan, from the floating dwellings of Kashmir to the lofty Taj Mahal, Held's pictures enable the visitor to this exhibition to imagine, for a transient moment, that they have been transported by magic carpet to the land of the lotus itself.  
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/beautyindia Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:33:41 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/beautyindia info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Street art comes to the museum in this new retrospective of a revolutionary period of history
What: Groupe Signe 1971–1974 Where: Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, Villa Paloma When: 21 April to 17 June 2012 Even before the Soviets rolled their tanks into Prague in late 1968, revolution was in the air. In the US, anti-Vietnam protests were swiftly followed by race riots sparked by the assassination of Martin Luther King; in France, the greatest general strike in history took place, with ten million workers occupying the factories; and in Monaco, artists Claude Rosticher, Roland Marghieri, Michel Cresp and Pierre Lequienn were putting together their manifesto for a new cultural protest movement called 'Groupe Signe'. Between 1971 and 1974, in reaction to what they saw as the twin evils of advertising and social conformity, Groupe Signe organized a number of iconoclastic actions in order to broaden public awareness. Their aim, the re-casting of the world according to a greater poetic vision. Their art expressed itself in the street or other public spaces with pop-up installations in which everyone could take part, and in which everyone had a stake.Works were composed of scrap or recovered materials, and tackled themes linked to daily life and deviations in society.A new exhibition, curated by the Groupe Signe, opens this week at the Villa Paloma, one of the two hubs of the new National Museum of Monaco. Presenting documentation and archive materials from the group's original performances, the event gives an account of their activities in Monaco and environs, as well as in neighbouring France. The hope is to create a platform that will allow an exchange of opinion, hopes and dreams for a better future, however utopian. Schoolchildren will be invited to workshops to build hot air balloons, debates will be organized with students, and the public will be invited to voice their opinions on the exhibition, art and life. 'This retrospective is pertinent', the 140-page bilingual catalogue reminds the visitor, 'because the questions raised forty years ago are unfortunately still relevant today, and because the practice of art remains one of the best solutions' This exhibition has been organized with the support of the Government of the Principality of Monaco, the Association of the Friends of the Museum and UBS. - Villa Paloma, which dates from the early 20th century, is one of the finest patrician residences in the Principality of Monaco. Originally built for private use, it was sold to the state of Monaco in 1995. In 2008 it was donated to the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, which opened in 2010 under the direction of Marie-Claude Beaud. Since its opening, museum projects have been based in two locations, Villa Sauber (dedicated to performing and decorative arts) and Villa Paloma (showing projects linked to the cultural heritage and landscape analysis.) Participating artists: Jean-Claude Adam, Pierre Blanc, Stanislas Estrangin, Yvette Gournet, François Gross, Patricia Heine, Michel Isnard, Robert Lepine, Serge Macaferri, Yves Popet, Jacques Riousse, Gérard Serre, Vidéo Group 6
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/groupe-signe Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:13:58 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/groupe-signe info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Rare Chinese pieces are among the hundreds of superb items at this month's fine art sale
What: Accademia Fine Art Auction Where: Hôtel de Paris When: Fri 13 to Sat 14 April 10am to 8pm (public view) Auction: Sunday 15 April at 5pm Web: http://www.accademiafineart.com A number of Monaco-themed posters by Jean Cocteau, Alfons Mucha and others are among the lots to go under the hammer at this month's superb Accademia Fine Art auction in the Hôtel de Paris on 15 April. The extensive catalogue also contains hundreds of objets d'art, items of jewellery, original paintings and - a special focus for this auction - Asiatic artworks, with an emphasis on Chinese sculpture. Among the Chinese pieces are an important 16th century Ming dynasty statue of a warrior, which it is hoped will fetch in excess of €8000, an attractive lavender jade vase from the later Qing period, and this 19th century eight-fold screen:Lot 156: eight-leaved Coromandel screen, Chinese 19th century Items with the highest estimates include a 1986 bronze deco-style chess set and table by Arman (€55,000-€60,000), a 17th century Italian renaissance bust of a woman attributed to Pocetti (€25,000-€30,000) and two remarkable bronzes, 'Young girl of Bou-Saada', by the Parisian sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias (€28,000-€30,000), and a 17th century Amphitrite, or sea-goddess, valued at €45,000 but likely to fetch much more given that a similar one sold at a Pairs auction for nearly twice that that amount. Lot 86: Arman and Boisgontier: Double Gambit - Chess set and table There will be a public viewing of all 250 pieces on the Friday and Saturday, and the auction itself takes place on 15 April. Jean Gabriel Domergue: Girl on a diving board (poster, 1950)
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/accademia-auction-2012 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:08:29 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/accademia-auction-2012 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Coinciding with Lent and Easter, a stunning exhibition on the theme of Christ's Passion
What: The Passion of Christ Where: Gallery Cook, 10 ave Tournelli, Antibes When: until 15 April (closing 'vernissage': 13 April at 6.30pm) Hours: Mon-Fri 1pm to 5pmSTOP PRESS: The exhibition enjoyed huge success at Monaco's Galerie Entrepôt, with over 450 people at the opening vernissage. Following a magnificent expo in La Chapelle, Beaulieu, the Passion of Christ has now transferred to Chris Cook's gallery in Antibes. --Sarasvati is a locally-based group of international painters, photographers, sculptors, writers and musicians, all with a shared interest in the arts. Named after the Indian goddess of language and communication who stands as the antithesis of materialism, Sarasvati provides an opportunity for those of a similar persuasion to come together in their artistic interpretation of the world around them. Gigi Lopez, a founder member of the group, explains: "An artist's life can often be very solitary, and this is a way of bringing together like-minded people in a world where all too often people are looking out only for themselves." Whether you are a Christian or not, there are few images more compelling or universal than the death of Jesus. The story - depicted in catholic churches in the form of the 'Stations of the Cross' - is not only one of violence and tragedy but also of commemoration and forgiveness, a story which diverse artistic movements have treated in a thousand different ways over the centuries. For Sarasvati's exhibition, entitled The Passion of Christ, each of the artists in the group has taken the barbaric image of the crucifixion and used it to explore and meditate upon the wider human condition. Religion will always be a controversial subject in a society that appears more and more to be turning to science to seek answers. Patrice Woolley, who came up with the idea of the group, told us why they chose this particular theme. "It puts us in a position of risk, forcing us to create things that we would perhaps never have made ​​otherwise. The story is one which, in whatever way, challenges us, questions us, fascinates us." Gigi adds: "I believe that part of our culture is to question and seek answers. As artists we have a social responsibility but at the same time we should be able to have freedom of speech in order to express ourselves freely." The artistsChristopher Cook Born in England in 1971, Christopher Cook is a self-taught painter and sculptor who now resides in Antibes. He uses sand, earth, spices and the oxides of iron and copper to create unique combinations of traditional painting and natural elements. His watchword is 'freedom', the ideal state of mind for an artist.Gigi Lopez "What I love about painting is that it highlights a range of thoughts and feelings while working on the canvas. I can paint something, modify, delete, add, destroy or repair it. Rarely do I plan my work, and I approach the blank canvas with no preconceptions"Hannaka A graduate in Fine Arts from Paris, Hannaka's work occupies the space between painting and photography. She defines the secret of her work, including the series 'Soul and Matter', as one of constant searching, observing life with humility until one feels the moment is right"Mr One TeasAn artist 'in spite of myself', Mr One Teas is driven by what he describes as a consuming visceral passion, to which he devotes all his time and energy. Since being introduced to graffiti, he has developed numerous pieces based on aerosol painting, including 'Bless Our Petroleum' (below):Paulina Anna Luer Originally from Poland, Paulina worked as a lawyer before deciding, thirteen years ago, to devote herself full-time to painting. Living and working in Monaco, she also continues to hone her skills in France, Germany, China and Singapore.Raimond Hommet Born in Nice in 1966, Raimond Hommet studied art in Paris before becoming a Tai Chi instructor. He is responsible for large mosaic decorations in the administrative offices of the Louvre, and a number of other public monuments. Fascinated by ancient symbolism and travel writing, Hommet's paintings are expressive combinations of art and movement. EdytaBorn in Poland, Edyta has lived in Monaco for fifteen years. A semi-symbolist in style, she is attracted by traditional sacred painting, as well as depictions of childhood in all its forms.Woolley Having spent years as a graphic novelist, stage designer and singer-songwriter - in fact pretty much every conceivable kind of creative expression - Woolley has now returned to painting works on canvas - abstract, figurative and experimental. It's a move back to the visceral - a move, he adds, that fulfils a need.Tuula Hirvonen Finnish artist Tuula Hirvonen studied in Germany as an architect and over a ten year career was responsible for more than fifty projects across Europe. Now a member of Monaco's National Committee for the Plastic Arts under the auspices of UNESCO, she is a multimedia designer, with specialisms including slate carving. MenHP 26-year-old visual artist and sculptor MenHP takes an often offbeat look at the world around him employing themes from the historical to the anecdotal, and interpreting them in techniques related to those of other dynamic new forces such as Mr One Teas, with whom he shares a passion for graffiti and street art.SAWA photojournalist with the French press for many years, Stéphane Willard went on to work in international business in Montreal, at the same time photographing and writing on motor racing, his passion. He now lives in Monaco, where he continues to cover international sporting and cultural events, as well as preparing exhibitions of his own photography. --- If you missed the Passion of Christ in Monaco, you can also see the group's work at the following venues and times:19 to 30 March, La Chapelle, Beaulieu Church. 1 to 15 April, Galerie Cook, 10 avenue Tournelli, Antibes. To find out more about Sarasvati and its members, please visit their facebook page
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/sarasvati-passion-christ-art Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:27:20 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/sarasvati-passion-christ-art info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Opera Ireland and Monte Carlo Opera team up for a new production of Tchaikovsky's stirring opera
What: Tchaikovsky's MazeppaWhere: Salle Garnier, Monte Carlo Opera When: 17, 19, 22 and 24 February 2012 Set against the background of the battle of Poltava, in which Peter the Great of Russia defeated the Swedish King Charles XII, Tchaikovsky's opera is a dramatization of a famous poem by Pushkin.  Like his earlier work Eugene Onegin (also derived from Pushkin) the story centres on a young woman whose love for the Cossack Hetman Mazeppa draws her into catastrophe. To the poet's tragic tale of love and political betrayal, the composer added a subplot in which the young Andrei's unrequited love for the beautiful Mariya gives her tragic fate a special poignancy. Lovers of Tchaikovsky will know that his symphonic poem Romeo and Juliet provided some of the best-known tunes for the opera, including that for Mazeppa and Mariya's second act duet. Containing arias and an orchestral score of incredible beauty, Tchaikovsky combines the sentimental tone for which he is famous with an epic grandeur well-suited to an opera of blood, battles and ambition. This series of performances is a co-production with Opera Ireland, whose original performance of Mazeppa in 2009 won many plaudits including a nomination for the Irish Times Theatre Awards. The performances take place in the ornate Salle Garnier, the exquisite home of the Monte Carlo Opera.Programme Friday 17 February at 8pm: Mazeppa (gala performance) Sunday 19 February at 3pm: Mazeppa Wednesday 22 February at 8pm: Mazeppa Friday 24 February at 8pm: Mazeppa
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-opera-mazeppa Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:39:12 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-opera-mazeppa info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Monte Carlo Opera present a season of magical music and diabolical drama at the Salle Garnier
What: Monte Carlo Opera Where: Salle Garnier and other venues When: November 2011 to April 2012 Tickets: €40 to €150 per performance, with season tickets available Reservations: +377 98 06 28 28 (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm) The Opéra de Monte Carlo, one of the world's most prestigious companies, whose home in the resplendent Opera House is no less legendary, are about to commence their new season with an eclectic but hugely exciting mixture of major works based on legendary dramas - with a strong whiff of the supernatural. Much admired by Toscanini, Mefistofele - Arrigo Boito's take on Goethe's story of Faust and his pact with the devil - is considered one of modern Italy's most beautiful works for the operatic stage. Making full use of the Grimaldi Forum's superb technical facilities, this thrilling opera kicks off the new season during the celebratory week of the Fête Nationale Monégasque. (Please note that this opera will be performed at the Grimaldi Forum.) Ravel's magical L'Enfant et les Sortileges - The Child and the Spells - continues the theme, with the tale of a child whose bedroom transforms itself into a phantasmagorical forest of magical plants and creatures. And the season concludes in April with Verdi's Macbeth, based on Shakespeare's famous play about the murderous king whose fate is determined by the power of witchcraft. In between these works are two historical dramas, that of Francesca da Rimini, a tale of thwarted love set in 13th century Italy, and Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa, based on the bloodthirsty story of the 18th century Ukrainian general who rebelled against the Tsar, Peter the Great.Tickets Most individual performances are priced at €40 to €150 depending on the day, but tickets for the opening opera, Mefistofele, are even better value at €25 to €110. Season tickets are also available starting at €195 for all five matinees to between €260 and €650 for all seven evening performances. And don't forget that for a real night out, the first performance of each opera is a gala evening. Again, season tickets are available for these black-tie occasions at between €355 and €930. ProgrammeNovember 2011 Sunday 13 November at 3pm: Mefistofele (at the Grimaldi Forum) Wednesday 16 November at 8pm: Mefistofele (at the Grimaldi Forum)December 2011 Friday 9 December at 8pm: Prima Donna Saturday 10 December at 8pm: Prima DonnaJanuary 2012 Friday 20 January at 8pm: L'Enfant et les Sortileges & La Navarraise (gala) Sunday 22 January at 3pm: L'Enfant et les Sortileges & La Navarraise Wednesday 25 January at 8pm: L'Enfant et les Sortileges & La Navarraise Friday 27 January at 8pm: L'Enfant et les Sortileges & La NavarraiseFebruary 2012 Friday 17 February at 8pm: Mazeppa (gala performance) Sunday 19 February at 3pm: Mazeppa Wednesday 22 February at 8pm: Mazeppa Friday 24 February at 8pm: MazeppaMarch 2012 Thursday 15 March at 8pm: Francesca da Rimini (gala) Saturday 17 March at 8pm: Elina Garanča in Concert at the Auditorium Rainier III Sunday 18 March at 3pm: Francesca da Rimini Tuesday 20 March at 8pm: Francesca da Rimini Friday 23 March at 8pm: Francesca da RiminiApril 2012 Friday 20 April at 8pm: Verdi's Macbeth (gala performance) Sunday 22 April at 3pm: Verdi's Macbeth Wednesday 25 April at 8pm: Verdi's Macbeth Saturday 28 April at 8pm: Verdi's Macbeth
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-opera-2010-2011 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:40:56 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/monte-carlo-opera-2010-2011 info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) A new exhibition at the Villa Paloma imagines what we might leave behind for the future
What: The Silence - A Fiction Where: Villa Paloma, New National Museum of Monaco When: 10am to 6pm daily, February to April Tickets: €6.00 Contact: +377 98 98 48 60 Imagine you were an archaeologist or historian from another planet looking back at human existence from some point in the far distant future.  What would signs might we have left behind? What evidence would remain of our one-time great civilizations? Would there be anything left? Or would there be just a wasteland? That was the brief for a new exhibition of photographs, videos and installations by twenty-five international artists invited to exhibit their work at the New National Museum of Monaco's Villa Paloma from February to April. Photo © C. Gallo - Centre de PresseThe Silence - A Fiction gathers together a body of contemporary artworks - from Arman's 'Accumulations' to the images of Hiroshi Sugimoto - to paint a picture of a world familiar yet foreign. In the space between science and fiction, the new exhibition invites the visitor on a journey of enormous imaginative power. Curator Simone Menegoi believes that the exhibition offers a 'fantastic account, a form of narrative décor which tells the story of a planet that has become uninhabitable for reasons unknown'. These are landscapes - but not as we know them. Landscapes formed and re-formed by environmental disaster and economic collapse. Some, like the sculptures of the young American artist Michael E. Smith - are disturbing in their ordinariness. He specializes in putting together everyday items of waste collected in the urban desert of his home city, Detroit; his 'fossils' of our consumer culture present the viewer with a strong sense of a world completely abandoned. Most apocalyptic is the work of Adrien Missika, whose journey to the gas-filled crater known as the 'Gateway to Hell' in central Turkmenistan is the subject of his video projection called Darvaza, which forms a major part of the narrative of this new exhibition. The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue, but also, unusually, by a work of fiction specially written by author Chris Sharp. List of artists Dove Allouche Vladimir Arkhipov Arman Bartolomeo Bimbi Maurice Blaussyld Michel Blazy Karl Blossfeldt Brassaï Peter Buggenhout Carlos Casas Romeo Castellucci Lourdes Castro Tony Cragg Daniel Gustav Cramer Geert Goiris Jochen Lempert Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre Adrien Missika Linda Fregni Nagler Walter Pichler Rudolf Polanszky Pierre Savatier Erin Shirreff Michael E. Smith Daniel Spoerri
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/silence-fiction-monaco-villa-paloma Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:36:13 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/silence-fiction-monaco-villa-paloma info@cityoutmonaco.com (Interview by Alex Went and Noriko Bonafede; photos by Naneen Rossi) Mimoza Koike takes time out from her work with the Ballets de Monte Carlo for our exclusive interview
Born in 1982 in Tokyo, Japan,  Mimoza Koike studied at the Conservatoire National Superieure of Music and Dance in Lyon, where she was introduced to the choreography of Balanchine and Nureyev.  From 2001 to 2003, Mimoza danced an extensive repertoire with the Ballet du Grand Théâtre of Geneva, before moving to Monaco to join the Ballets de Monte Carlo under Jean-Christophe Maillot. You were born in Japan, a country with a great dance tradition of its own - I'm thinking specifically of Kabuki. As a dancer, how influential has that culture been? I always go see Kabuki theatre every year, each time I am in Japan.  As a professional dancer in European dance groups - including the Ballets de Monte Carlo - it's very important for me when I think of bringing life to my own characters. Central to Kabuki is attention to detail, whether in terms of eye movement, the direction of a particular look, hand movement, or pauses. These essentials from my own culture I try to integrate to my European dance environment, in order to find my inner self.You currently dance with the Ballets de Monte Carlo, which grew out of Monaco's association with Serge Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes. How important would you say is the legacy of Diaghilev to modern dance? Is his spirit still alive in Nice and Monaco? Two years ago, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Monaco, and had a chance to study the history of the company and its spirit once again. As part of that season I took on a role in a new arrangement of Stravinsky's opera 'Rossignol' (The Nightingale), and was able to build something of the original, historical spirit of the piece into the new arrangement. It was such a meaningful experience for me - nothing I learned at school prepared me for it! And that spirit is still alive with us through the work of Jean-Christophe Maillot. Another legacy of Diaghilev is collaboration with artists: just as he collaborated with Picasso, so now I appreciate the many projects we undertake in co-operation with various artists. You've danced many principal roles in Monte Carlo, among them the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Titania in Jean-Christophe Maillot's re-worked Midsummer Night's Dream, and the Queen in his version of Swan Lake. Of all your roles, which has been the most ambitious or technically difficult one, and which have you enjoyed the most? It is so difficult to answer - each role is so different, but I suppose I love acting especially those characters which are dissimilar to me. For example my first main role was as Margarita in Faust. She's a very shy person - not like me at all! If I had to choose a role, maybe Cinderella, but in the end, I can't really choose one over another.Tell us about your recent projects: '2 pieces +2', and your work with 'Logoscope'. What are you working on at the moment? I created '2 pieces+2' with one other choreographer from Monaco and two choreographers from Berlin, and we performed in both cities - it was a great pleasure to partake in that and show them my work. 'Logoscope' is a very special project with Agnès Roux, who I have always admired as an artist. I love participating in art projects like this - they really stimulate the spirit. Recently, I've also been working with young scenography students at the Ecole Supérieure d'Arts Plastiques in Monaco's Pavillon Bosio (it's the fourth such project between the Ballets de Monte Carlo and this school); and every year I teach kids at a variety of Japanese dance schools. I enjoy the opportunity to support the future of young people and I'd like to do more of this kind of work. It's always helpful for me to expand my horizons! I have never looked myself as a choreographer, but it's an important part of my own professional growth as a dancer. As far as my own choreography goes, I'm very influenced by the culture of the cities I travel to. Every time I go somewhere new, I tend to make a video with other dancers or friends performing in front of a typical location.Finally, how would you rate the current popularity and public contribution of dance and related multimedia as a means of expression, both in Monaco and worldwide? What is the best way for people to get involved as viewers or performers? It is difficult to say, being on the inside. But I think it's important to develop a wider audience. Ballet and dance tend to attract only a limited part of a population. I hope we can expand the type of audiences who come to see us dance. Specifically with Jean-Christophe Maillot I am engaged with modern dance, and I believe that we have a lot more room to develop the popularity of this dance form for different generations. --Credits: Annette Anderson at Stars'n'Bars; Guillaume at SBM and the staff of Buddah Bar; Ricky Atlan at Toys Mania Monaco;Hair by Mimoza; Make-Up by Noriko
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/people-who-make-monaco-mimoza-koike Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:31:30 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/people-who-make-monaco-mimoza-koike info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Two superb concerts of early music take place in the first week of December in a stunning setting
What: Concerts of Early Music Where: Chapelle de la Visitation When: 6 and 7 December 2011Entry: freeContact: +377 98 98 83 03 Monaco's Chapelle de la Visitation is the venue for two concerts of exquisite baroque-era music on 6 and 7 December. Entry is free, so whether you're an early music aficionado, or new to this kind of work, why not call in and admire the beauty of a bygone age? Programme Tuesday 6 December La Bergamasque: Italian, English and German music of the 16th and 17th centuries Buonamente (died 1643): Ballo del Gran Duca Cipriano de Rore: 'Anchor che col partir', madrigal for four voices Bassano (1530-1604): 'Anchor che col partir', diminution for bass and basso continuo. Monteverdi (1567-1643): 'Ed è pur dunque vero' for soprano, dessus and basso continuo Ortiz (1510-1570) : Recercada 1 and 7 for bass and basso continuo Van Eyck (1590-1657): 'Daphné', diminution for solo flute Anonymous: 'When Daphné from fair Phoebus did fly', air Lupo: Fantasia for three basses Ferrabosco: Four note pavane for five voices Dowland (1563-1626): 'Flow, my tears' and 'Pavane lacrimae' Uccellini (1603-1680): 'Aria sopra la Bergamasca' Bertoli (1598-1645): Sonata settima, passacglia for dulcian and basso continuo. Gabrieli (1557-1613): Canzon prima Schutz (1585-1672): 'Mein Herz ist bereit' Scheidt (1587-1654): Galliard 'The battle' performed by Séverine Polidori, soprano Marie-Claire Bert , recorder Jean-Yves Monier and Andrea Calcagno, sackbut Jérémie Papasergio, recorder and dulcian Emmanuelle Catlin, viol da gamba Mathilde Mugot, harpsichord Christian Hamouy, percussionWednesday 7 December La Frénétique: French and Italian music of the 18th century Hotteterre(1682-1765): sonata in d minor for two recorders and basso continuo Couperin(1668-1733): Motet for two voices: 'O misterium ineffabile' Bodin de Bosimortier (1682-1765): suite no 4 for harpsichord and sonata no 2 opus 50 in G major for bassoon and basso continuo Marais (1656-1728): suite in e minor for two flutes and basso continuo Bodin de Boismortier: sonata in e minor for flute, bassoon and basso continuo Corelli (1653-1713): sonata no 2 for two recorders and basso continuo Vivaldi(1678-1741): sonata and trio in g minor for flute and basso continuo performed by Marie-Anne Losco, soprano Bruno Habert, baritone Marie-Claire Bert and Fernanda Olmedo Spinosa, recorders Emmanuelle Catlin, viol da gamba Michel Mugot, bassoon Camille Mugot-Drillien, harpsichord
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/baroque-music-rocher-monaco Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:55:15 +0100 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/baroque-music-rocher-monaco info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Portraits of Princess Caroline form centrepiece of exhibition at the New National Museum
What: Three exhibitions and one film Where: New National Museum of Monaco, Villa Paloma When: Daily 10am to 6pm until 8 January 2012 When Monaco's new museum was being developed, the idea of providing a major space (or in this case two spaces, the Villa Paloma and the Villa Sauber) to display as wide a range of artworks as possible was a high priority. The dual-axis musuem has been open for a relatively short time, but already gives the impression of having come of age. Its ongoing 'Looking Up' series, kickstarted with last year's exhibition by Yinka Shonibare, has been a great success, and the current show of the Galéa collection has breathed new life into one of Monaco's most prized possessions. This autumn, and until the New Year, the Villa Paloma will be home to a show loosely entitled 'Three exhibitions and one film'. And anyone with even a passing interest in Monaco's rich heritage cannot fail to be impressed by it. The two photographic exhibitions span over a century of the Principality's history. The first, a homage to Princess Caroline, contains works by the major portraitists Robert Wilson, Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, Karl Lagerfeld and Francesco Vezzoli, taken over a number of years. The portraits have been donated by HRH the Princess of Hanover to the museum. Robert Wilson: Princess Caroline (2006) Gift of HRH the Princess of Hanover to the NMNM The second is an overview of the early days of photography. Entitled 'Du Rocher a Monte Carlo' it contains archive photographs of Monaco including pictures of the development of Monte Carlo from a small fishing port to the centre of glamour and the jet-set lifestyle which we know today. These early images, recently acquired by the Prince, have been lent to the museum for their first public display. Louis-Emile Durandelle: construction of the Monte Carlo Casino, 1879. NMNM collection Accompanying these two exhibitions are two pieces - a film and an installation - which set out to challenge the way we see the world around us. Javier Téllez’s 16mm film Letter on the Blind For the Use of Those Who See re-creates literally the famous Indian parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant, in which a number of blind men are introduced to the animal, explore it with their sense of touch, and come away with vastly differing perceptions. The title is taken from an essay by the French philosopher Diderot, which questions how blind people who are cured of their affliction come to terms with the world, once they can see again. The final piece which greets visitors to the Villa Paloma is an evolving installation by designer Jonathan Olivares, holder of the 2011 Compasso d'Oro, the oldest and most influential global design award. Best known for his interior and furniture design, Olivares here presents a work-in-progress which arouses the viewer's curiosity as to his or her association with the space around them. 'La Table des Matières' (Table of Contents) will be fully inaugurated in January.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/photography-film-villa-paloma Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:26:01 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/photography-film-villa-paloma info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Contemporary artists from Russia's second city in month-long exhibition at Monaco's Carré Doré
What: Piterskie: Artists from Saint Petersburg Where: Galerie Carré Doré When: Tuesday 4 to Monday 31 October 2011 This new exhibition at Monaco's Galerie Carré Doré embraces two generations of artists living and working in Saint Petersburg, Russia’s 'northern capital' and the country’s second most important cultural hub after Moscow. The exhibition is entitled 'Piterskie' (питерский in Russian), the affectionate name for the city. The first generation is represented by Vitaly Pushnitsky and Gregory Maiofis, the two best-known artists of Saint Petersburg’s contemporary art world. They are heirs to the traditions of classical art - but both Pushnitsky's paintings and Maiofis's photography skilfully combine these disciplines with other media. The maturity and emotional and intellectual density of both artists have led to their being considered among the best contemporary artists worldwide. The second, younger 'Piterskie' generation comprises Ivan Plusch, Irina Drozd, Tatiana Podmarkova, Veronika Rudieva Riazantzeva and Andrei Gorbunov, a group who have established their position by combining the art of the 20th century with the most recent artistic trends. The intellectual and creative centre of this new generation is the Nepokorennie 'art squat', with its exhibition halls and studios. They, too, prefer painting, but frequently also work with installations and videos. Despite their comparative youth, some of them have participated in the world’s most prestigious art events. In Russia, Saint Petersburg is where much of country’s new art first sees the light of day, in the tradition of this city’s rich cultural heritage. Nowm under the patronage of Baroness Cécile de Massy, the Carré Doré Gallery has brought together those artists that best represent the blossoming of this art.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/piterskie-art-saint-petersburg Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:47:23 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/piterskie-art-saint-petersburg info@cityoutmonaco.com (Cityout Monaco) Monaco's world-class company return to their home stage at the Salle Garnier for a trio of ballets
What: Ballets de Monte Carlo Where: Salle Garnier, Place du Casino When: 8.30 pm, Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October; 4pm, Sunday 23 October 2011 Tickets: from €10 to €33, available from +377 98 06 28 28 Website : www.balletsdemontecarlo.com From 21 to 23 October 2011, in the Salle Garnier, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the Ballets de Monte-Carlo present a trio of ballets in a single evening's performance. As a young dancer, Petr Zuska performed in Robert North's adaptation of 'Death and the Maiden' based on Schubert's quartet of the same name. Now the director of Ballet at the National Theatre in Prague, he has re-imagined the work for piano and six dancers especially for the Monte Carlo Ballet. With this energetic and sensitive piece, organized around a central piano that alternately attracts and repels the dancers, Zuska - who is a huge admirer of Jean-Christophe Maillot and Monte Carlo's Ballet - hopes to bring a new dynamic to the Salle Garnier. Marco Goecke Alongside this new work the company will perform 'Dearest Earthly Friend' by the immensely talented young German choreographer Marco Goecke (above). This will be the prolific Goecke's fourth commission for the Ballets de Monte Carlo, and we are told to expect a dance style that is at once explosive, fast and sophisticated.  'Opus 50' is the artistic creation of the director of the Ballets de Monte Carlo, Jean-Christophe Maillot. Developed in association with visual artist Philippe Favier, the title puns on the fact that this elegiac and insightful piece was produced for Maillot's fiftieth birthday. Maillot is considered one of the world's leading choreographers, whose 'Cendrillon' (Cinderella) is one of his most defining works.
Read more...]]> http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/ballets-monte-carlo Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:46:14 +0200 http://www.cityoutmonaco.com/monaco-culture/articles/ballets-monte-carlo