In a city rich in cultural attractions, Niçois museums are definitely on the podium for Best Attraction in Town.
Have you spotted the trend that has sprung up a couple of years ago and is picking up speed? Niçois museums are a lot more than just a bad weather sideshow these days. They have come a long way from the times when uninspired school kids and elderly tourists listlessly trekked down dark and dusty corridors, to being purveyors of well-curated exhibitions on a par with the world’s great metropolises.
Last year’s Promenade(S) des Anglais, the spectacular exhibit spanning 14 museums across town, attracted a whopping 260,000 visitors. The current multi-site Mars aux Musées event, specifically designed to interest the young crowd in visual and performing arts, is about to wrap up, definitely going down in the history books as another great success for the City. And already there are several international displays that no self-respecting arts lover would want to miss out on:
Musée Masséna
Charlotte Salomon – Vie ? ou Theâtre ?
Developed in collaboration with the Jewish Historical Museum of Amsterdam, this exhibit features original work by German artist Charlotte Salomon who had lived and worked in the South of France, and was later deported to Auschwitz where she and her unborn child were gassed. Taken from her well-known body of work originally titled “Leben? Oder Theater?”, over 300 œuvres are on display for the first time in the area they were first created in the early 1940s.
Through May 24, 2016
MAMAC
Le Précieux Pouvoir des Pierres
Gems and precious stones have fascinated people since the dawn of time. This show is a bird eye view of the works of 24 artists working to bring out the resonance and vibrations of minerals… a spiritual journey into time and space to explore nature’s mysteries.
Through May 15, 2016
Peter Kim – Afloat
30 paintings of the Korean-born artist, who was trained in France and now lives in New York, document his abundant creative energy. The seemingly repetitive lines of his work reveal a dynamic shaped by his life at the crossroads of world cultures.
Through April 24, 2016
Galerie de la Marine
Moussa Sarr
Young video-performer/artist Moussa Sarr (pictured above), born in Ajaccio, Corsica and with Senegalese roots, presents a cross section of his work including six videos, nine photos, an installation and a sculpture. De la Fontaine’s fables provide the framework for his work as he probes sociocultural stereotypes in a humorous way to initiate dialogue and reflection.
Through April 3, 2016
Théâtre de la Photographie et de l’Image
Patrick Tosani
An exhibition dedicated to the body of work of Patrick Tosani who since 1976 has been exploring the issues of space and scale. He questions the process of photography, its potential, its limitations, and its relation to reality through objects, bodies and clothing.
Through May 29, 2016
Musée Matisse
Jacqueline Duhême – Henri Matisse’s Little Helper
Jacqueline Duhême allows us a peek inside her unique experience working with the Master with whom she shared a cordial relationship, and lets us discover the world inside his atelier, his work practices, and his attention to detail.
Through June 5, 2016
And these are just a few of the highlights this spring… if you still haven’t gotten your fix, the City’s museum Facebook page provides even more options. Glorious spring weather is not an excuse to miss any of these top notch displays that put the Nice right up there in the Big Culture league. And remember that admission is free for local resident with the Pass Musées de Nice.
All images courtesy Ville de Nice except Moussa Sarr photo via his website
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