Are you fascinated by cacti? Villa Sauber is dedicating an exhibition to them in Monaco
"The whole world is a cactus, it's impossible to sit down..." Dutronc's song, of course, is part of the Cactus exhibition . It can be heard in the bathroom, a break in a maze of rooms dedicated to the Villa Sauber since the first days of July.
The project was born in Marrakech last year, developed at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Morocco and reworked for Monaco by curators Marc Jeanson and Laurent Le Bon. The exhibition addresses both the botanical and artistic angles to explain how this plant, inhospitable at first glance, became an object of decoration, even of fascination. "The NMNM calls for a fascinating rereading of our history, of our relationships with these plants and with ourselves, at the same time as a necessary reflection on the climatic challenges to come," writes the Princess of Hanover at the beginning of the catalog. And the exhibition also opens in Monaco, where cacti have long found refuge. Captured by Brassai's lens in 1933, the Exotic Garden of Monaco (still closed to the public) appears in its singular aesthetic of the time in these effectively modern shots. Perhaps also due to the subject? The lines of the cactus never go out of style! Their graphics have become timeless, found everywhere from films to Lalique powder compacts and designer furniture.
The proof is in the rooms of the Villa Sauber. More than 200 works are brought together for the occasion : botanical plates, archives, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, installations, film extracts... The exhibition brings together these diverse testimonies to remind us that "these plants, through their extravagance, challenge our representation of plants," notes Björn Dahlström , who directs the NMNM.
And the curators summon multiple interpretations for the exhibition, in a joyful mix that can surprise as much as seduce. Among the interesting pieces, Ali Cherri's monumental installation of a group of emaciated resin cacti impresses in the largest room. As if to demonstrate the fragility and harmful influence of our actions on nature.
For NMNM aficionados, the exhibition also offers a delightful opportunity to revisit installations and works from the national collections, within the themes determined by the curators. Finally, in the gardens, Ghada Amer has created an ephemeral work featuring plants renowned for their resilience in tropical heat. This ephemeral garden is well worth contemplating.
On July 24th, a unique way to experience the exhibition will be to attend the late-night opening. Free access to the villa from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., before a screening in the open-air garden of John Ford's film, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. A legendary feature film set in the American West. A chance to continue seeing cacti on screen!
Learn more about Cactus at Villa Sauber until January 11. Every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission: €6, free on Sundays.
Nice Matin
