Modern art, right next door
Even though I think I’ve been fairly good about playing tourist while living the expat life, I’m embarrassed to say that it took me three months to check out the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nice—and it is literally right next door to my apartment.
Honestly, I didn’t really expect much. Unlike the Matisse and Chagall museums, the MAMAC isn’t a top tourist destination. Plus, exterior construction doesn’t exactly give off a welcoming vibe. The publicity for the current exhibition didn’t really catch my attention. I could go on and on about why I put off going to the MAMAC—but I’m thrilled that I went, since my expectations were blown out of the water. Here’s why:
- It’s free. I don’t care what it is, anything is better when it’s free.
- Rooftop terrace. Even if you’re not that into art, the terrace features gorgeous panoramic views of Nice. I also love the garden feature: you feel like you’ve been transported to a mini tropical garden on top of the world.
- On first look, the current exhibition isn’t that exciting. It looks like a panoramic drawing over a pool of water and olive oil—one of those things you look at, and you can just hear the anti-modern-art-ers telling you how they could do it themselves. However, the movie playing next to the piece caught my eye—and the process is way cooler than the result. Basically, Cai Guo-Qiang created the fireworks display for the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics and has done a lot of crazy work with fireworks and cannon powder. He created this piece with the help of several Niçoise art students in an old slaughterhouse in the region—and all the art was done using cannon powder. The artistic process was open to the public and press, and the whole thing is documented on camera: really interesting to be able to see how it was done.
- The permanent exhibitions focus on a few artists who had close ties to Nice, and feature extensive collections from each. Yves Klein is definitely the sweetheart of the Nice modern art world. Born and raised in Nice, he’s internationally known for the striking shade of blue that dominates his piece. (Yes, I can also hear my anti-modern-art friends saying they can paint a canvas blue, but I actually love his work). Awesome to see a timeline of his life, work and inspiration—did you know that he was a judo master?
- While I was a little weirded out by some of Niki de Saint Phalle’s pieces, they felt eerily familiar. I couldn’t place the connection until I followed the timeline of her life and her art: she’s responsible for the fountains outside Centre Pompidou and the trumpet man outside of the Negresco. Both pieces are super exuberant and creative–although they almost seem juvenile, they’ve always caught my eye.
- And I was stoked to see an exhibit by Ben Vautier, the guy who did all the inspirational quotes that line the tramway. Through his words and his works, he constantly makes you question what makes something art. Thought-provoking and yet still fun.
The American pop art collection was also fabulous, and overall, the museum is very well-organized with some great pieces. If you’re in the area and willing to give up a beach day, it’s definitely worth a visit.
