“The city of Nice in the field of art is a tradition of mixing contemporary and old and the origin of this city which is very ancient.” The first magistrate justifies with this phrase the installation of artworks along the Nice tramway route to embellish it. “The unveiling around September-October 2007, which is four months before the municipal elections that concern me, feels a bit like a double-or-nothing gamble because I fear the people of Nice. I do not know what their conceptions of Art are. It might have been more comfortable to initiate it after the elections. I took the gamble and I am happy about it, but with anxieties,” confides Jacques Peyrat. It then falls on Jacques Barré, president of the Committee of experts responsible for selecting the artists and the choice of works, to reassure and quell the anxieties of Jacques Peyrat. To this end, the committee of experts designated 14 internationally renowned artists and for a budget of 3.3 million euros for 8.5 km of line. They will design works specifically for the city of Nice. It is worth noting that 4 of these artists are from Nice (Ben, Pascal Pinaud, Stéphane Magnin, Michel Redolfi). The Senator Mayor continues his speech by specifying the objectives of these artworks: “This allows equipping the city of Nice, the capital of the Azurean territory, with elements that from around the world will bring and circulate tourists to discover Nice under a new aspect. This panel of great artists is here to enhance the city and introduce art starting from the most important transmission belt which is the transportation link and communication between neighborhoods and its inhabitants.”
Artworks are subjective. They were designed based on the personality and sensitivity of each artist. Some will please. Others will not. It is the constant ritual when it comes to discussing art. Of the 14 works, very few will shock the views of tramway users. Some works will appear only for the night and will give a singular glow to the nocturnal city. By day, public spaces will be treated as urban lounges. Art adds hospitality, attention, and consideration to them. That was the chosen artistic direction. The people of Nice will judge for themselves in a few months. “The moment of encounter provoked by a work of art is a civic moment. It would be sad to have consensual works of art around which people would be completely satisfied, would pass by, and after a few months would no longer see them,” explains Philippe Hardy, artistic expert of the Ministry of Culture.
The selected artists and sites (very difficult to describe):
–Place Masséna:
Jaume Plensa: seven statues of illuminated figures representing the seven continents.
–Place Garibaldi (Square Toja):
Maurizio Nannucci: seven masts supporting flags with texts in colored neon.
–The 21 stations:
Ben: Calligraphy of station names.
Pierre di Sciullo: drawing of the totems.
–The Tramway Cars:
Michel Redolfi: sound composition that will vary depending on the time, the station, the season for each station.
–Square Doyen Lépine:
Jean-Michel Othoniel: urban furniture made of aluminum rings and glass beads.
–Saint Jean d’Angély:
Pascal Pinaud and Stéphane Magnin: exuberant composition of hybrid lampposts resurgence of urban memory.
–Gable walls of Boulevard Barel:
Michaël Craig-Martin: cascades of everyday objects painted in monumentality.
–Station Comte de Falicon:
Emmanuel Saulnier: “I live from water”: writing work on the station and presence of water line.
Ange Leccia: “solar disc”, monumental light signal similar to the sun and which will vary throughout the day.
–Station Pont Michel:
Jacques Vieille: three 22-meter high vertiginous and opalescent palm trees.
–Railway bridges J.Médecin and Diables Bleus:
Gunda Forster: lighting in blue, in homage to the blue of Yves Klein.
–Avenue J.Médecin:
Yann Kersalé: light cloud with Morse code writing.
–The false door:
Sarkis: marble and gold ornamentation of the false door.
