This year, Nice is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the artist’s arrival in the city. On this occasion, the Matisse Museum is offering a new arrangement of its works, complemented by a collection of 26 photographs illustrating the painter. The opening took place this Friday, July 7, and was commented on by the director of the Matisse Museum, Claudine Grammont. Present were George Matisse, the artist’s great-grandson, the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, and Gérard Baudoux, deputy mayor in charge of museums and modern and contemporary art.
The Matisse Museum is reorganizing. The exhibition rooms are now designed to be more thematic, offering visitors a comprehensive view of the artist’s life, both in his art and personal life. Thus, there is a room dedicated to his activities in Nice from the moment he arrived, the studies he conducted there, and his encounters. In addition to views of Nice painted by Matisse, there are some of his correspondences and photos with other artists like the Renoir family. “A way to make him physically present,” the museum director explains.
This part of the collection is enriched with photos of the painter at work, taken by various artists and photographers. They allow for a deeper dive into the artist’s life, showing him with his models, his wife, or in the act of sculpting and painting.
This new arrangement is not without purpose and pays tribute to his work. Some works are placed according to the aspects of the rooms where they are displayed, considering the artist’s style. These range from a room filled with sketches and drawings to another showcasing his famous collages or sculptures.
Soon, the museum will enrich the exhibition with sound elements, such as interviews with the artist and audio comments on the works.
Visitors have until October 13, 2017, to view the exhibition.
