From July 19 to November 23, 2025, the Lympia Departmental Cultural Space hosts Divine Creatures, the first major exhibition in Nice dedicated to Salvador Dalí in more than forty years. An unmissable cultural event for the residents of Maralpa.
An extravagant opening at the port of Nice
On Friday, July 18, the former prison at the port opened its doors to a crowd of enthusiasts who came to attend the opening of the exhibition Salvador Dalí: Divine Creatures. The event was marked by the presence of many personalities, including Deputy Éric Ciotti, the exhibition’s curator Jean-Michel Bouhours, an art historian and filmmaker, as well as Riccardo Lorenzino, editorial director and scenographer. Unfortunately, the president of the Alpes-Maritimes department, Charles Ange Ginésy, was unable to attend.
Dalí and the Côte d’Azur: a story of artistic affinities
“Land of inspiration and creation, the Alpes-Maritimes have always attracted the greatest artists, from Picasso to Matisse,” recalled Charles Ange Ginésy through a message. “Among them, Salvador Dalí holds a special place. Invited, exhibited, admired on the Côte d’Azur, he was photographed in several emblematic places of our territory.”
With this 100% Dalinian exhibition—a first in Nice since the 1970s—the Lympia Space pays tribute to this historical relationship and offers an unprecedented dive into the universe of the Catalan artist.
An hallucinated bestiary, a reflection of the unconscious
“These extraordinary animals, born of an imagination influenced by mythology, symbolism, and surrealism, will make the walls of Lympia their sanctuary“, continued the president of the Department. Elephants with insect legs, obsessive ants, hybrid chimeras: the Dalí bestiary is not just a play of imagination but a mirror of his fears, desires, and soul.
Visitors will be able to discover 96 works—paintings, drawings, sculptures, engravings, photographs, and rare documents—sourced from French and international collections. A dense and meticulously staged journey.
An immersive and unprecedented scenography
Jean-Michel Bouhours highlights the essential role of his partner: “Riccardo, the author of the scenography, imagined a course that guides the visitor into the mental universe of Dalí.” Between shadows, lights, mirrors, and vaults, the four rooms of Lympia offer a sensory experience, between a waking dream and an oniric vertigo.
During a special visit for the press, Jean-Michel Bouhours guided journalists from room to room, telling the hidden stories behind each work. A fascinating immersion into the mind of the Catalan master.
An artistic summer for all audiences
Around the exhibition, more than 100 free events are offered by the department until the fall: guided tours, engraving workshops, jazz evenings, cinema-conferences, artistic meetings, or theatrical visits. A program designed for everyone: families, children, the curious, or enlightened art lovers.
“I wish everyone an excellent visit, or rather a great journey into the heart of Salvador Dalí’s fantastic bestiary“, concluded Charles Ange Ginésy. The rendezvous is set until November 23 for an artistic and symbolic adventure in the heart of Nice.
