At the beginning of this year, when cultural venues are generally multiplying announcements about their upcoming schedule, the New National Museum of Monaco is taking time for respite and reflection. This is in part due to the temporary closure of Villa Sauber and Villa Paloma, but it should be mistaken for idleness.
January 6th was the last day of the Tom Wesselmann exhibition, The Promise of Happiness, which was designed by Chris Sharp. The show extended throughout the three floors of Villa Paloma. At its end, the magnificent building on the Boulevard du Jardin Exotique will enter into an off-limits status for a few months during maintenance work. On the Villa Sauber side, another exhibition space under NMNM’s supervision, the closure seems set to lest. A restoration and expansion project planned for these days was meant to be implemented to the structure. However, without obtaining sufficient funding from the state to date, these alterations have been postponed. In the meantime, the exhibition spaces have been transformed. It is all hands on deck in order to take an inventory of the museum’s collections.
A spring re-opening
Art lovers do not despair. You will quickly rediscover your favorite place as the Villa Paloma will be reopened as of April 18th. On the date, an exhibition devoted to the Italian painter Ettore Spalletti will begin and will remain visible until November 3rd. The opportunity to discover this abstract artist whose work explores colors and pastels will be further embellished by a freshly refurbished backdrop.
*Article originally published on the French Edition of the Monaco Tribune.