The French Riviera has long been the quintessential destination for the well-heeled and dutifully bronzed. From this week, however, there's a new reason for the jet set to make their summer pilgrimage to the Côte d'Azur in the form of the Domaine du Muy, a freshly unveiled sculpture park conceived by Paris-based Galerie Mitterrand.
Located an hour south of St Tropez, the new sculpture trail is spread over some 10 acres of land with 30 artworks by the likes of Carsten Höller, Yayoi Kusama, Sarah Morris, and Antony Gormley peppered throughout the rugged landscape. The park is aimed at collectors and sculpture aficionados alike, and will be a vital addition to the ‘collector’s circuit’ that has developed in the region over the last five years, according to Parisian gallerist and art dealer Jean-Gabriel Mitterrand.
The new venture is a family affair, with Mitterrand’s son, Edward, taking the reigns as artistic director. Meanwhile, Swiss curator Simon Lamunière, of Art Basel pedigree, has overseen the inaugurating exhibition.
The raw, natural settings of Le Muy offers a liberating context in which to display the works. Claude Lalanne, for example, proves the (golden) apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with ‘Pomme de New York’, while Gianni Motti’s ‘Success Failure (Blue)' signs add a witty – and fitting – counterpoint to the landscape.
Artists Claudia Comte, Vidya Gastaldon, Gianni Motti, David Saltiel, Tomás Saraceno and Roman Signer have also created new site-specific works especially for the Domaine du Muy. A house designed by India Mahdavi and gardens by landscape gardener Louis Benech will complete the sculpture park in 2016.
'RockStone 198', by Arik Levy, 2015. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Danuza Leão [Rio]', by Sarah Morris, 2013. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'1-2-3 Tower', by Sol LeWitt, 1993. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Pomme de New York', by Claude Lalanne', 2006. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Success Failure (Blue)', by Gianni Motti, 2014. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Dream Stone', by Sui Jianguo, 2010. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'4 centres délimitant un carré', by David Saltiel, 2008. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Chromosaturation pour une allée publique', by Carlos Cruz-Diaz, 1965-2012. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Untitled (red)', by Peter Kogler, 2008. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
'Bob', by Claire Fontaine, 2010. © The artist. Courtesy of Domaine du Muy.
ADDRESS
Domaine du Muy
83490 Le Muy (Var)
France
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