The Primavera Art Club in Monaco organised its first informal visit to the Art School of Monaco, known as the Pavillon Bosio École Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques de Monaco on Wednesday evening. Guests had the opportunity to learn about this institution which has been set on the Rock since 1969, originally established by Prince Pierre in the early 20th century.
It started life as a municipal art school and in 2004, the governments of Monaco and France signed an international agreement establishing the Pavillon Bosio as a college of higher education, and authorising it to award diplomas. The two art degrees attainable are equivalent to Bachelors and Masters in the UK and USA.
“Currently 75 students are enrolled in the school”, says Thierry Leviez, its new director, previously the head of exhibitions in Paris, who came to Monaco in September last year.
“The school has a clear identity as an art and scenography school. The scenography focuses on arts – as in displays of exhibition spaces and everything that has to do with live shows: theatre, opera, ballet. We are planning to create a new section for fashion, with the aim to help to set displays for boutiques and stages for fashion shows.”
The art school already closely cooperates with Monte Carlo Ballet and designs the stage for its performances once a year. Its cooperation with the National Museum of Monaco is a great success. A new exhibition of dolls is now in progress at the Villa Sauber set to open in December. Even in its limited space, the school runs ceramics, wood and metal departments and offers public workshops and internships as well as drawing classes for younger children.
The pleasant atmosphere of the Pavillon Bosio continued throughout the end of the evening with informal drinks and a chat at the Club Bouliste du Rocher. “The idea is to bring people who are living in Monaco or the South of France together to visit art and cultural events in Monaco, the South of France and Italy and all the visits are in English,” says Holly Hayward, the curator, an artist and the founder of the Primavera Art Club. “I have found that there are many similar groups in French but I wanted to do something for the English-speaking community.”
Holly who worked for Tate Modern before she moved to Monaco two years ago, has a very busy programme planned for future visits of her Primavera Art Club: “I have prepared visits to the secondary art market gallery, prime market gallery, the National Museum, artist’s studio, collection visits in Monaco, and a private art foundation so people can understand all the different points of the art world.”
To find out how you can become a member please send Holly an e-mail to info@hollyhayward.co.uk.To discover more about the Monaco Art School please visit Pavillon Bosio, École Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques de Monaco website.
PHOTO: Thierry Leviez, Holly Hayward and Toby Wright, painter and teacher at the Monaco art school Martina Brodie
