Simple forms, fractal figures, muted, dull or vibrant colours, prickly, downy, bristly or waxy sheaths, fleshy, velvety organs, extravagant architectures \u2013 cacti and succulents have been a source of fascination for centuries. The Nouveau Mus\u00e9e National de Monaco, in collaboration with the Mus\u00e9e YVES SAINT LAURENT Marrakech, which initiated the project in 2024, is today dedicating an exhibition to them, seen from both a botanical and artistic perspective.<\/p>\n
Native to the \u2018torrid zone\u2019 of our planet and indicators of an arid climate, cacti are ideal subjects through which to understand the gradual spread of tropical flora in the West, carried by expeditions, explorers, and the horticultural boom of the 19th century. With their outlandish forms, they challenge our conception of plant life, were quickly reproduced in a variety of botanical publications and entered the collections of prestigious gardens. Though deceptively easy to cultivate, these plants are regularly collected and have given rise to remarkable gardens across the planet, from California to the Canaries, via the Riviera. The exhibition pays particular attention to the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur, through historic and contemporary photographs, documents and drawings.<\/p>\n
The unique aesthetic of cacti engaged the attention of many artists, particularly in the early 20th century, and especially during the interwar period. Their sometimes unusual originality made cacti and other succulents suggestive and inspiring motifs for architects, photographers, designers, artists, creators and filmmakers, who filled their visual worlds with their iconic forms. Few plant families have inspired so many artistic interpretations. This exhibition offers a broad overview, bringing together works as varied as an Eisenstein film, a Gufram coat stand, and a drawing created by David Hockney on an iPad!<\/p>\n
Shifting seamlessly from scientific rigour to an artificial \u2013 sometimes even strange or unsettling \u2013 aesthetic, the exhibition escapes the confines of the museum\u2019s interior, spilling out into the gardens of the Villa Sauber, transformed for the occasion into a spectacular cactus garden with the help of the Exotic Garden of Monaco.<\/p>\n
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Curators: Marc Jeanson & Laurent Le Bon
\nset designers: Jasmin Oezcebi<\/p>\n
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Vue de l’exposition \u00ab\u00a0CACTUS\u00a0\u00bb
\nNouveau Mus\u00e9e National de Monaco – Villa Sauber
\nCr\u00e9dit photo Nouveau Mus\u00e9e National de Monaco \/ Andrea Rossetti, 2025<\/p>\n
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With Ka\u00efs A\u00efouch & Chahine Fellahi, Ghada Amer, Ziad Antar, Aurel Bauh, Max Beckmann, Katinka Bock, Bernard Boutet de Monvel, Constantin Brancusi, Brassa\u00ef, Maurizio Cattelan & Pierpaolo Ferrari, Philippe Chancel, Julian Charri\u00e8re, Ali Cherri, \u00c9tienne Clerissi, Barbara Crane, Martin Creed, L\u00e9on Diguet, Robert Doisneau, Guido Drocco & Franco Mello avec Paul Smith, Latifa Echakhch, Sergue\u00ef Eisenstein, Ger van Elk, Emeric Feher, Alain Fleischer, Henri Foucault, Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Fourtou, Michel Fran\u00e7ois, Francesca Gabbiani & Eddie Ruscha, Maurizio Galante & Tal Lancman, Flor Gardu\u00f1o, Chris Garofalo, Lina Ghotmeh, Domenico Gnoli, Julio Gonz\u00e1lez, Florence Henri, Nathana\u00eblle Herbelin, David Hockney, Larry Jordan, Florentine et Alexandre Lamarche-Ovize, Ren\u00e9 Lalique, Romain Laprade, Fernand L\u00e9ger, Jochen Lempert, Eli Lotar, Man Ray, Hilton McConnico, Mathurin M\u00e9heut, Cristina de Middel, Richard Laurence Misrach, Serge Mouille, Sir William Nicholson, St\u00e9phane Passet, Bernard Plossu, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Pierre-Joseph Redout\u00e9, Ed Ruscha, Yann S\u00e9randour, Shimabuku, Louis de Sigaldi, Philippe Starck, Simon Starling, Johannes Steidl, Andr\u00e9 Steiner, Wolfgang Tillmans, Henri Tracol, Oriol Vilanova, Yannick Vu, Ossip Zadkine, Ding Zhang, Willy Zielke\u2026<\/p>\n