The La Malmaison art gallery on Cannes’ Croisette has reopened its doors after two years of renovation that has seen the iconic building modernised, whilst preserving its beautiful heritage. The inside space has been re-imagined and reconfigured to triple the exhibition area to 600m2, enabling it to now accommodate large-scale collections.
Visitors to the three-storey building have access to the beautiful terrace on top which offers panoramic views of the city of Cannes, the Lérins islands and the Mediterranean. La Malmaison will again play host to conferences, concerts, and shows. A bookshop, specialising in contemporary art, has also been installed, as well as a reception room where visitors can while away the hours.
The villa has a rich history with the former Grand Hotel which was constructed in 1863. Malmaison was first added as a tearoom for hotel guests, while the top floor was used by hotel staff. In 1901 that building was replaced by a larger, more luxurious villa which enjoyed a storied history, before becoming the property of Lord John Crawford (a former aviation officer) in 1935.
“On 20 September 1946, the gardens and lounges of the Grand Hôtel and La Malmaison served as the backdrop for the opening of the first film festival. On 25 September 1969, the municipality purchased the villa as part of a project to extend the Palais des Festivals westward,” according to the official Cannes website.
Since 1970 La Malmaison has hosted the municipality’s art exhibitions, as well as the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight; and since 2018 it has been dedicated to being Cannes’ contemporary art centre.
The Malmaison renovation project is part of an initiative to create a more “cultural Croisette” (La Croisette Réinvente Sa Légende). The local municipality’s ambition is to establish La Malmaison as a major exhibition centre of internationally renowned contemporary art. The plan is to attract at least 80,000 visitors per year (compared to the average number of 20,000 before the renovations) and host three major exhibitions (two for contemporary art and one for modern art), attracting visitors throughout the year.
With its prestigious location on the Croisette, Malmaison hopes to attract world famous artists. The Malmaison is ideally situated alongside luxury boutiques like Chanel, Dior, Hermès and Cartier, amongst others. Five-star hotels such as the Carlton Hotel, Majestic and Martinez line the Croisette. And if you stroll across the road you will find yourself on the beautiful private and public beaches of Cannes.
To celebrate the reopening, a grand inaugural evening of festivities was held on Friday, 31 January 2025, featuring a colourful program of concert, dance and theatre, centred around the first exhibition – ‘Luxury, Calm and Voluptuosness‘ (Luxe, Calme et Volupté).
The exhibit honours a selection of works by artists from the 19th to 21st Century, including Cézanne, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, Matisse, Bonnard, Robert Combas (current French painter and sculptor) and more. The artworks featured are those inspired by the beauty of the landscapes of the South of France.
The contemporary art centre is opening its doors to the public for free this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd February) so that you can discover the amazing new design for yourself. Malmaison is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
CONTRIBUTOR: Magdalena
