ART & ARCHITECTURE / LA FONDATION MAEGHT / SAINT-PAUL-DE-VENCE
It doesn’t matter how many times you already have visited La Fondation Maeght, every time brings the same feeling of relaxation, wonder and calm. The site’s organic interplay between art, architecture and nature creates an almost metaphysical experience. The reason for this harmonious atmosphere can perhaps be found in its history. Opened in 1964, La Fondation Maeght was the result of a collaboration among some of the leading artists of the 20th century, including Georges Braque, Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti. Since then, it has been considered France’s most important art foundation, and is among the world’s leading cultural institutions.
¨ Together, they established the foundation, with help from some of their closest friends, who also happened to be among the most lauded of the modern artists.¨
The name behind the foundation belongs to the couple Aimé and Marguerite Maeght, prominent publishers and art dealers, and a central part of the international artistic community of the mid-20th century. Together, they established the foundation, with help from some of their closest friends, who also happened to be among the most lauded of the modern artists. When it opened (through a ceremony held by Charles de Gaulle’s Minister of Culture André Malraux), it was France’s first private art institution.
The Maeghts found inspiration for the project in the way that many American art foundations – including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the Barnes Collection and the Phillips Collection – had been set up in previous years. Aimé Maeght had for a long time been Miró’s gallerist and editor, and had followed the construction of the artist studio that architect Josep Lluis Sert had designed for Miró in the outskirts of Palma de Mallorca. Impressed with the result, Maeght asked Sert to design the buildings for the foundation. The Maeghts worked closely together with Sert in designing the space, ensuring that the building would be the best possible to exhibit modern and contemporary art in all its forms, as well as a place for creative people to meet and exchange ideas. Other artists helped with the project as well; Miró created a sculpture labyrinth and Giacometti made a sculpture for the court.
The main building is actually only 850 square metres, but its outline is planned in a decidely humanist way, open and welcoming, with rooms in varying sizes and shapes. The informal atmosphere is enhanced by the patios, the white colours of the walls and an intricate play with natural light, all signature elements of Sert’s architectural vision.
The art collection of La Fondation Maeght is one of the largest of modern art in Europe, and includes seminal art works by Alexander Calder, Wassily Kandinsky, Barbara Hepworth, Germaine Richier and Raul Ubac. In addition, the foundation also has an extensive reference library – with more than 35,000 titles – available for art historians, curators and students, with a focus on books and journals specializing in modern and contemporary art.
