ArtLovers Exhibition - Grimaldi Forum Monaco

Today, after a morning meeting in Monte-Carlo I thought I’d stop by the Grimaldi Forum at the seafront for a break to take in the ArtLovers exhibition.

After years of attending various collections at the Grimaldi Forum, I have yet to be disappointed. And one would certainly be impressed with this series of forty art pieces gathered worldwide from the highly regarded Pinault Collection, many of which have never been seen before.

Grimaldi Forum Monaco

Inside the forum I was given a floor plan of the ArtLovers exhibition, but I folded up the map and put it in my bag as I preferred to follow through without indication to sense what my feelings would be as I walked amongst the art work.

Once those sliding glass doors opened I felt as though I was entering a whole new Zen-like atmosphere mixed with a dash of hip hop. And what could be more welcoming when walking around the corner than seeing Jeff Koons massive red and gold shiny Hanging Heart piece.

From there, if you visit, I will not spoil the experience for you, nor post every piece of art listed just tell you that from my perspective I was surprised and even shocked at the diversity of media pieces I saw, also happy that I got to see firsthand art that I had only ever heard about or previously seen in pictures.

Every range of emotion was felt walking through the exposition and with the display of artists such as: Jonathan Monk, Bertrand Lavier, Elaine Sturtevant, Zhang Huan, Marlene Dumas, Damien Hirst among at least 30 other artists, there is no doubt that your senses will be tingling.

The ArtLovers exhibition opened on July 12^th and runs until September 7^th and is not to be missed.  I left feeling inspired and even smiling at the end as I left the forum.

Les Plages Electroniques Festival in Cannes

As the lyrics from Madonna’s song Music states, “Music, makes the people, come together!”  Those words could not be truer when it comes to the music festivals in the French Riviera.

It wouldn’t be considered summer in the region unless there was an abundance of music festivals to choose from and it all seems to start off with the Fete de la Musique in late June followed by the fabulous Dolly Parties, and the current Nice Jazz Festival!

Now Cannes isn’t taken out of the equation either and shouldn’t be mistaken for just having the world famous Cannes Film Festival, the city has more to offer than that, and among the many things is Les Plages Electroniques!

Appropriately situated on the beach next to the Palais des Festivals, you can dance to your heart’s content on the sand (or even in the sea) as the electronic dance masters from around the world attract music lovers to their shows throughout the months of July and August.

You would think that with an electronic dance music festival it would be predominately about a certain age demographic but that’s not the case here.

One thing that makes the French Riviera so wonderful is how everyone seems to have a true appreciate for all kinds of music but what I think makes it even more special is how the festivals bring everyone of any age, gender and sexuality together.

Les Plages Electroniques runs for three dates in July and two in August, and tend to start in the early evenings with anywhere from two to five artists per event, with this year's lineup including such artists as: Madeon, Mr Oizo, dOP Live and Laurent Garnier to name a few. For less than 20 euros per event, that's a great deal!

It’s a good idea to buy your tickets online through the Les Plages Electroniques website or get down to the outdoor venue early to purchase tickets as even though the events take place on a beach, there still is capacity limits.

When you feel the beats of the music start pumping in your chest, you know you are at the right place for the fun to begin, and what better than under the stars on the beach in Cannes!