Cannes lance la charte Bienvenue à Cannes.

A major international contemporary art centre opened its doors in Cannes at the heart of the famous Malmaison, located on the Boulevard de la Croisette, on the evening of Friday 31 January 2025. The fully renovated, enlarged and embellished heritage building shone with a thousand lights at an exceptional inaugural ceremony. David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes, reminded the many residents and cultural partners present of the town’s determination to place the Malmaison among the biggest and most prestigious addresses for contemporary art in France and abroad. Thanks to the refurbishment undertaken by the Town Hall, the new art centre now has three times as much exhibition space (from 207 to 600 m2) to accommodate large-scale collections of international renown and loans of outstanding works.

The new art centre also features a multi-modal hall for hosting cultural events, a specialist bookshop and access to a panoramic terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. It is also accessible to people with reduced mobility.

To mark the opening of the new building, an exhibition entitled ‘Luxe, calme et volupté’ (Luxury, calm and pleasure) will be on show from 31 January to 20 April 2025. It features works inspired by Mediterranean landscapes and by 56 artists including Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, Picasso, Combas and many others.

‘La Malmaison is the symbol of the cultural ambitions of Cannes Town Hall. Thanks to the major extension and renovation work we’ve carried out, we’re turning this heritage building into a major centre for international contemporary art. We’ve redesigned the space to triple the exhibition area, embellished the façade in keeping with the identity of this characterful site, and opened up a roof terrace with an uninterrupted view over the bay. The administrative offices that used to occupy the premises have been relocated to République so that the entire space can be used by the public. Each year, visitors will be able to discover works by some of the world’s greatest artists in three major exhibitions. Schoolchildren will also be able to take advantage of a mediation area entirely dedicated to them as part of our priority actions in the field of Artistic and Cultural Education. This is one of the major projects of our mandate that we are bringing to fruition. It touches on art and culture, the pillars of the social human being, and will help to boost tourism and the elegance of Cannes, thereby enhancing our city’s international reputation.

David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes

La Malmaison becomes the venue for the world’s greatest contemporary art exhibitions

La Malmaison, located on the Croisette in Cannes, has not benefited from structural renovation for decades. Yet this heritage building, built in 1864 by architects Vianey and Blondel and rebuilt in 1901, is the last remaining reminder of the Belle Epoque on the Croisette. With the arrival of wealthy winter visitors to Cannes and the proliferation of luxury establishments and homes on the boulevard, La Malmaison was created as a villa annex to the Grand Hôtel (now Le Mondrian). Surrounded by remarkable buildings such as the Hôtel Le Carlton, the Casino Municipal (demolished in 1979) and the Martinez, the Malmaison has always been at the heart of Cannes’ effervescence, devoted to local entertainment and social events. In 1970, the site became municipal property. The town council then dedicated the pavilion to hosting contemporary art exhibitions.

In order to improve the visitor experience and give the art centre the international dimension it deserves, in July 2023 the municipality undertook to modernise this venue steeped in history, while respecting its identity. This major project is part of David Lisnard’s mandate and the continuation of the ‘La Croisette réinvente sa légende’ (The Croisette reinvents its legend) programme. It has been entrusted to a consortium comprising Seeta, Wilmotte & Associés, Betek Ingénierie and Axima Concept. The aim was to preserve the elegance and charm of this Cannes villa while bringing it into line with contemporary museum requirements.

One of the main areas of renovation involved restructuring the interior spaces, with :

the development of exhibition spaces on three floors, on the ground floor as well as on the 1st and 2nd floors, from 207 m2 to 600 m2. This will make it possible to vary the exhibitions and works on display, as well as offering different scenographies;
the creation of a tea room and a panoramic rooftop overlooking the Croisette and the Mediterranean, which will eventually become a reception area open to Cannois and visitors alike. Comprising an enclosed area and an outdoor terrace, it can accommodate up to 199 people. A new, contemporary roof, made of wood and zinc rafters, covers the building;
the opening of a multi-modal room dedicated to hosting conferences, artistic activities, workshops for schoolchildren, concerts and shows in connection with the Malmaison’s programming and the municipality’s initiatives in the field of Artistic and Cultural Education (EAC);
a bookshop specialising in contemporary art and design. It sells catalogues of the Town Hall’s exhibitions, books on the works on display and on contemporary art, as well as related products;
the creation of a rest room and changing rooms for staff.

The villa retains its historic façade and has been enhanced at night by the installation of a special lighting system. The main entrance is enhanced by retaining the original mouldings and marble flooring. The two main materials used in the renovation are oak and Chassagne Beauharnais stone.

The entire site has also been made accessible. A ramp and PRM lift have been installed at the entrance, and a lift has been installed at the rear of the building. The reorganisation of the space will allow a smoother flow of traffic, enabling a greater number of visitors to be accommodated. It also fully complies with safety standards. To protect the works of art, the town council has installed 51 video-protection cameras and set up a monitoring station.

The rooms are equipped with high-performance air treatment, lighting and air-conditioning systems. The technical characteristics of the site mean that it can accommodate works from the world’s leading cultural institutions.

The budget for these works, which combine infrastructure, high-quality renovation and fitting-out, amounts to €10,948,633.97 million including tax.

An artistic line-up of three exhibitions a year with renowned artists

From now on, the new artistic and cultural programme will feature three exhibitions a year, two of which will be devoted to contemporary art and one to modern art:

one exhibition by an emerging contemporary artist of international renown ;
an exhibition by an internationally recognised established contemporary artist; and
an exhibition by a modern artist linked to the history of the Côte d’Azur.

The exhibitions presented at La Malmaison complement those offered by Le Suquet des Artistes, a laboratory for contemporary creation devoted to young painters.

‘Luxe, calme et volupté’, from 31 January to 20 April 2025

The new La Malmaison contemporary art centre is opening its doors to the public, highlighting the historical context in which this artistic venue is located. Cannes Town Hall is presenting the ‘Luxe, calme et volupté’ exhibition from 31 January to 20 April 2025. It brings together 129 works by 56 modern and contemporary artists inspired by the light and colours of the Mediterranean landscape. The exhibition is curated by Hanna Baudet, Director of the Contemporary Art Department of the City of Cannes, and art critic Amélie Adamo.

The exhibition is a reminder of the extent to which a trip to the South of France is a founding ritual in the career of any young painter. Many of them travelled to the south of France to rediscover the serenity, the warm atmosphere, the intensity of the light and the typical architecture of roof terraces and overhanging views, opening out onto the azure blue of the sky and sea. Through this perpetual journey to this ‘lost paradise’, artists today still seem to be in search of a creative impulse and a hedonistic quest. Some have opted for abstraction to capture these moments of fascination and contemplation, while others have perpetuated the figurative tradition by returning to working on the motif.

The transformation of the Malmaison is accompanied by a thorough renewal of its visual identity. The new representation reflects the unique and polymorphous character of this emblematic contemporary art exhibition venue. The logo embodies diversity and evokes a subtle interplay of shapes and meanings. It is inspired by the architecture of the building.

On second reading, the graphic element reveals an ‘M’, a subtle reference to Malmaison, minimalist and uncluttered. This strong, timeless representation fits in harmoniously with the identity of the Cannes brand, which has inspired the various versions of the town’s main cultural venues, such as the Musée des Explorations du Monde, the Musée du Masque de Fer et du Fort Royal, the Cannes underwater eco-museum and the Suquet des Artistes. The Malmaison logo makes this luminous blue colour its own. It is at the heart of Cannes’ institutional graphic universe and gives the Cannes brand recognition, impact and modernity.

Resolutely contemporary and bold, this identity reinforces the influence of La Malmaison in the cultural landscape.