Contemporary Art Galleries You Should Visit In Nice

The French city of Nice has always been a magnet for artists, who are attracted by its Mediterranean climate, mouth-watering cuisine, azure blue sea and vibrantly coloured houses. Matisse, Renoir, Arman and Chagall were all inspired by this stretch of the Côte d’Azur. These are nine of the best contemporary art galleries and museums in Nice showcasing local and international artworks.

Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain

No list of contemporary art galleries in Nice would be complete without the famous Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain (MAMAC). From the Nice School to pop art and New Realism, its collection has provided an important shop window for modern European and American art. World-renowned artists such as Yves Klein and Niki de Saint Phalle feature in its permanent collection, as well as contributing to eye-catching designs for the museum’s façade. When approaching the institution, visitors are greeted by monumental sculptures on the museum’s esplanade by the likes of Alexander Calder and Berner Venet. MAMAC is also responsible for an eclectic mix of contemporary exhibitions in the museum gallery and the aforementioned Galerie des Ponchettes.

MAMAC, Promenade des Arts, Place Yves Klein, Nice, France, +33 4 97 13 42 01

Plano Flexionante 4, 2013, aluminium, nylon, moteurs, ordinateur, interface électronique, 2 x 9,6 m

1. Galerie de la Marine

Museum, Art Gallery

One of Nice’s many municipal attractions, Galerie de la Marine was the premier contemporary art space in the city until the founding of the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain in 1990. As a consequence of the opening of this new museum, Galerie de la Marine instead turned its attention to displaying the permanent collection and paintings of Alexis Mossa (1844-1926) and his son, Gustav-Adolf Mossa (1883-1971). Upon the arrival of the 21st century, the gallery went back to promoting contemporary art and focusing on the young creative scene. A variety of international artists, such as Venezuelan Elias Crespin, have recently exhibited work here. Computer programmes, designed by Crespin, operate the artist’s impressive mobile sculptures. In one such work, called Plano Flexionante 4, metal rods unfold in waves, perhaps mimicking the gentle waves of the sea overlooked by Galerie de la Marine.

2. Villa Arson

School, Art Gallery, Museum

The parkland of the 18th century, Villa Arson, is home to a national superior art school, artists’ residencies and a centre for contemporary art. The latter was founded in 1986 as an advocate for cutting-edge practice, hosting group shows and solo exhibitions for emerging international artists. Martin Kippenberger, Maurizio Nannucci and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster have all had shows here. In the past, artists like Noël Dolla have used the whole Villa Arson complex as a stage for their work. Dolla also invited others to ‘invade’ and ‘disrupt’ the galleries, gardens and terraces with paintings, sculpture, sound, video, music, film and performance. The students of the art school are regularly involved in Villa Arson’s innovative programme of exhibitions and workshops.

3. Galerie des Ponchettes

Art Gallery, Building, Market

Located next to the sea, the 19th century building of Galerie des Ponchettes has had various uses in bygone years, from fish market to public lavoir. Since the 1960s, however, it has housed a contemporary art gallery showcasing local and foreign talent. Galerie des Ponchettes was the first project in the creation of Nice’s Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain, MAMAC. One of the local artists it has recently championed is Henri Olivier, whose work explores the relationships between sculptures, landscapes and gardens. The gallery’s exhibitions with a crossover between the 20th and 21st centuries have included the bright, almost abstract, paintings of Albert Chubac (1925–2008) and posters produced or inspired by Matisse.