Christophe Beaux, CEO of Monnaie de Paris, has appointed Chiara Parisi Director of Cultural Programmes.
Chiara Parisi is a contemporary art historian with a research PhD from La Sapienza University in Rome. After completing her PhD, she went on to teach at the university for a number of years. Alongside her teaching, she became involved in a variety of artistic endeavours which would establish her first links with France: in 2000, she curated the exhibitions at the Villa Médicis, “La Folie de la Villa Médicis” cycle. She supported a number of new wave projects conceived by a new generation of artists who have since earned international acclaim.
In 2004, she was appointed Director of the Centre international d’art et du paysage, which is located on Vassivière Island in France. Her programming included many entirely original projects by artists such as Rosa Barba, Hubert Duprat, Cyprien Gaillard, Thomas Houseago, Huang Yong Ping, Claude Lévêque, Marisa Merz, Tino Sehgal and Oscar Tuazon, many of whom exhibited solo for the first time in France at the Centre. She successfully opened the centre to a wider, international audience and increased its cultural scope tenfold by introducing artists-in-residence programmes. On her invitation, numerous artists contributed pieces to the Sculpture Wood (Yona Friedman, Victor Man, Kris Martin, Michael Sailstorfer, Serge Spitzer, Alexander Ponomarev, and Koo Jeong-A’s very recent skate park), adding to the appeal of the Centre international d’art et du paysage and increasing visitor numbers.
As an art critic, she is a regular contributor to a number of specialist magazines, and is also a member of the FRAC Franche-Comté art buying committee and of the Italia Arte Contemporanea Price of the Maxxi to name but two.
A New Role: Director of Cultural Programmes
As part of MétaLmorphoses, an ambitious project to renovate its headquarters, Monnaie de Paris has created a Cultural Programmes Department to inject new energy into its exhibitions and events.
In 2008 Monnaie de Paris began hosting several exhibitions each year on the first floor of its Quai de Conti headquarters in Paris (David LaChapelle in 2009, Willy Ronis in 2010 etc.). The institution also participates in a number of external cultural events (Photoquai, le Mois de la Photo etc.). Projects are submitted to, and approved, by the Monnaie de Paris Cultural Council, a grouping of some twelve members representing the world of art and a number of well-known museums.
After a recruitment process that began with several hundred applicants, the jury selected Chiara Parisi. Her role will be to establish the cultural programme for the next few years, and to transform Monnaie de Paris into a leading centre for dialogue between contemporary creation and the artistic professions, engaging with a wider public and earning the institution international recognition. She will establish and work together with a team of specialists in exhibition and cultural event organisation. The new programme will be launched at the beginning of 2013, to coincide with the opening of the exhibition space currently being restored.
The renovation work underway at the site, lead by architect Philippe Prost, and part of MétaLmorphoses project, will develop the institution’s interaction with the public at the site, increasing awareness of Monnaie de Paris’ expertise, patrimony and new cultural direction. Visitors will benefit both from the new programme of temporary exhibitions and events, and an educational and fun circuit that presents Monnaie de Paris’ professional activities and collections. Three further activities will complete the project: gastronomy (the opening of Guy Savoy’s 3 star restaurant at the site and the opening of the Métalcafé), commercial space (a new Monnaie de Paris boutique and concept store, other luxury brand outlets etc.) and pleasure (the opening of Monnaie de Paris’ Mansart wing, a garden etc.).
Monnaie de Paris
11, quai de Conti
75006 PARIS
France
www.monnaiedeparis.fr