6 art places to discover in the heart of Provence

Maybe it’s the lavender fields, the limestone, the blue of the Mediterranean, or the particular light that caresses the landscape at sunset, but Provence has always been a place of great inspiration for artists and art enthusiasts. It first enchanted Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Picasso, and now it continues to exert its undeniable charm on contemporary artists. Its secret?
The combination of nature and an exhibition offering that can compete with those of the great European capitals.

We have mapped out the area's activities, creating a diverse itinerary to guide you through discovering museums, foundations, art parks, and both private and corporate collections open to the public. Spoiler: Expect anything but the usual white cube. It's no surprise that contemporary art museums start with their buildings. Signature museum architecture has become a well-established trend, from Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Guggenheim to the Centre Pompidou by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, the Fondation Louis Vuitton by Frank O. Gehry in Paris, and Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi. These are not just buildings but true works of art designed to house other works of art. We have seen them spread worldwide since the mid-20th century. Gradually, they have become symbols of the most important cities, boldly integrating into their skylines. They have transformed the faces of suburbs, becoming ambassadors of significant—and often debated—urban renewal projects. Now, however, they are increasingly finding their place in rural areas. With its pristine countryside, vineyards, small villages, and typical towns, Provence seems to be the perfect place and is ready to welcome them.

Designed by Frank Gehry, LUMA Arles is an ambitious cultural project that includes exhibition spaces, artist studios, and event areas. Located in the Parc des Ateliers, it is the new home of the Luma Foundation, a contemporary art foundation supported by collector Maja Hoffman. Covering a total of 110,000 square meters, with industrial buildings renovated by Annabell Seedorf, the site features a stainless steel and glass tower designed by Frank O. Gehry that has already become a new symbol of the city. Inside, exhibitions produced in collaboration with internationally renowned institutions engage in dialogue with the permanent works of Carsten Höller, Liam Gillick, Koo Jeong-A, and Philippe Parreno.

Housed in two splendid 18th-century hôtels particuliers, the Collection Lambert is one of the most important contemporary art collections in the region. Founded by the renowned art dealer Yvon Lambert, it includes works by internationally acclaimed artists such as Cy Twombly, Anselm Kiefer, Sol LeWitt, Giulio Paolini, Lawrence Weiner, Nan Goldin, Andres Serrano, Christian Boltanski, Daniel Buren, and Douglas Gordon. Within its walls, various interventions by artists historically associated with the gallerist interrupt the flow of temporary exhibitions, creating unique and intergenerational dialogues.

A vineyard that is also an open-air museum, Château La Coste's art park perfectly encapsulates the essence of contemporary Provence. This immersive journey through the vineyards includes works by world-renowned artists and architects such as Tadao Ando, Louise Bourgeois, and Alexander Calder. It's an ever-evolving project that thrives alongside the surrounding nature: in 2017, an exhibition pavilion designed by Renzo Piano was added to host photography exhibitions, and more recently, in 2022, the new Auditorium space designed by Oscar Niemeyer was inaugurated.

In Nîmes, right in front of what is said to be one of the best-preserved Roman temples to date, there is a contemporary art museum designed by Norman Foster. Carré d’Art hosts a rich permanent collection organized by movements: from Nouveau Réalisme to Arte Povera, and to German painting by artists such as Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, and Albert Oehlen. The center organizes significant temporary exhibitions that have allowed the collection to expand over time, including works by both French artists like Sophie Calle, Annette Messager, and Suzanne Lafont, and international artists like Walid Raad, Ryan Gander, Georg Baselitz, and Taryn Simon.

Do you remember the farmhouse from Jean-Luc Godard's Pierrot le Fou? In 2018, it reopened to the public after a long renovation under the name Villa Carmignac. Located on Porquerolles, the largest of the islands off Giens, south of Hyères, the villa has become a true gem for contemporary art and architecture enthusiasts. Its exhibition spaces open onto terraces, gardens, and vineyards, and include a sculpture park and underground galleries illuminated by a water ceiling. The center houses the private collection of French entrepreneur Édouard Carmignac and organizes temporary exhibitions designed each time in collaboration with a guest curator.

If it's true that there is a unique connection between light and landscape in southern France, observing the Fondation Vasarely building at sunset is the best way to appreciate it. Designed by Victor Vasarely himself as a work of art to display and celebrate his legacy, the structure reflects the surrounding landscape, absorbing its colors and gradually changing its appearance with the hours of the day. It is a true gateway, conceived by the artist to introduce viewers to his world of geometric shapes and vibrant colors.

Opening image: LUMA, Arles. Photo Adrian Deweerdt