By Celina Lafuente de Lavotha - Monaco Reporter

Prince Albert attended inauguration of exhibition BIZARRE organised by National Monegasque Committee for Visual Arts.

Talented German artists as honor guests 

Once again this year Prince Albert, accompanied by distinguished personalities from the Principality, attended the inauguration of the art exhibition Bizarre, that ran from December 3-18, 2016, and organized annually by the National Monegasque Committee for the Visual Arts, member of the International Association of Plastic Arts (IAA/AIAP) with UNESCO, presided by Marie-Aimée Tirole. This year the committee had invited as guests of honor eight talented artists, living and working in Germany: Stephan Backes, Undine Bandelin, Georg Brueckmann, Oliver Czarnetta, Elisabeth Ehmann, Ingar Krauss, Markus Manowski and Cyril Massimelli.

The definition of Bizarre is “markedly unusual in appearance, style, or general character and often involving incongruous or unexpected elements; outrageously or whimsically strange; odd”. There are many synonyms: strange, grotesque, peculiar, odd, funny, curious, offbeat, eccentric, unconventional, unorthodox, out of the ordinary, and many more! Several mediums and languages were explored in the Salon 2016, through attempts to grasp the strange in its diverse nuances and sequences.

Awards Salon 2016 “BIZARRE”

Jury Prize (composed of personalities form the art world), and divided into four categories:

• Installation: Laurent Papillon
• Video: Christian Giordan
• Painting: Egmont Grisoni
• Photo: Nick Danziger

Prize of the National Monegasque Committee under auspices of UNESCO: Pascale Ladevèze et Christophe Cauvin

Prize National Council: Elizabeth Wessel

Jury prize (composed by supporting members): Carol Bruton

Public prize: Tuula Hirvonen

The objectives of the IAA/AIAP are to encourage international cooperation among the artists of all countries, nations or people, and to promote the economic and social position of artists both nationally and internationally, as well as to defend their material and moral rights. There are more than 80 national committees adhering to UNESCO around the world, with the Monaco branch dating back to 1955 when it was created by artist Etienne Clerissi.

In the photo above, HSH Prince Albert surrounded by Marie-Aimée Tirole, Jean-Charles Curau, Mr & Mrs. Gamerdinger, Daniel Boeri, members of the board of the AP Committee, and members of the Jury. 

Quote

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” Henry Ward Beecher