France and the South of France, also known as “Midi”, have played a central role in the life of many artists and in the life of Heidi Horten (1941-2022), the famous Austrian art collector who passed away last June, only a few days after the opening of the museum which bears her name.
Based on the rich holdings of the collection and divided into three main sections, the exhibition gathers 200 artworks from 85 artists and designers. From Pierre Bonnard and Georges Braque to Jean Dubuffet, Claude & François-Xavier Lalanne and Niki de Saint Phalle, and with a special focus on the work of Pablo Picasso, as 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of his death. The works of Marc Chagall and Yves Klein also feature prominently in the show.
While the first section is dedicated to the collection’s masterpieces, the second and third ones trace the collector's sophisticated life on Côte d'Azur, resurrecting the bamboo bar of the modernist and legendary Villa Dubeau in Cap d’Antibes as well as the luxurious interiors of the yachts Carinthia VI and Carinthia VII. Finally, the Tea Room, a special room within the museum, a mix between a boudoir and a cabinet of curiosities, displays selected decorative arts objects, by Cartier and Lalique as well as other designers and manufacturers.
