The Fondation Giacometti will take over the historic building of the former Invalides train station and the basement of the esplanade in 2026 to create the Giacometti Museum & School. A new type of institution, the site will comprise a museum showcasing an exceptional patrimonial collection, multidisciplinary exhibition spaces, and an art school that will be open to all.
Ideally situated in the heart of Paris, this 6,000 m² Museum & School will reinvent the concept of an artist's foundation and will be dedicated to fostering dialogues between the public, the artists, and the different modes of creative expression.
The building and its underground annexes, created for the 1900 World Fair, will be completely renovated. The internationally renowned architect Dominique Perrault, together with the heritage architect Pierre-Antoine Gatier and the landscape architect Louis Benech, will conceive the transformation of this historic site. The Group Emerige, in partnership with Nexity, the project's co-laureate, will lead the construction of this innovative international museum.
Through this ambitious project, the Fondation Giacometti will create the unique opportunity of establishing in Paris, on a permanent basis, the world's largest collection of the artist's oeuvres, comprising nearly 10,000 works, the majority of which are not currently on display to the public. It will also be able to share its multiple activities and innovative teaching methods.
Alberto Giacometti Face to Face - ©Regan Vercruysse, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
The Museum will permanently display a selection of several hundred works by Alberto Giacometti, including plaster and bronze sculptures, paintings, drawings, and decorative art objects. The architecture of the building, which is bathed in natural light, will offer an exceptional environment for the presentation of the works.
Alberto Giacometti's studio, inseparable from the legend of the artist, will allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in his creative process. The Foundation's archives, its library, and its picture library will be accessible to the public.
The various exhibition galleries will also host ambitious projects involving other modern and contemporary artists.
Organically linked to the museum, the School of Creation for All will provide an original approach to art, based on the spirit of the studio and creativity, transcending the barriers between fine arts, applied arts, crafts, and professional and amateur practice.
The offer will be further enhanced by the Foundation’s rich and extensive cultural programming, together with the development of its research and teaching activities, such as the École des modernités and the Giacometti Lab.
The Fondation Giacometti will offer its visitors a comprehensive experience in a unique and convivial setting, with a leafy green courtyard, café, restaurants, bookshop, concept store, …
Alberto Giacometti dans son atelier de Montparnasse à Paris, photographié par sa femme Annette. Archives Fondation Giacometti © Succession Alberto Giacometti (Fondation Giacometti, Paris + ADAGP, Paris) 2019
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Old Air France Invalides Air Terminal, Paris - ©Andrew E. Cohen
Press release courtesy of The Fondation Giacometti
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