What is the Maeght Foundation?
My grandparents created the Maeght Foundation in 1964. In France it was the first museum dedicated to contemporary art. Before that, all the museums were about Picasso and were old buildings. This was new, it was a museum made with and for living artists.
How did your grandparents come to start it?
My grandfather started from nothing; he was an orphan, but in 1936 he opened his own print shop and gallery in Cannes and got to know a lot of the local artists. Then, in Paris, he became an exclusive dealer for all these artists who were then unknown. He hosted the first exhibition for a lot of now famous modern artists.
Surely the war intervened?
Throughout the war he was involved in the resistance. My grandfather printed documents, papers and passports for Jean Moulin, the leader of the French resistance. In doing this, he met a lot of famous thinkers of the time, but it was dangerous and he was advised to leave Paris. So they bought a house in rural south of France (now the site of the museum). It was the neighbouring house of Matisse, who, during this period, created 20 portraits of my grandmother. Throughout this time they met young artists and poets like Marcelle Duchamp. My grandfather had the genius to create a community: one artist would introduce a poet; a poet would then introduce an artist and my grandfather would print limited edition books for them. He met all the new minds. Everybody used to stay with Maeght and his family. Then, after the war, he realised what they needed was a gallery.
How did the gallery come about?
The youngest child of my grandparents died aged 12. My grandparents were heartbroken and the artistic community gathered around them. George Braque told them: ‘Now, you have to do something stronger than life, with no death.’ It was then they created the gallery in collaboration with artists like Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, Braque and Alberto Giacometti.
What was it like growing up around these artists?
I was a part of a world where creation happens every second. Miro is like my godfather. He spent four or five months a year at my house. I grew up with him. He taught me how to look at things and I organised the last exhibition he did. I was 25 and working for the gallery at the time.
How do you know what an artist is worth?
Braque, who was my father’s best friend, used to say about the price of an artist’s work: ‘Is the public 20 years late, or is the artist 20 years early?’ I think for us it is in the middle. It is a lot of work to find new artists. For many years I said I don’t want to sell these old pieces because they’re not expensive enough. I have a Miro masterpiece from 1960 and if I sell it now (at 3 million euros) I am very happy. With this money I can support some contemporary artists and our foundation. But I know I could sell it for a higher price next year.
What do you think of the way Abu Dhabi is going about building its artistic future?
It’s a new way of thinking. I think it’s a very good way to do these things because it means they can teach the public. If a museum is opened in New York, people will come because they know. Here you have to teach that art is not individual expression, it is a history and everyday you continue this history.
How do you do this?
You have to know the past. Both the Guggenheim and Louvre are museums of the past – neither exhibit contemporary artists, but this is catered for in events like the Abu Dhabi Art fair.
But isn’t it worrying that are still so few independent galleries in the capital?
The city is growing. Private partnerships can support the new artists. I don’t think public money should support experimentation and experimental art. You don’t know what this artist will do or if they are strong enough to build a history. There has to be a good balance.
The Maeght Gallery are exhibiting at Abu Dhabi Art from November 19-22. Works by Georges Braque are being shown at Guggenheim: The Making of a Museum until Feb 2.
