The Palais des Papes in Avignon will not present this summer “Les Choses divines – Inventaire fantaisiste”, an exhibition by the French director, scenographer and visual artist Macha Makeïeff (73 years old). The cancellation, made official by Avignon Tourisme, is explained by a range of administrative, technical and budgetary constraints. Perhaps we can see a link with the municipal election of Olivier Galzi (DVD), who succeeds Cécile Helle (PS).
The exhibition, scheduled from June 27, 2026 to January 3, 2027, was to transform the papal fortress into an immersive and poetic journey, like an exquisite corpse, linking “heroic debris”, chimeras and “astonished remains” drawn from oblivion. In cabins, cubbyholes and “mystical houses” arranged in the spaces of the Palace, works by known or emerging artists, theater costumes, everyday objects and curiosities were to be displayed one after the other. The device, thought of as a “fanciful inventory”, aimed to extend the way in which the former director of the Théâtre National de Marseille (2011 2022) conceives her shows as “complete worlds” where sets, objects and costumes participate in the same plastic logic.
The municipal calendar, however, had its influence. As Carine Mériaux, communications director of Avignon Tourisme, points out, Arts Journalthe municipal elections took place in the meantime, leading to additional delays in loan authorizations. Visibility on the outcome of requests addressed to certain municipalities, such as Aix-en-Provence, therefore remained limited. “Committing without guarantees was risky”she adds. Especially since Macha Makeïeff (who did not wish to respond to Arts Journal) works mainly from borrowed works, producing little herself.
The technical constraints are due to the very typology of the Palais des Papes, which is not an art museum. Medieval building from the 14th century, when Avignon was the seat of the papacy, it was built with old materials (stone, wood, plaster). It has neither insulation nor sophisticated climate control. Conservation requirements are therefore high. For temporary exhibitions, preventive measures (air-conditioned windows, regulation of humidity, limitation of UV light sources) must be put in place so as not to damage the works on loan. Being a building classified as a “historic monument” and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, any installation must be done without damaging the building.
The reception of the works requires particular attention. Carine Mériaux mentions a certain number of difficulties, particularly for the installation of very large works. “For some of them, the conditions were not yet fully met to guarantee their presentation in the locations chosen by Macha Makeïeff and the scenographer”she specifies.
Furthermore, the budget set at 400,000 euros excluding tax proved insufficient. The exhibition would have required around 100,000 additional euros. According to a source interviewed by the Arts Journal, “a reduction in its scale has been studied, but, as Macha Makeïeff rightly pointed out, it is not possible to reduce its scale too much without compromising the quality of the exhibition”. Although additional funding can sometimes be mobilized, this was not possible this year.
The possible postponement of the exhibition is currently under discussion. The decision will be made by the new municipal team, which has all the necessary elements to make a decision. At this stage, nothing has been decided regarding a possible replacement exhibition.
The Palais des Papes in Avignon is one of the most emblematic Gothic monuments in Europe. It covers almost 15,000 m² and has a facade 60 meters long. Since the opening of the monument to the public, and in particular since the Art Week initiated by René Char and Jean Vilar in 1947, the Palais des Papes regularly hosts temporary exhibitions in the Grande Chapelle, transforming the former pontifical chapel into a place of contemporary art. In 1970, a first major exhibition was devoted to Picasso. More recently, it has hosted exhibitions such as “Amazonià” by Sebastião Salgado (2022), “Palazzo” by Eva Jospin (2023), “Miss.Tic” (2024) and “Othoniel Cosmos or the Ghosts of Love”, presented in 2025-2026.
The Palace of the Popes in Avignon.
