The unexpected departure of Hélène Guenin (48 years old) marks a turning point for the Nice Mamac. Since 2016, she has managed this institution, wanting to stimulate a dynamic of modernization and openness. She will soon take over the management of the Yves Klein Foundation, a much more discreet institution.
Located at 21 avenue du Maine, in Paris, the Yves Klein Foundation is not a place open to the public. It is a research and documentation center dedicated to the artist, founded by his widow, Rotraut Klein-Moquay. His work is based on archiving, preservation and dissemination of Klein’s heritage through exhibitions and publications worldwide. With the arrival of Hélène Guenin, the Foundation intends to strengthen its role in the perspective of Klein’s influence on contemporary art and deepen the links between the generations of artists.
A graduate in art history and museology, Hélène Guenin first made her weapons as assistant curator at the Casino Luxembourg-Forum in contemporary art in 2001, before joining the Frac Lorraine (49 North 6) as Deputy of the director and programming manager until 2008. She then joined the Center Pompidou-Metz where she designs such “sublime. The tremors of the world “or” an imagined museum “in partnership with the Tate Liverpool and the MMK of Frankfurt. In 2016, she took the head of the Mamac, giving new impetus to the establishment.
Under its direction, the Mamac tried to consolidate its place in the international artistic landscape. In 2017, she showed the founding role of Yves Klein in the creation of an artistic scene from Nice with “About Nice. 1947-1977 ”. Latest project, “the upsetting power of color”, presented in collaboration with the Matisse Museum, explores the resonances between Matisse and Klein.
His departure comes as the Mamac undertakes a vast modernization project. Scheduled for an opening in 2028, this site aims to redeploy collections and improve the reception of the public.
