Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art

View from the Loire of the Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art
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Established	25 June 2015; 10 years ago (2015-06-25)
Location	Montsoreau, France
Type	Contemporary art museum
Collections	Art & Language
Collection size	1,000
Visitors	35,000 (2016)
Founder	Philippe Méaille

The Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art is a special art museum in Montsoreau, France. It's a private museum, but it's open for everyone to visit. This museum first opened its doors on April 8, 2016. Inside, you'll find a permanent collection of artworks. These pieces come from Philippe Méaille's personal collection and are all by a group of artists called Art & Language. They are known for their conceptual art.

History of the Museum

Philippe Méaille lives in Anjou, a region in France. He worked with Christian Gillet, who was in charge of the Maine-et-Loire area. They wanted to create a new museum for modern art in Anjou. Their idea was to put Méaille's art collection inside the beautiful Château de Montsoreau. This castle was owned by the local government.

On June 19, 2015, Christian Gillet agreed to let Méaille use the castle for 25 years. This agreement made it possible for the museum to be created.

Castle Improvements

During some building work, masons found an old chimney. It was built around the year 1450. Experts are now studying this chimney to help restore it.

A new library opened in August 2016. It has books about art history, modern art, and applied arts. The museum's port also reopened in May 2017. This means visitors can now arrive at the castle by boat, which is a fun way to get there!

Castle Architecture

For over a thousand years, the castle of Montsoreau has been like a gateway to the Anjou region. It is the only castle in the Loire Valley that is also a museum of contemporary art.

The castle was built by Jean II of Chambes, who was an important person for King Charles VII. He was one of the first lords in France, along with Jacques Cœur, to bring the Italian Renaissance style to France. Jean II built the Château de Montsoreau between 1443 and 1453. It stands right by the Loire River, much like the Venetian palaces built around the same time.

Art Collection

The museum's main collection comes from Philippe Méaille. You can see these artworks on the first two floors of the museum. All the pieces are by the artist group Art & Language.

This group started in 1968. They got their name from their newspaper, Art-Language. The artists in the group come from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. The group is still active today, with Michael Baldwin and Mel Ramsden as key members.

Many artists have been part of Art & Language over the years. Some well-known names include Terry Atkinson, Joseph Kosuth, Sol LeWitt, and Kathryn Bigelow. The collection includes different types of art, like paintings, sculptures, drawings, and videos. It also has manuscripts and installations.

Art & Language Gallery

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  Art & Language: Art-Language, Vol.3 Nr.1, 1974.

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  Art & Language: Mirror Piece, 1965.

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  Art & Language (Michael Baldwin): Air-Conditioning Show, 1966-67.

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  Art & Language (Mel Ramsden), Secret Painting, 1967.

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  Art & Language: Art-Language Vol.5 Nr.1, 1982.

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  Art & Language: Art-Language The Journal of Conceptual Art, Vol.1 Nr.1, 1969.

Special Art Shows

The museum often hosts temporary exhibitions. These shows feature works by different artists for a limited time.

• 2016: Agnès Thurnauer, a History of Painting.
• 2017: Ettore Sottsass, Designer of the World.
• 2018: Art & Language, Reality (Dark) Fragments (Light).
• 2018: 1968: Sparta Dreaming Athens, a group show with artists like Tony Smith, Edward Ruscha, and Claes Oldenburg.
• 2019: Mappa Mundi.
• 2019: Roman Signer.
• 2019: Charlotte Moorman. Think Crazy.

Museum Events

François Morellet Prize

The museum works with the National Days of Books and Wine event in Saumur. Together, they give an award called the François Morellet prize to an art writer.

• 2016: Catherine Millet, an art critic.
• 2017: Michel Onfray, a philosopher.
• 2018: Eric de Chassey, director of the National Institute of Art History.
• 2019: Bernar Venet, an artist.
• 2020: Kenneth Goldsmith.
• 2021: Orlan.
• 2022: Bernard Marcadé.

Miriam Rothschild Gardens

In 2017, the castle's gardens were changed into wild gardens. These gardens cover more than one hectare. They show the beauty of freedom and biodiversity.

Miriam Rothschild (1908–2005) was a scientist who created "natural" gardens. A wild garden focuses on native plants. It also helps protect the animals living nearby. This creates a good balance between plants and animals.

Publications

The museum also publishes books and other materials related to its exhibitions and collections.

• 2016: Rod Mengham, Un tour chez Agnès Thurnauer.
• 2016: Art & Language, Entretien avec Victorine Meurend.
• 2017: Art & Language, Affiche: Almost a Home for Homeless Stuff.
• 2017: Fabien Vallos, Philippe Méaille, Antonia Birnbaum, Fabrice Hergott, Chloé Maillet, Louise Hervé, Antoine Dufeu, A Constructed World, Protest 1517-2017. ISBN: 978-2-9557917-0-7
• 2018: Art & Language, Matthew Jesse Jackson, Art & Language Reality (Dark) Fragments (Light).ISBN: 978-2-9557917-2-1

See also

In Spanish: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo – Castillo de Montsoreau para niños