Memories - Calder - Giacometti
My grandfather, Aimé Maeght, with Alexander Calder.
I had an exhibition of ten large stabiles at Maeght in February 1959. Mrs. Maeght, who was very enthusiastic about these objects, was quite surprised and she said to me: “Did you have to rack your brains to find this?” Maeght must have agreed with Guiguite because he bought the entire exhibition from me, in bulk, and in cash, before the opening; It was the first time a merchant had treated me like this. Alexander Calder in his autobiography.
Alexander Calder photographed on the corner of rue Daguerre by Agnès Varda in 1955. He would often return to rue Daguerre to work in the ARTE Maeght engraving and litho workshops. What a photo, it says as much as a whole film!
Alberto Giacometti in his studio in the Alésia district, surrounded by his paintings, photo Denise Colomb, Paris, 1954.
Superb photo for a historic moment, Alberto Giacometti, a few moments before the inauguration of the Maeght Foundation, in July 1964, checks one last time the arrangement of his sculptures in the central courtyard which from then on will be named "Cour Giacometti".
"At the beginning of 2010, I submitted the idea of doing a Giacometti exhibition which would highlight the relationship between Alberto and Aimé. From then on I did everything possible to achieve success. I knew that we had to find an exceptional angle, a title attractive You have to put together a real strategy, quickly and well, know how to surround yourself with the best, invest to reach the heights, have originality and inventiveness while enhancing and remembering. the genius of Aimé Maeght. The project is progressing and I go to London where Giacometti's sculpture "The Walking Man" is to be sold. I anticipate historic success.
I was not mistaken, absolute record: 104.32 million dollars. At the end of the sale, during the night, I sent this email to several hundred of my friends and journalists:
“I would like to reassure the faithful and lovers of the Marguerite and Aimé Maeght Foundation: no, the Foundation has not sold one of the major pieces from its collection.
In 1959, this sculpture was refused in the development project of the Chase Bank in New York, so my grandfather entrusted the courtyard of the Foundation under construction to Alberto Giacometti so that The Walking Man would finally find the place it he deserves. Financial interests never dictated my grandfather's direction, but when the market validates his choices, passions and convictions, I can only be moved.
After such a record, will visitors look at the Giacometti of Saint-Paul with as much simplicity? But yes, the look is spontaneous, that's the magic of the Maeght Foundation."