Centre Pompidou - Metz
Encyclopedia
The Centre Pompidou Metz is a museum of modern and contemporary art
s designed by architects Shigeru Ban
and Jean de Gastines and located in Metz
, capital of Lorraine
, France
. It is built in the Amphitheatre District, near the Metz railway station
and the German Imperial District. The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a branch of Pompidou arts centre
of Paris
, and features temporary exhibitions from the large collection of the French National Museum of Modern Art
, the largest European collection of 20th and 21st century arts. The museum is the largest temporary exhibition space outside Paris in France with 5,000 metres square divided between 3 galleries and includes also a theatre, an auditorium, and a restaurant terrace.
The first piece of the monument was laid on November 7, 2006, and the building was inaugurated by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy
, on May 12, 2010. The building is remarkable for its roof structure, one of the largest and most complex built to date, which was inspired by a Chinese hat found in Paris by Shigeru Ban.
of Paris. It possesses three rectangular galleries weaving through the building at different levels, jutting out through the roof with huge picture windows angled towards landmarks such as the Saint-Stephen Gothic cathedral
, the Imperial Metz railway station
, the Arsenal Concert Hall
built by architect Ricardo Bofill
, the Arènes indoor sport arena
, and the Seille park. The great nave covers 1,200 m² and provides flexibility for the exhibition of large artworks, with the ceiling rising progressively from a height of 5.70 to 18 metres.
The roof is the major achievement of the building: a 90 meters wide hexagon echoing the building’s floor map. With a surface area of 8,000 metres square, the roof structure is composed of sixteen kilometres of glued laminated timber
, that intersect to form hexagonal wooden units resembling the cane-work pattern of a Chinese hat. The roof’s geometry is irregular, featuring curves and counter-curves over the entire building, and in particular the three exhibition galleries. Imitating this kind of hat and its protective fabric, the entire wooden structure is covered with a white fibreglass membrane and a coating of teflon
, which has the distinction of being self-cleaning, protect from direct sunlight while providing a transparent at night.
The Pompidou-Metz itself and its parvise, named Human Rights
square, are built on the site of the Roman amphitheatre
of Divodurum Medriomaticum
(ancestor of present-day Metz). So, the building is the cornerstone of the newly created Amphitheater district. The district of 50 hectares, thought by architects Nicolas Michelin, Jean-Paul Viguier
, and Christian de Portzamparc
, is currently under construction and includes the edification of a convention centre and a shopping mall. The quarter encompasses already the Seille park designed by landscape architect Jacques Coulon and the Arènes indoor sport arena
by Paul Chemetov built in 2002. The urban project completion is expected to take place by 2015.
, which encompasses the largest European collection of modern and contemporary arts and the second in the world. The museum also works in close collaboration with the Mudam Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art
of the Duchy of Luxembourg
in joint initiatives, such as the ECHOS, Work in Situ exhibition of Daniel Buren
in 2011.
In addition of the temporary exhibitions, the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum features seasonal programming with contemporary live shows in its theater and organizes meetings and conferences in its auditorium with worldly recognized, as well as local, artists. Finally, the museum participates to the annual Withe Night arts festival
of Metz
held in October.
of Paris. The exhibition considered the relevance of the idea of masterpiece and ran until January 17, 2011. The exhibition was attracted over 800,000 visitors during the following year of its inauguration and included:
The four parts of the exhibition were:
near the Metz railway station
. The station is connected to the French high speed train
network via the LVG East line, which provides a direct rail service to Paris
and the city of Luxembourg
. The time from Paris East station
and France international Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport to Metz train station
is about 82 and 75 minutes, respectively.
Metz
is located at the intersection
of two major road axes: the Paris to Strasbourg A4 motorway
and the A31 North-South motorway
.
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
s designed by architects Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban is an accomplished Japanese and international architect, most famous for his innovative work with paper, particularly recycled cardboard paper tubes used to quickly and efficiently house disaster victims...
and Jean de Gastines and located in Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, capital of Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is built in the Amphitheatre District, near the Metz railway station
Gare de Metz-Ville
-External links:*...
and the German Imperial District. The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a branch of Pompidou arts centre
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and features temporary exhibitions from the large collection of the French National Museum of Modern Art
Musée National d'Art Moderne
The Musée National d'Art Moderne is the national museum for modern art of France. It is located in Paris and is housed in the Centre Pompidou in the 4th arrondissement of the city. Created in 1947, it was then housed in the Palais de Tokyo and moved to its current location in 1977...
, the largest European collection of 20th and 21st century arts. The museum is the largest temporary exhibition space outside Paris in France with 5,000 metres square divided between 3 galleries and includes also a theatre, an auditorium, and a restaurant terrace.
The first piece of the monument was laid on November 7, 2006, and the building was inaugurated by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, on May 12, 2010. The building is remarkable for its roof structure, one of the largest and most complex built to date, which was inspired by a Chinese hat found in Paris by Shigeru Ban.
Architecture and urbanization
The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a large hexagon structured round a central spire reaching 77 metres high, alluding to the 1977 opening date of the original Centre PompidouCentre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
of Paris. It possesses three rectangular galleries weaving through the building at different levels, jutting out through the roof with huge picture windows angled towards landmarks such as the Saint-Stephen Gothic cathedral
Metz Cathedral
Saint Étienne de Metz , also known as Metz Cathedral) is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral in the city of Metz, capital of Lorraine, France...
, the Imperial Metz railway station
Gare de Metz-Ville
-External links:*...
, the Arsenal Concert Hall
Arsenal de Metz
The Arsenal is a cultural venue dedicated specially to Classical and Erudite musics and located near the Esplanade garden in Metz, capital of the Lorraine region, France...
built by architect Ricardo Bofill
Ricardo Bofill
Ricardo Bofill, also Ricard Bofill Leví is a Catalan Spanish postmodernist architect.He studied at the School of Architecture in Geneva, Switzerland...
, the Arènes indoor sport arena
Arènes de Metz
The Palais omnisport Les Arènes, often abbreviated as Les Arènes, is an indoor sports arena in Metz, France. It is the home venue of the Metz Handball team and the Open de Moselle men's tennis tournament, part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the ATP Tour. Currently the arena has a capacity of...
, and the Seille park. The great nave covers 1,200 m² and provides flexibility for the exhibition of large artworks, with the ceiling rising progressively from a height of 5.70 to 18 metres.
The roof is the major achievement of the building: a 90 meters wide hexagon echoing the building’s floor map. With a surface area of 8,000 metres square, the roof structure is composed of sixteen kilometres of glued laminated timber
Glued laminated timber
Glued laminated timber, also called Glulam, is a type of structural timber product composed of several layers of dimensioned timber bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant adhesives. This material is called 'laminating stock' or lamstock for short.By laminating several smaller pieces of...
, that intersect to form hexagonal wooden units resembling the cane-work pattern of a Chinese hat. The roof’s geometry is irregular, featuring curves and counter-curves over the entire building, and in particular the three exhibition galleries. Imitating this kind of hat and its protective fabric, the entire wooden structure is covered with a white fibreglass membrane and a coating of teflon
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Polytetrafluoroethylene is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that finds numerous applications. PTFE is most well known by the DuPont brand name Teflon....
, which has the distinction of being self-cleaning, protect from direct sunlight while providing a transparent at night.
The Pompidou-Metz itself and its parvise, named Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
square, are built on the site of the Roman amphitheatre
Roman amphitheatre
Roman amphitheatres are amphitheatres – large, circular or oval open-air venues with raised seating – built by the Ancient Romans. They were used for events such as gladiator combats, chariot races, venationes and executions. About 230 Roman amphitheatres have been found across the area of the...
of Divodurum Medriomaticum
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
(ancestor of present-day Metz). So, the building is the cornerstone of the newly created Amphitheater district. The district of 50 hectares, thought by architects Nicolas Michelin, Jean-Paul Viguier
Jean-Paul Viguier
Jean-Paul Viguier is a French architect. He is considered one of the world's leading architects and one of the few French ones to work extensively outside of Europe...
, and Christian de Portzamparc
Christian de Portzamparc
Christian de Portzamparc is a French architect and urbanist. He graduated from the École Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1970 and has since been noted for his bold designs and artistic touch; his projects reflect a sensibility to their environment and the town is a founding principal of his...
, is currently under construction and includes the edification of a convention centre and a shopping mall. The quarter encompasses already the Seille park designed by landscape architect Jacques Coulon and the Arènes indoor sport arena
Arènes de Metz
The Palais omnisport Les Arènes, often abbreviated as Les Arènes, is an indoor sports arena in Metz, France. It is the home venue of the Metz Handball team and the Open de Moselle men's tennis tournament, part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the ATP Tour. Currently the arena has a capacity of...
by Paul Chemetov built in 2002. The urban project completion is expected to take place by 2015.
Exhibition and performance policy
The Centre Pompidou-Metz displays around 3 to 4 unique temporary exhibitions per year, which are not presented somewhere else. Most of the artworks exhibited are from the large collection of the National Museum of Modern ArtMusée National d'Art Moderne
The Musée National d'Art Moderne is the national museum for modern art of France. It is located in Paris and is housed in the Centre Pompidou in the 4th arrondissement of the city. Created in 1947, it was then housed in the Palais de Tokyo and moved to its current location in 1977...
, which encompasses the largest European collection of modern and contemporary arts and the second in the world. The museum also works in close collaboration with the Mudam Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art
Mudam
The Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art , abbreviated to Mudam, is a museum of modern art in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The museum stands on the site of the old Fort Thüngen, in the Kirchberg quarter, in the north-east of the city....
of the Duchy of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
in joint initiatives, such as the ECHOS, Work in Situ exhibition of Daniel Buren
Daniel Buren
Daniel Buren is a French conceptual artist.- Work :Sometimes classified as an abstract minimalist Buren is known best for using regular, contrasting maxi stripes to integrate the visual surface and architectural space, notably historical, landmark architecture.Among his chief concerns is the...
in 2011.
In addition of the temporary exhibitions, the Centre Pompidou-Metz museum features seasonal programming with contemporary live shows in its theater and organizes meetings and conferences in its auditorium with worldly recognized, as well as local, artists. Finally, the museum participates to the annual Withe Night arts festival
White Night festivals
The White Nights are a kind of all-night arts festival held in many cities in the summer. The original festival is the White Nights Festival held in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The white nights is the name given in areas of high latitude to the weeks around the summer solstice in June during...
of Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
held in October.
Exhibitions
- Masterpieces? (2010)
- ECHOS, Work in Situ, Daniel BurenDaniel BurenDaniel Buren is a French conceptual artist.- Work :Sometimes classified as an abstract minimalist Buren is known best for using regular, contrasting maxi stripes to integrate the visual surface and architectural space, notably historical, landmark architecture.Among his chief concerns is the...
(2011) - Wander, Labyrinthine Variations (2011)
- Bivouac, Ronan and Erwan BouroullecRonan & Erwan BouroullecRonan & Erwan Bouroullec are a design team formed by brothers from Brittany. In 2007the firm's "North Tiles" design for Kvadrat in Denmark won the D - Design Forum AID Award...
(2011) - 1917 (2012)
- Sol LeWitt, Sol LeWittSol LeWittSolomon "Sol" LeWitt was an American artist linked to various movements, including Conceptual art and Minimalism....
retrospective (2012)
Inaugural exhibition
The inaugural exhibition called Masterpieces? was devoted to masterpieces (about 800), of which over 700 were lent by the Centre Georges PompidouCentre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
of Paris. The exhibition considered the relevance of the idea of masterpiece and ran until January 17, 2011. The exhibition was attracted over 800,000 visitors during the following year of its inauguration and included:
- Woman with a Guitar, Georges BraqueGeorges BraqueGeorges Braque[p] was a major 20th century French painter and sculptor who, along with Pablo Picasso, developed the art style known as Cubism.-Early Life:...
, - King's Sadness, Henri MatisseHenri MatisseHenri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter...
, - The Aubade, Lying Nude near Musician, Pablo PicassoPablo PicassoPablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
, - GuernicaGuernica (painting)Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso. It was created in response to the bombing of Guernica, Basque Country, by German and Italian warplanes at the behest of the Spanish Nationalist forces, on 26 April 1937, during the Spanish Civil War...
, Pablo PicassoPablo PicassoPablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
, - Ingres's Violin, photographie, Man RayMan RayMan Ray , born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal...
, - Black cross, Kasimir Malevitch,
- Blue I, Blue II, Blue III, Joan MiróJoan MiróJoan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
- Reliefs for the Stairs of the Railway Palace, Robert DelaunayRobert DelaunayRobert Delaunay was a French artist who, with his wife Sonia Delaunay and others, cofounded the Orphism art movement, noted for its use of strong colours and geometric shapes. His later works were more abstract, reminiscent of Paul Klee...
, - Capricorn, Max ErnstMax ErnstMax Ernst was a German painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was one of the primary pioneers of the Dada movement and Surrealism.-Early life:...
, - The Background, Jackson PollockJackson PollockPaul Jackson Pollock , known as Jackson Pollock, was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. During his lifetime, Pollock enjoyed considerable fame and notoriety. He was regarded as a mostly reclusive artist. He had a volatile personality, and...
, - Standing Woman, Alberto GiacomettiAlberto GiacomettiAlberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor, painter, draughtsman, and printmaker.Alberto Giacometti was born in the canton Graubünden's southerly alpine valley Val Bregaglia and came from an artistic background; his father, Giovanni, was a well-known post-Impressionist painter...
, - Sleeping Muse, Constantin BrâncuşiConstantin BrancusiConstantin Brâncuşi was a Romanian-born sculptor who made his career in France. As a child he displayed an aptitude for carving wooden farm tools. Formal studies took him first to Bucharest, then to Munich, then to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris...
, - The Tropical House, Jean ProuvéJean Prouvé-Images:**- External links :***...
.
The four parts of the exhibition were:
- Great nave: Masterpieces Throughout History
- Gallery 1: Stories Behind Masterpieces
- Gallery 2: Masterpiece Dreams
- Gallery 3: Masterpieces Ad Infinitum
Transport and access
The Centre Pompidou-Metz is located in the centre of MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
near the Metz railway station
Gare de Metz-Ville
-External links:*...
. The station is connected to the French high speed train
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
network via the LVG East line, which provides a direct rail service to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the city of Luxembourg
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
. The time from Paris East station
Gare de Paris-Est
is one of the six large SNCF termini in Paris. It is in the 10th arrondissement, not far from the Gare du Nord, facing the Boulevard de Strasbourg, part of the north-south axis of Paris created by Baron Haussmann...
and France international Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport to Metz train station
Gare de Metz-Ville
-External links:*...
is about 82 and 75 minutes, respectively.
Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
is located at the intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
of two major road axes: the Paris to Strasbourg A4 motorway
A4 autoroute
The A4 Autoroute, also known as l'autoroute de l'Est is a French autoroute that travels between the cities of Paris and Strasbourg. It forms parts of European routes E25 and E50....
and the A31 North-South motorway
A31 autoroute
The A31 autoroute is a French autoroute. It runs from the Franco-Luxembourg border to Beaune where it joins the A6. The north of the autoroute is free, up to the town of Toul, but it is a toll road south of there...
.