Prince Albert II celebrates marine art of Michel Aubéry at exclusive CREM event
Michel Aubéry, Louisette Azzoaglio Lévy-Soussan and Prince Albert II © Ilan Dehé - CREM
A compelling new exhibition by Monegasque artist Michel Aubéry, about the fragile beauty of coral reefs, was launched on Monday evening at the Club des Résidents Étrangers de Monaco (CREM – Monaco Foreign Residents Club), with Prince Albert II in attendance.
The CREM took on the guise of an art gallery to showcase Michel Aubéry’s colourful works. The club’s new Gold Members plaque was also unveiled at the event, underlining the importance of partnerships with CMB Monaco, BMW Store Monaco & MINI Store Monaco, as well as Pernod Ricard.
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An artistic vocation, born in Monaco
Born in the Principality, Michel Aubéry began his artistic journey at a very early age. “I started painting very young, when I was ten or twelve. Then Jean Cocteau and the painter Nakache noticed me. At the time, I was on TV and I was visible. Princess Grace became my patron when I was fifteen,” says the artist.
After studying Art Deco at the Beaux-Arts de Nice and a spell at Éditions Bordas in Paris, the artist taught alongside painter Claude Rosticher at an American art school in Monaco. His career took an unexpected turn when he set up ‘Azur Sport’ in Monte Carlo, a business he ran for 22 years, also becoming President of the AS Monaco association in 1995.
It wasn’t until 2008, and a dinner with Philippe Pastor, that his career was relaunched after a 45-year break from art: “I still had one of my paintings hanging on the wall. One evening, the painter Philippe Pastor came to dinner. He asked me who had painted it, and didn’t believe me when I told him it was me… He asked me to do thirty paintings, which he exhibited in 2009. My first exhibition was in 1962, 47 years earlier.”
Commitment to the marine environment
The new exhibition at CREM showcases the artist’s fascination with marine life, particularly coral reefs. At the request of the Oceanographic Museum, where his work has been exhibited on several occasions, Aubéry uses his expressive style to highlight the splendour and vulnerability of these marine ecosystems.
“I really like the theme, I think it’s good to show these marine marvels,” says the artist, who has also created collections on sea turtles (2017) and polar animals (2022).
The Prince’s support for cultural initiatives
Prince Albert II, Honorary President since CREM was founded in 2010, took time out to admire the works on display, accompanied by CREM President Louisette Azzoaglio Lévy-Soussan. His presence demonstrates his continued commitment to cultural and environmental initiatives in the Principality.
Michel Aubéry, Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Culturel (Knight of the Cultural Merit Order) since 2018, feels the Princely accolade recognises a career path that combines a dual passion, for art and sport – a rare ‘combo’ that makes him a unique figure on Monaco’s cultural scene.
The exhibition is open to CREM members, giving them another opportunity to discover the talent of a Monegasque artist whose colourful creations celebrate the beauty of our marine world.