A contemporary gallery at Monaco’s Mareterra anchors the Principality’s growing cultural ambitions.
When Monaco reinvents itself, it rarely does so quietly. The Principality’s newest shoreline jewel, Mareterra, has already been hailed as a triumph of engineering and design. Now, with the arrival of a contemporary art gallery at Quai du Petit Portier, Lart Universe, Mareterra is extending its ambitions beyond oceanfront real estate.
Running until 22nd March, the inaugural exhibition brings together Dalí Universe and Lart Universe in a curated show dedicated to modern and contemporary masters, anchored by the enigmatic Salvador Dalí—a friend of the founder of Lart Universe.
The show takes its cues from the international ‘Art to be Lived’ format, which reframes the space as a place to encounter and experience art up close in a more relaxed manner. “This gallery offers an accessible and sensitive encounter in an ephemeral format that invites visitors to experience art in a different way,” explains exhibition curator Sylvie Thévenoz.
At its heart is Dalí. A major nucleus of the show is devoted to the Spanish Surrealist titan, punctuated by the 1962 oil Twist Dans le Studio de Velázquez and a robust display of original sculptural works that illuminate the artist’s symbolic language and psychological depth. Contemporary voices—most notably Patrick Rubinstein—round out the programme, creating a bridge between modern masters and current artistic production.
The gallery’s opening at Mareterra points to a broader shift in Monaco. While the Principality excels in sport, gastronomy, yachting and haute living, art has largely remained the preserve of fairs, private salons and museum-scale events. With free admission, close proximity and a format designed for both collectors and the simply curious, the new space blends luxury with accessibility in a way that feels distinctly current.
With Dalí as its opening statement, the gallery underscores how cultural experience is becoming an integral part of the contemporary Riviera.
