#hello_monaco weekend: what to do on August 17th and August 18th

Summer is slowly coming to an end, that’s why you should use your free time to the full. And here are a few suggestions for your weekend.

La Note Bleue Summer Festival continues with a concert of Close Encounters on Friday 16 & Saturday 17 August 2024, at 9 pm.

Melbourne-based Close Counters’ diverse soundscape sits at the crossroads of house, neo-soul, broken beat and disco. A true live act at heart, the duo will expand to a 4 piece tour de force for their performances on our shore, bringing live vocals and drumming to the front, with their synth-heavy sounds providing the perfect musical backdrop for the dancefloor. A young but already mighty formation having been praised by the likes of Gilles Peterson, Folamour, Young Franco or Defected Records, Close Counters are coming, and you’d better be dancing!

Exhibition The Olympic Flame Through The Ages is organized for the celebration of the centenary of John B. Kelly Sr’s Olympic gold medal in rowing, grandfather of Prince Albert II of Monaco from Thursday 18th July till Sununday 18th August 2024.

On the occasion of the 33rd edition of the Olympic Games, the Principality of Monaco invites you this year to a celebration of sport.

Starting July 18th, immerse yourself in the captivating world of the “Games” through a unique exhibition of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco’s Olympic torch collection.

This exhibition will take you through time and the history of the Olympic flame relay, embodying the spirit of peace, friendship, and fraternity that defines the Olympic movement. Each torch on display, from Berlin 1936 to Paris 2024, tells a unique story marked by innovation and aesthetics. These objects are not merely technological marvels designed to withstand the elements but also works of art symbolizing the cultures of the host countries.

The summer exhibition opened on Saturday 6 July and you have a chance to visit it till Sunday 1 September 2024, 10 am to 8 pm in the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, featuring an ensemble of leading works in a new scenography, will take visitors on a journey through Joseph Mallord William Turner’s sublime representations of our world, from his landscapes to the elementary explorations of light and atmosphere of which he was a pioneer and master. Turner’s decisive influence on painting, and by extension his legacy, will be highlighted in the exhibition through some interpretations of the sublime by leading contemporary artists. Curator: Elizabeth Brooke, Senior Project Curator at the Tate.

As every summer, the Grimaldi Forum is hosting two weeks of activities dedicated to younger visitors. This year, the workshops are all about the Forum’s latest landmark exhibition “Turner, the Sublime Legacy” held from Monday 8 to Friday 19 July 2024!

Kids aged 5 to 12 can experience the world of J.M.W. Turner with our educational workshops, learning all about a variety of artistic themes closely associated with the English painter, getting their creative juices flowing and allowing them to express themselves with a range of art-based activities.

Exhibition: “Miquel Barceló, Oceanographer” started on Friday 7 June and will run till Sunday 13 October 2024 in Nouveau Musée National de Monaco – Villa Paloma.

Featuring a selection of around sixty works (paintings, ceramics, embroidery, works on paper), this exhibition is a chance to discover the prolific and eclectic creations of Miquel Barceló, a Spanish artist whose favourite subject was the sea.

Polar bears and emperor penguins are the protagonists of the exhibition “The Ice Giants” by Michel Bassompierre organized from Wednesday April 10 to Sunday October 6, 2024 in Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. Seven monumental works will take over the Oceanographic Museum and its roof terrace. On this occasion, the sculptor will unveil five new creations: four polar bears as well as a 3-meter-high emperor penguin. Original drawings and sketches will also be exhibited accompanied by the screening of a film presenting the artist’s work. This temporary exhibition is part of the Polar Mission program run by the Oceanographic Institute since 2022.

Among many interesting exhibitions that are held in Monaco these days you can take a look at the exhibition at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco – Villa Sauber (from March 29 till September 29), which looks at the influence of classical and contemporary painting on the films of Pier Paolo Pasolini. “Pasolini in Chiaroscuro” brings together a variety of work, including film clips, paintings, drawings, installations and photography from the 16th century till today. It finishes with works by other artists who paid tribute to Pasolini.

Of course there are other interesting events taking place in Monaco. If you want to learn more about them visit our Calendar.

So have fun and enjoy your weekend!