PRESS RELEASE
FOREWORD
The creation of the musée du quai Branly, an original institution entirely dedicated to the arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, is the result of a political desire to see justice rendered to non-European cultures, to recognize the place their artistic expressions occupies in our cultural heritage, and also to acknowledge the debt we owe to the societies that produced them, as well as to their countries of origin, with many of which France has especially close ties.
We are putting an end here to a long history of disregard, and giving just consideration to art forms and civilizations too long ignored or misunderstood – giving back their dignity to peoples too often looked down upon, oppressed, sometimes even annihilated by arrogance, ignorance, stupidity and blindness.
A new type of cultural and scientific institution, at once museum, cultural center, and a body for research and for teaching, the musée du quai Branly stands as a rejection of any proclaimed hierarchy in the arts, or in the peoples of the world. It celebrates the universality of the human spirit through the extraordinary diversity of its cultural expressions.
In its permanent branch at the Pavillon des sessions in the Musée du Louvre, in the heart of the world’s greatest museum, it presents, side by side with the greatest masterpieces of Western art, masterpieces of African, Asian, Oceanian and American art. With his incomparable eye for excellence, his vast knowledge, and also his generous and unquenchable passion for man’s humanity, Jacques Kerchache selected items of truly exceptional quality, which are presented in a context that allows the full force of their beauty to shine forth. Here, the works themselves come first and foremost, along with the wealth of history they embody and the mystery that surrounds them, striking in their unfamiliarity, but also for the deep resonances they awaken within us.
Housed in the quai Branly building designed by the architect Jean Nouvel, the museum invites us to embrace the full complexity of the works on exhibition and of the cultures from which they came. A range of different viewpoints and approaches encourages us to increase our knowledge, to become more demanding of ourselves, to look at the world in new and ever-changing ways and so reach fresh understanding of the genius of non-European civilizations. A school of multiple disciplines, the musée du quai Branly stands at the heart of a moral requirement to look upon the Other with greater understanding, and also with greater openness of mind.
By doing so, the museum seeks to position itself at the heart of dialogue between cultures and civilizations, dialogue made possible by that fragment of the universal that each one of us carries within, and rendered fruitful by the irreducible uniqueness of each individual. A necessary dialogue indeed, in times when humanity is finally becoming aware of its unity, but also when the shadow of enforced uniformity alienates threatened identities, sometimes at the risk of division and conflict.
Throughout its history, France has always sought to instill universal values, but it has also learned the value of otherness. Dialogue between cultures and civilizations is therefore altogether in line with its vocation. It is for this reason that, well aware of its responsibilities both to the world and to history, it seeks untiringly to give dialogue a chance to work in combating the unacceptable excesses of contempt, hostility and hatred. And the musée du quai Branly seeks, perhaps above all else, to be the standard bearer of this ambition.
Jacques CHIRAC
SUMMARY
A museographic, scientific and cultural institution
dedicated to the dialogue between cultures and civilizations
The project: heightening public awareness of the equal dignity of all cultures
A bridge museum
Museography page 5
Africa page 7
Asia page 9
Océania page 11
Américas page 12
Four exceptional collections page 14
The pavillon des sessions page 16
Developing and enriching the musée du quai Branly heritage page 17
An information system page 18
The reserve collections page 19
The work site for the collections page 20
Loans and partnerships page 21
The mediatheque page 22
Research and education page 23
A multi-faceted cultural institution
A cultural offer page 26
Theatre, dance and music page 27
Lectures and colloquiums page 29
The public page 30
The publication policy page 32
Patronage page 33
An architecture designed around the collections
Jean Nouvel’s letter of intent for the international architecture competition (1999)
A composite museum
Founding principlespage 38
4 buildings, 1 museum page 39
Diversity as a guiding principle page 41
a museum that respect its immediate and overall environment page 42
The garden page 43
Programme2006 - 2007 page 44
CIWARA – African chimera page 49
«We have eaten the forest…», Georges Condominas au Vietnam page 50
« Qu’est-ce qu’un Corps ? » page 51
Useful information page 52
Organization page 55
Patrons and donators page 58
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A bridge museum
A museographic, scientific and cultural institution
dedicated to the dialogue between cultures and civilizations
A multi-faceted cultural institution
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The Musée du quai Branly is an expression of the deeply held conviction that mankind can only progress by mutual respect and dialogue; that it can only fulfill itself through peaceful and enriching encounters with the Other – with their experience, with their traditions, and with their values. The museum will be a center for such encounters, between cultures, between civilizations, and between peoples. It will counter a prevalent but limited and unjust vision of human history, and accord Tribal Arts their true place – an immeasurable and essential place – in the story of mankind. Here, their finest expressions will be presented for visitors to discover and admire.
Jacques Chirac, President of the Republic,
speaking on the occasion of his visit to the construction site of the musée du quai Branly,
Friday 15 October 2004
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The project:
heightening public awareness of the equal dignity of all cultures
Deeply convinced of the importance of differences and of dialogue between cultures, Jacques Chirac has always been aware of the often tragic destiny of tribal peoples. When he was Mayor of Paris, he entrusted Jacques Kerchache, a great traveler and collector with an unerring eye for quality, with the task of organizing a major exhibition devoted to the Taino Indians of Arawak origin, an exhibition that also exposed the other face of the conquest of America, the fifth centenary of which was being celebrated at the time.
When he became President of the Republic in 1995, Jacques Chirac asked Jacques Friedmann to suggest ways of seeing justice rendered to tribal civilizations and peoples through presentation of their cultural and artistic expression. Taken in 1996, the decision to create a new museographic and scientific institution devoted to the arts and civilizations of Africa,, Asia, Oceania and the Americas was the fruit of this desire to celebrate the universality of human genius through the diversity of its art forms, and to encourage us to look afresh at other cultures and civilizations, with new respect and greater willingness to share their experience and engage in dialogue with them.
In 2000, the ‘branch’ at the Pavillon des Sessions in the Louvre was opened, with a 1400 m² surface area designed by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Here, some 120 masterpieces of African, Asian, Oceanic and American art are on exhibition, selected by Jacques Kerchache, and presented to maximum effect in surroundings where their aesthetic power is allowed to speak for itself. There is much symbolism in the fact that these remarkable works stand side by side with the great masterpieces of Western art conserved in the Musée du Louvre.
In order to present the richness of national collections in all its glory, and to encourage better understanding of the complexity of the cultures and civilizations that produced the works they contain, the decision to build a new museum housing under one roof the collections of the Musée national des arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie and those of the Musée de l’Homme ethnology laboratory, a total of almost 300,000 artifacts in all, was taken definitively at the Cabinet Meeting of 29 July 1998. In December of the same year, the Musée du quai Branly was created as a public entity under the auspices of the Minister of Culture and the Minister of Higher Education and Research, with Stéphane Martin appointed as its Managing Director. This new institution has a dual vocation: to conserve and exhibit its collections, and to promote research and teaching on the works they contain and on the societies from which they came.
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1995
May
The President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac, sets up a commission to reflect upon the place of primitive art in French museums, chaired by Jacques Friedmann.
1996
October
The President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac, decides to create a Museum of Arts and Civilisations in Paris, as well as to open galleries in the palais du Louvre to exhibit masterpieces from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.
1997
February
Creation of the preparatory mission of the musée de l’Homme, des Arts et des Civilisations, in the form of a non-profit association (Law of 1901) chaired by Jacques Friedmann.
1998
March
Selection of Jean-Michel Wilmotte’s project to design the pavillon des Sessions at the palais du Louvre.
May
Implementation of the acquisitions policy for art works.
June
Beginning of the renovation of the pavillon des Sessions at the palais du Louvre.
July
The President of the Republic, in agreement with Lionel Jospin’s government, selects a site for the future museum, located at 29/55 quai Branly, Paris (7th arrondissement).
December
Creation of the musée du quai Branly as an Etablissement Public, a state-owned corporation with administrative and contracting powers, under the duel supervision of the Minister of Culture and Communications and the Minister of Education, Research and Technology. Appointment, in Cabinet meeting, of its President, Stéphane Martin. The preparatory mission ends its activities.
1999
January
Launch of an international competition for the construction of the musée du quai Branly.
December
The project tendered by Architectures Jean Nouvel, AJN-OTH Bâtiment-Ingérop, wins the architectural competition.
2000
April
Inauguration of the pavillon des Sessions at the musée du Louvre, exhibiting over 100 masterpieces from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, from national and regional collections, as well as from public collections of their countries of origin.
June
Deposition of building license. Start-up of the website.
2001
January
Obtaining of building license.
September
Installation of teams at theBerlier industrial hotel, 15 rue Jean-Baptiste Berlier in the 13th arrondissement.
October
Start of construction work on the quai Branly site and beginning of treatment campaign of collections from the musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie, and the ethnology laboratory of the musée de l’Homme.
2002
June
First archaeological digs campaign (INRAP – National Archaeological Research Institute) on the construction site.
July
Completion of the first treatment campaign (60,000 artefacts).
November
Opening of “Kodiak, Alaska”, the musée du quai Branly’s first exhibition, and the final one for the musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie.
2003
January
Closing of the musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie.
December
Completion of the classification of the library collections of the musée de l’Homme and the musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie.
2004
June
Completion of acquisitions for the mediatheque and of collection documentation binding and digitisation operations. Completion of preparation of artefacts.
July
New website goes on line.
September
Delivery of the Auvent and Branly administrative buildings.
October
Completion of the second collections treatment campaign.
December
Museum teams move from rue Jean-Baptiste Berlier to the Branly and Auvent buildings.
2005
Autumn
Delivery of museum building and museographic fixtures and fittings. Delivery of reserves.
Winter
Completion of display, equipment and artefacts installation. Completion of multimedia programmes installation.
2006
23 June
Opening of the musée du quai Branly to the public.
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A BRIDGE MUSEUM
Museography page 5
Africa page 7
Asia page 9
Océania page 11
Américas page 12
Four exceptional collections page 14
The pavillon des sessions page 16
Developing and enriching the musée du quai Branly heritage page 17
An information system page 18
The reserve collections page 19
The work site for the collections page 20
Loans and partnerships page 21
The mediatheque page 22
Research and education page 23
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The creation of the Mmusée du quai Branly has been an adventure ten years in the making – ten years of patiently bringing to fruition , careful breathing life into the decision first announced by the President of the Republic ’s decision, first announced in 1995, to create a museum devoted to the arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The project has sought to bring into being achieve an entity worthy of the ambition that inspired it – to bear witness to the plurality of art by encouraging us to look afresh at extranon-European arts and the cultures that produce them.
The project was implemented in two phases, the first being the opening of the pavillon des Sessions, at the Louvre, in April 2000. By exposing visitors fromthroughout the four corners of the world to one hundred and twenty masterpieces selected for their aesthetic appeal and evocative power, the pavillon des Sessions rooms constitute a manifesto in themselves, an initial response to the debt that Western cultural institutions owe to non-European societies.
With over 3 million visitors in 5 years, the pavillon des Sessions is successfully fulfilling to perfection its role mission of promoting attention to awareness and recognition of such arts, helping us to discover the power and beauty inherent in them. The rooms at the Louvre will remain open after the inauguration of the Mmusée du quai Branly, and will continue to bear witness evidenceto the power and diversity of art works produced by extra-European peoples peoples from far off lands.
The project’s second major phase sprang from the decision to devote specific premises special rooms to the exhibition of works from French collections under the best possible conditions, and to the presentation of depict the cultures from which they came. Under the dual supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Communications and the Ministry of National Education, Research and Technology, the Mmusée du quai Branly brings together, within the walls of Jean Nouvel’s beautifully designed building, the collections housed at the musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie and those from the ethnology laboratory of the musée de l’Homme within the walls of Jean Nouvel’s beautifully designed building. As a museum of arts and civilisations, it has a dual twofold vocation – conservation and exhibition of collections, and contribution to research and teaching education.
Some 3,500 works out of the 300,000 contained in the collections will be on permanent public view permanent public view as from starting this coming June, constituting the museum’s permanent exhibition “‘reference display area”.’. Organised both geographically and thematically, this will take the visitor on a journey across the world’s other continents and highlight a number of major themes running through the collections. A larger number of items will of course be put on public view during temporary exhibitions, to which half of the total exhibition area is devoted. Half of the total exhibition area is devoted to temporary exhibitions and a number of items will, of course, be put on public display periodically. Ten or so temporary exhibitions will be scheduled per year with appointed commissioners, at least half of whom will be brought in from outside the museum.
There will be ten or so of these per year, each with its own commissioner – at least half of whom will be consultants brought in from outside the museum.
Major emphasis is placed on lectures, teaching and research– an activity , activities designed to meet two objectives: developingthe production of scientific ideas and helping to guide design the conception of exhibitions and events aimed at the general public.
Music, dance and cinema play an equally important role. Furthermore, the museum’s architectural design takes into accountallows thefor the particular significance allotted to of contemporary art, as Jean Nouvel had the idea of integrating works by eight Aborigine artists, specially designed for the museum, on the ceilings and frontage of the rue de l’Université building.
The collections stir awaken new emotions in the public, helping to raise its curiosity and to bring recognition of the genius of non-European civilisations. They remind us that our history is closely linked to those of the countries that produced these works.
Ten years after preparations began At the end of these ten years of preparation, the musée musée du quai Branly opens its doors to the public on 23 June, 23rd this year. Once the natural curiosityinitial excitement aroused by about the opening of a new cultural institution in Paris has abated, it is up to visitors to let us know if ourwhether our choices have been wisejudicious ones and whether they live up to their expectationsif what we offer lives up to their expectations. TheyThe publicwill tell us will have the final word whether if the museum is truly the centre of exchange and dialogue which that we hope to provide it becomes.
Stéphane MARTIN
musEographY
accessibility of collections, a condition for creation of a new appreciation
To combine maximum accessibility of collections with a new museographic approach – such was the task imposed upon the musée du quai Branly, to provide the public with a full range of means to help them discover and come to understand the arts and civilisations of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.
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The museographic principle behind the musée du quai Branly is based upon a new relationship with the works themselves – a relationship that has been developing over the past fifteen years in those human sciences dedicated to non-European arts and civilisations: the increasingly marked disappearance of occidental centrism and gradual attenuation of any clear division between anthropology and art history, a change of perspective partly brought about by the distancing in time of the colonial period.
In this context, the musée du quai Branly museography, as orchestrated by Germain Viatte and Jean Nouvel, aims to stir new emotions, incite public interest, and bring recognition to the genius of non-European civilisations.