Michel Aubéry meets the 'stars' of Polar Mission in his unique artistic interpretation.

To best celebrate the era of Polar Explorations of yesterday and today tightly linked to the Principality and its legacy, the Oceanographic Museum offers a new pleasant experience to meet the polar fauna in a completely artistic version. Rencontres Polaires (Polar Encounters), under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, is a unique temporary exhibition set in the main Conference Hall, iconic space of the historical monumental white building hanging the coastline. Michel Aubéry is already know in Monaco as an artist and as President and Councillor of AS Monaco football club. His extraordinary creative capacity and environmental sensitivity paid tribute this time to polar biodiversity with a great visual impact and a distinctive cartoony trait that can make animals even closer to us, human beings. The showroom, launched on the 18th October will be open to the public until the 20th November 2022. MONACŒCOART® had the pleasure to attend the official preview vernissage organised on the 17th October 2022 in the presence of the Sovereign Prince and other distinguished guests, representing the Prince's Government, the Municipality and main institutions from the Principality.

"Some animals were unknown to me, like the gorfou or the puffin, leading me to document myself in order to be able to represent them at best, but especially in my own way!"

Photo >> Michel Aubéry at the opening vernissage of his new exhibition, 'Rencontres Polaires', at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco - © Michel Dagnino

"Some animals were unknown to me, like the rockhopper penguin or the puffin, encouraging me to document myself in order to be able to represent them at best, but especially in my own way!", Michel Aubéry

White foxes, ermines, humpback whales, penguins, puffins and many more are characterised by the artist through colourful strokes of acrylic and Posca pens for a surprising final effect. The preparatory work, which lasted less than one year, pushed the artist to make research on the native fauna. Michel Aubéry pointed out: "Some animals were unknown to me, like the rockhopper penguin or the puffin, encouraging me to document myself in order to be able to represent them at best, but especially in my own way!".

Photos >> Official poster of the exhibit © Musée Océanographique - Detail of Michel Aubéry's art collection (Oceanographic Museum, 17th October 2022) © Maurice Abbati MOEA

His expressionist and futuristic touch aims at sending a message to raise awareness on the protection of biodiversity, with special regard to endangered species. A perfect liaison with "Mission Polaire" (Polar Mission), the new interactive exhibit unveiling all secrets about the Poles, polar adventurers and local human inhabitants as well as emblematic fauna. Its naturalistic interest had already pleasantly surprised in a recent exhibition in homage to global coral reefs for their preservation in their anniversary year (2020). Récifs was exposed at the Oceanic Museum from the 4th November 2020 until the 3rd February 2021.

Photos >> Details of of Michel Aubéry's art collection (Oceanographic Museum, 17th October 2022) © Maurice Abbati MOEA

The passion for painting has been following the artist since his childhood. At the age of 10, he was fond of sketching dragons and other fantastic animals. By the age of 14, he had the chance to expose in Monaco his teenager works at Galérie Rauch under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Grace of Monaco. He then graduated at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Nice becoming soon after art teacher at the Famous Artist School in Monaco for seven years. Meanwhile, he continued his activity as a football coach up to the presidency of the most popular Soccer National Club. In 2008, he resumed the artistic production collaborating in several projects with meaningful stakeholders like EXPO Milan 2015, planning several exhibitions in China, in Italy (Bologna and Sardinia) and Dubai.

The event is therefore not to be missed both for nature and art lovers and for all those who are curious to know more about the remote but vital Polar Regions. ***

To know more about Michel Aubéry's temporary exhibition please visit: https://musee.oceano.org/en

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By Maurice Abbati