Botox(s) you say?

Why did you agree to be president of Botox(s)?

Martin Guesnet: Botox(s), which was originally created to promote contemporary art on the French Riviera, has recently extended its network to include the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Hautes-Alpes, and the Italian border, and continues to grow. I have remained very attached to the region since I ran the Galerie Beaubourg in Vence in the 1990s, so I was very happy to be given the opportunity of presiding over the network.

How does this relate to your activity at Artcurial?

MG: Think global, act local: that’s what the Botox(s) network means to me, and it’s also the essence of my activity as Europe Director at Artcurial, which consists in raising public awareness and reinforcing regional strengths within an internationally developing company. The auction house also has offices in Monaco, a strategic location that has experienced spectacular growth. Today there is a true political engagement in favour of culture. The Principality also wants to encourage the development of the art market, to become a true hub for art.

It has allowed me to return to the region, but in a completely different context. A diplomat at heart, and European to the core, my objectives are quite ambitious. Botox(s) has created the foundations of a solid network with strong regional roots. For me, it has been a tremendous challenge to use my experience to help local networks become known globally.

What are the greatest strengths of Botox(s), in your opinion?

MG: I remember how dynamic the region was even at the time, with a generation of successful artists and galleries that were able to take root and develop in Paris. There was a true territorial richness, even though each location was relatively isolated, with no real links to the other places. The strength of Botox(s) is that it federates many different institutions, galleries, and foundations. The network now comprises thirty structures, both public and private. Many initiatives have been taken to organise innovative pedagogical visits such as the “Visiteurs du Samedi”, which each month offers a tour of four to five locations, guided by the directors, curators, artists and exhibition curators of each location. You can also leave the beaten path with the “Tchatches”, inspired by the Japanese technique of Pecha Kucha. These events are short and refreshing, and I really enjoy them.

Botox(s) offers a great opportunity to both local people and tourists, allowing them to discover the vitality of the local art scene through a wide range of high-quality and very diverse events.

Interview by Artcurial

Information
Botox(s) : contemporary art network from the Alps and Riviera