Destination Bijou is the brand new jewellery week for the contemporary jewellery in the South of France, happening in May 2nd-5th 2024.
Event organized at the initiative of Mr. Louis Nègre, Mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer,
Deputy President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis
and Mr. Roland Constant, First Deputy Mayor, Delegate for Culture and Heritage
Production and production:
Emeric Pinkowicz, curator of the Cagnes-sur-Mer museums,
Myriam Theveniaud and the entire team of the museum service, technical services of the City
Exhibition curators:
Isabelle Busnel, Juan Riusech & Sébastien Carré
Cagnes-sur-Mer, proudly titled «City of Art and Crafts,» stands out as a pearl of the French Riviera where culture and authenticity blend harmoniously. For over two decades, the city has been committed to contemporary jewelry, notably by creating the Espace Solidor, which now houses a permanent collection, a unique documentary fund, and jewelry workshops available to resident artists. This commitment makes Cagnes-sur-Mer the only city in France to be labeled as a «City of Art and Crafts» for contemporary jewelry. To celebrate this dedication, the city is organizing «Destination Bijou Cagnes,» a four-day exceptional event dedicated to contemporary jewelry.
From May 2nd to May 5th, the picturesque medieval village of Haut-de-Cagnes will become the privileged venue for artistic encounters, cultural exchanges, and discoveries. Over 190 artists, both local and international, students, and recognized professionals, will have the honor of exhibiting in various locations, under the auspices of numerous collectives and galleries.
A rich program has been developed for the occasion, including various exhibitions, conferences, and workshops. We would like to express our profound gratitude to the three curators of this event, Juan Riusech, Isabelle Busnel, and Sébastien Carré. The micro-folie also participates in this event by screening a film dedicated to the great artist Helen Britton. This comprehensive event will satisfy both enthusiasts of this unique art form and families.
Cagnes-sur-Mer undoubtedly positions itself as the capital of contemporary jewelry in France.
Louis Nègre
Mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer
Deputy president of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur
Roland Constant
First deputy to the mayor
Commissioner for Culture and Cultural Heritage
Cagnes-sur-Mer has been closely associated with contemporary jewellery since the mid-1990s, when the Contemporary Jewellery Museum was created within the Espace Solidor, which earned the town the «Ville et Métiers d’Art» label. In 2019, the Lille association Alliages donated 167 works by international artists and its founder Juan Riusech established close ties with the museum. In May 2023 the city therefore asked Juan to be the curator of its temporary exhibition «ADN». Joined by his two jewellery designer acolytes Isabelle Busnel and Sébastien Carré, it was during this opening of that exhibition that the idea of organising the Destination Bijou event in Cagnes in May 2024 saw the light of day through discussions between the organisers and members of the town hall who responded to this suggestion with great enthusiasm.
For this first edition, we were inspired by the positive aspects observed in other international events of the same type. We have therefore favoured a short four-day format to allow participants and visitors to go through all the exhibitions during the event. The exhibitions will also be concentrated geographically in the magnificent locations of Haut-de-Cagnes made available by the city. We have also made a point of reaching a wide audience by offering a fairly broad panorama of a dozen French and international exhibitions, visits to local artists’ studios, conferences in French and English (translated) , a documentary on the renowned Australian jewellery artist Helen Britton, as well , jewellery workshops for children and families and guided tours.
During this event we hope to be able to share our passion for contemporary jewellery with a large French and international audience and we wish you some great discoveries!
Isabelle Busnel, Juan Riusech, Sébastien Carré
Curators