Catherine Pégard, the new director of the Château of Versailles, has stated that the contemporary art program initiated by her predecessor Jean-Jacques Aillagon will continue, reports the Art Newspaper.
Aillagon inaugurated a program of exhibitions by living artists in 2008, beginning with a presentation of works by Jeff Koons. The 2010 show in the château by Japanese manga artist Takashi Murakami provoked great controversy with conservative groups, leading to a backlash against the program.
In an online French publication Le Quotidien de l’Art, Pégard is quoted as saying: “The issue of contemporary art [at Versailles] was determined by Louis XIV who made the château into a creative center. These [contemporary] shows have raised the profile of the site. It’s a question of balance. We have to respect both the modernity and tradition [of Versailles].”
An exhibition by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos is slated for spring 2012. Pégard has yet to release a statement about an exhibition of works by Maurizio Cattelan, also scheduled for 2012.
