Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Le Carré d'art de Nîmes is an ambitious cultural project launched in 1983 by Jean Bousquet, mayor of the city, to boost local cultural influence. It replaces a former neo-classical theatre destroyed by a fire in 1952, whose facade was the only one left. After an international competition in 1984, the project of British architect Norman Foster was selected among those of César Pelli, Jean Nouvel and Frank Gehry. Foster offers a modern building made of glass, steel and concrete, in contrast to the nearby Roman square house, temple of the first century.

Inaugurated on 9 May 1993, the Art Square houses both a contemporary art museum and a classified municipal library, inspired by the model of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The library, rich in 380,000 volumes and 800 manuscripts, moves here from its historic location in the ancient Jesuit cloister. His fonds include incunables, 15th-century books, and rare works such as Marc Chagall's strong waters. The digitisation and virtual exhibitions allow a wide dissemination of this heritage.

The museum, for its part, presents a collection of nearly 600 works of contemporary art, covering the period from 1960 to the present day. The movements represented include New Realism, Supports/Surfaces, and the Arte Povera, with artists such as Mario Merz, Gerhard Richter or Sophie Calle. The collection is enriched by acquisitions and deposits from the FRAC Languedoc-Roussillon and the Fonds national d'art contemporain. The building, transparent and bright, symbolizes the cultural opening of Nîmes.

Norman Foster is also responsible for renovating the Square of the Square after the floods of 1988, transforming this historic space into a pedestrian and cultural place. The Art Square is part of a policy of cultural decentralization, alongside other Mediterranean museums such as the MAC in Marseille or the MAMAC in Nice. Its minimalist architecture, with a central atrium evoking the Nîmes courts, makes it an emblematic place of the city.

The museum was run by several curators, including Guy Tosatto (1993-2000), Françoise Cohen (2001-2011), and Jean-Marc Prévost (2012-2024). The library was led by figures such as Michel Étienne (2007-2021) and Valérie Travier (since 2024). The Carré d'art, labeled "Musée de France", attracts a varied audience, from researchers to visitors, thanks to its temporary exhibitions and its exceptional heritage fund.

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