The Villa Sauber (NMNM) is hosting an exhibition by Latifa Echakhch entitled ‘The Mechanical Garden’ until October 28, 2018: inspired by the tradition of romantic landscape, characterised by the representations of teeming nature and ruined architecture, “The mechanical garden” combines the distant memories of Monte-Carlo’s earliest days with the artist’s childhood impressions and memories.

Born in Morocco, Latifa Echakhch grew up in Aix-les-Bains where her father was employed at the Casino Grand-Cercle, which operated alongside a prestigious theatre, in many similar ways to the Opéra Garnier.

Latifa Echakhch made several visits to the Principality: she was inspired by a number of mythical places – such as Opera Garnier, the Villa Sauber and the Exotic Garden, but also collections of the NMNM, such as models of decor and automatons of Ms de Galea – to design an exhibition that brings into play our perception of time and space and indicates the possibility of a survival of nature in a post-apocalyptic setting.

As part of this exhibition, the NMNM presents Salon Geologique I, an installation of the artist Yto Barrada in collaboration with the designer Stéphanie Marin in the reading room – mediation area of Villa Sauber.

At the end of this exhibition, Villa Sauber will close for several years of work.