Christiane Michel had no particular predisposition for founding SM’ART, the Aix-en-Provence contemporary art fair that’s holding its 14th edition this year. But her mother instilled in her a taste for beauty and quality: «She used to say ‘I can’t afford to buy cheap things because you have to buy them twice’». Christiane became a journalist, then came to live in the Provence she loves. It was after her life was disrupted by a personal tragedy that art became a passion. One that she was keen to share. For Christiane, who already collected original lithographs, it was time to start afresh. «Art makes us think, arouses our aesthetic sense and awakens the most human part of us,» she says. SM’ART, conceived as a place for discovering, meeting and talking to artists, will this year also include design, vintage and the artistic crafts. There will even be a marquee with a photography exhibition. «It’s just a step from contemporary art to design, and we’ve taken it,» she says, «It’s an excellent way to break down barriers between different creative worlds.» With more than 25,000 visitors expected this year, SM’ART is a great booster for the 200 emerging or established artists and 17 galleries involved.
Par Louis Badie
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