Pierre Gianadda Foundation: an art centre to be discovered

Located in Martigny, Switzerland about forty kilometres from Chamonix, the Pierre Gianadda Foundation is one of the region’s must-see exhibition venues. Chamonix Sotheby’s International Realty wanted to present this atypical art centre to you.

Pierre Gianadda Foundation: more than 40 years of existence

Like many stories, the Pierre Gianadda Foundation’s story begins with a tragic event. In 1976, engineer Leonard Gianadda discovered the remains of an ancient Celtic temple on land he owned in Martigny, in the Swiss canton of Valais.

Leonard was prompted by the loss of his younger brother Pierre, in a plane crash some time later, to create a place of memory and culture to pay tribute to him. The Pierre Gianadda Foundation was created in 1978, built around the ancient temple.

Easily identifiable thanks to its atypical architecture, the imposing building designed by Léonard Gianadda combines modern and old in a beautiful green environment. The museum has become renowned and for more than 40 years, the foundation has welcomed nearly 10 million visitors.

The works presented to the public at exceptional exhibitions are signed by the greatest of artists:

• Picasso
• Klee
• Van Gogh
• Kandinsky
• Turner
• Miró
• Gauguin
• Degas
• Matisse

The Pierre Gianadda Foundation’s permanent exhibitions

The foundation has three permanent exhibitions open to the public:

• The Gallo-Roman museum, which displays the main discoveries made at the ancient Celtic temple.
• The sculpture park set up in the foundation’s gardens, between the Gallo-Roman remains. You can admire works by major artists such as Rodin, César, Niki de Saint Phalle, Chagall, Dubuffet and De Kooning.
• The Automobile Museum which displays about fifty old vehicles (from 1897 to 1939), some of which are unique in the world.

  Temporary exhibitions

  The foundation currently has several temporary exhibitions. The first one is dedicated to the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson and has many photographs on display from the Szafran collection, named after the painter Sam Szafran who was close to Cartier-Bresson.

  The second is a tribute to the work of Sam Szafran, friend of Leonard Gianadda who died in 2019.

  Located in the gardens of the foundation, the “Old Arsenal” hosts two exhibitions: one dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, the other to the history of the foundation and Leonardo Gianadda.

  All the exhibitions mentioned above are visible until 22nd November 2022.

  An exceptional musical programme

  In addition to the permanent and temporary exhibitions (read above), the art centre hosts many classical music concerts as well as opera throughout the year. Over the past 43 seasons, the foundation has welcomed many prestigious performers.

  To name a few:

  • Yehudi Menuhin
  • Maurice Andr
  • Isaac Stern
  • Daniel Barneboïm
  • Cecilia Bartoli
  • Barbara Hendricks
  • Renaud Capuçon
  • Fazil Say
  • Martha Argerich
  • Brigitte Meyer

  Upcoming concerts

  Here are the dates to remember for the upcoming weeks:

  • The pianist Alain Planès on 11th October 2022 (Chopin and Schubert)
  • The Cappella Mediterranea ensemble on 23rd October 2022 (Amore Siciliano)
  • The I Solisti Veneti orchestra on 10th November 2022
  • The La Clémence by Titus (Mozart) opera with Cécilia Bartoli on 19th November 2022.

  The Pierre Gianadda Foundation in Martigny is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm from June to November and from 10 am to 6 pm from November to June.

  Culture, outings, sports, luxury real estate… Discover the latest events in Chamonix and its surroundings with the Chamonix Sotheby’s International Realty team and benefit from personalised support for the sale or purchase of your prestigious property in the valley.

  Sources: Pierre Gianadda Foundation’s website, swissinfo.ch