Megève presents a unique retrospective of the Megève sculptor Pierre Margara. The exhibition takes over the Edith Allard Modern and Contemporary Arts Space at the Palais over several seasons, showcasing different facets of the production and personality of this figure of French art for almost an entire year.
The Edith Allard Modern and Contemporary Art Space is hosting an exceptional year-long exhibition dedicated to Pierre Margara, a key figure in Megève and an internationally renowned sculptor.
A sculptor of intimate materiality, Pierre Margara, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, transcends time with timeless, pure works rooted in others, dialogue and instinct, bucking all trends. A unique figure on the international cultural scene, Pierre is an eminently free artist with a singular artistic signature. The exhibition takes over the Edith Allard Modern and Contemporary Arts Space at the Palais of Megève over several seasons, showcasing different facets of the production and personality of this figure of French art for almost an entire year.
The first stage of this ambitious exhibition brings together more than 80 sculptures, most of which are entrusted to the artist’s collectors, some of whom have been loyal for several decades. Pierre Margara invokes both the monumental, particularly through his ‘Verticals’ of linden and walnut, as well as the interiority of beings, of a couple, of a family made of Carrara marble.
Using long beams from centuries-old chalets in Megève and the Alps, the artist rough-cuts the wood, carves it, and finally chisels faces here and bodies with soft, harmonious lines there. He captures with precision and gentleness what unites and gathers, voluntarily erasing accidents and tumults.
In the summer, Pierre Margara reveals the behind-the-scenes process of creating his works, particularly those in bronze. Visitors are immersed in the artist's creative process through a presentation of molds of sculptures that precede the final bronze form, based on the original work. The lost wax technique, the shaping process, and the close relationship between the sculptor and the foundry are all themes explored in this second stage, which allows visitors to understand not the transposition of a work from wood to bronze, but its embodiment. More technical in nature, this second presentation of works, some of which have been renewed, highlights the artist's profound knowledge and love for these living and demanding materials, which allow for no deviation. Sculpting is always a risk, approached with serenity and skill by this Mégevan at heart.
At the end of this Margara cycle in fall 2026, a selection of the sculptor's major projects will be presented, illustrating his relationship with nature, public space, and his vision of world events that shape everyone's daily life, sometimes despite ourselves. Models, drawings, and photos sensitively address the origins of these powerful moments in public life that have become markers in the work and life of Pierre Margara.
How can we not mention Europe, the huge bronze symbol in the heart of Albertville, capital of the 1922 Olympic Games, the Memorial to the victims of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, a tragedy with international resonance, and the Tribute to My Way, where Man takes a path guided by the hands of a piano.
