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Established in 2008

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Catherine Pégard left "The Bride" at the altar

 Catherine Pégard, Director of the Palace of Versailles, declined the work The Bride (A Noiva) by the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos to be exhibited during the "Joana Vasconcelos Versailles in the State Apartments and the gardens" from 19 June to 30 September 2012.

 The Bride is a  600 x Ø 300 cm chandelier made from stainless steel, cotton thread, steel wire, and over 14,000 OB tampons, completed between 2001 and 2005. Its reflective aspect results from the plastic that involves the tampons.
 It's one of the most iconic works by the artist and a tribute to the liberation of the woman's still repressed sexuality by society.
 At the moment, The Bride (A Noiva) belongs to the António Cachola Collection, Elvas, Portugal.

 According to sources, this work was among the artist's first choices for the exhibition and she was surprised by the announcement. Afterall, if there's something that looks good at Versailles is a chandelier.

 Catherine Pégard worked as a political journalist  and as the editor-in-chief of the topical news magazine, Le Point. She was advisor to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy since 2007.
 It was Sarkozy who in 2011 appointed Pégard as Director of the Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles), despite her lack of cultural credentials and experience in the arts or cultural heritage.

 This nomination was involved in controversy, namely because the previous Director, Jean-Jacques Alliagon, had expressed his wish to continue his mandate, despite being over 65, the legal – and normally obligatory – age for retirement, in spite of numerous exceptions to the rule.
 Currently serving as Minister of Labour, Xavier Darcos was at the time expected to be the successor to the previous director, Jean-Jacques Aillagon, but has since run into problems with a government policy that states French civil servants must retire after 65.

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