Magazines - Tribal Art Spring 2010

By Christophe Roustan Delatour

Introduction
Five years after the renovation of its Oceanic, Pre-Columbian, and Arctic galleries, the Musée de la Castre has now inaugurated a new space devoted to the Himalayas and Tibet. The renovation, which was completed in December of 2009, is a response to an ever-increasing interest in the arts from these areas (cf, “The Nebulous Himalayas,” Tribal Art magazine #54). The innovative presentation reflects the museum’s groundbreaking position in this field, having hosted one of the first exhibitions devoted to Himalayan masks in 1991.1
The Musée de la Castre is located in the château of the Lérins Abbey, overlooking the Bay of Cannes, and houses an important and eclectic collection of non-European art. It is one of the few French museums that has significant Himalayan and Tibetan holdings. The diversity of this collection, which includes some 230 objects, is a reflection of the evolution of the market, tastes, and academic knowledge that has developed since the 1970s. Its first acquisitions were representative of the antiques and “curios” that became available to knowledgeable travelers in Katmandu, Delhi, and Darjeeling around that time. These included ritual accessories, apparel, jewelry, receptacles, tools, and musical instruments, among other things. After 1987, the museum abandoned exotic ethnography in favor of “Himalayan tribal art” (including masks, statues, and shamanic objects), the importance of which had begun to be appreciated by a handful of collectors and dealers. The museum was able to assemble a collection that was unique in France. Since 2007, carefully targeted and better-documented acquisitions through purchases as well as gifts have enabled the museum to fill certain gaps in preparation for the imminent renovations. Displayed in the museum’s first gallery, the Himalaya-Tibet collection suffered from an aging presentation and installation, in stark contrast to the neighboring galleries, which were renovated in 2004. The presentation now has been completely revamped, and makes better use of the twenty-five-square-meter space. The new display cases are sober and light, and allow for a denser but more legible display. Diffused natural light accents forms, colors, and materials. Informative text,2 images, and geographical data enhance the visitor’s experience, while still allowing complete freedom for an immediate and visceral approach.