During a recent work trip to Marseille, I learnt that this year the city was European Capital of Culture. There are lots of arts events on this year but I was limited to what could be done in the evenings.

I spotted that Bernard Venet‘s Disorder would be displayed on the lawns at the Palais due Pharo. I headed up the hill one evening and the wind was so strong that I was almost blown over. The steel arcs are on the lawn in front of the palace and are upto 4m tall. My camera phone does not really do them justice but they were most impressive even in the dark.

On another evening I came across Pavilion M, a new building full of art and films, built specifically for the year of culture. Between the building and the vieux port is Plaque Eiffel (1989) by Marseille artist César Baldaccini. This is a welded metal sculpture that was created on the 100th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower and has an almost tactile nature to it’s surfaces.

On the return journey, I was reading the in flight magazines. In the “High Life” magazine there was an article on investing in Hong Kong Artists, one that caught my attention was in a small box on one side.
“Other Hong Kong Artists to invest in”

Danny Lee sculpture, “Lee’s fluid and ovular sculptures in stainless steel evoke Chinese landscape, waterfalls and rain drops and even Chinese calligraphy”

Although I won’t be investing £12,000 in one of Danny’s pieces I will keep an eye out for more of his works and exhibitions.