From Monaco to Beijing: “Colors!” Exhibition Expands Monaco’s Cultural Reach in China

An exhibition that proved a major success on the Riviera is now preparing for its international debut in Asia. Colors! Masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou will open at the Beijing Minsheng Art Museum on 24 January 2026, following a highly attended summer presentation in Monaco.

During its run at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, the exhibition welcomed 76,500 visitors in just 55 days, ranking among the venue’s three most visited exhibitions to date, alongside landmark shows dedicated to Claude Monet and Grace Kelly. The strong attendance reinforced Monaco’s position as a destination for major international cultural productions.

For its Beijing presentation, which will run until 15 April 2026, the exhibition has been adapted specifically for its new context. The Grimaldi Forum Monaco is overseeing both production and scenography, with a redesigned layout tailored to the Chinese venue. The Beijing edition will also introduce dialogue between Western modern art and contemporary Chinese works, extending the exhibition’s scope and relevance for local audiences.

Originally conceived by Didier Ottinger, Deputy Director of the Centre Pompidou, with scenography by William Chatelain, Colors! brings together more than 100 major works of 20th-century art. Rather than following a chronological approach, the exhibition is structured around colour, using a circular layout that encourages intuitive exploration and broad accessibility.

This approach resonated strongly in Monaco, where nearly 40% of visitors were under the age of 25—a figure highlighted by Grimaldi Forum Director Sylvie Biancheri as a positive indicator for engaging new generations with major cultural events.

Beyond the artworks themselves, the exhibition incorporates immersive elements including spatial design, sound environments and subtle sensory cues, offering visitors a multi-dimensional experience.

With its arrival in Beijing, Colors! continues its journey as a cultural ambassador, carrying Monaco’s curatorial expertise and international outlook onto the global stage.