Tendance Truly, it was the worst of times and the best of times for Art Basel Miami. Lessons were learned - hotel prices were dramati- cally lowered; and awarenesses sensitized - easier public access and transportation provided; and perhaps most importantly, the broader range of prices made buying a possibility. The positive results, hopefully, will be carried over into 2010. The world of art awaits. Cornelius Myers photos Gary Mercer 62 t endance
62 t endance ...Miami Tendance ogically the two cities involved should be Basel, Switzerland and Miami, Florida, but that is not the story of 2010 Art Basel Miami. The two cities are Miami 2008 and Miami 2009 - two dramatically different venues for this venerable, international art exhi- bit. In 2008 the usual suspects - collec- tors, galleries and investors in fine art - poured into the Convention Center in Miami Beach to act out what had become an elitist dance of ostentation and acquisi- tion. That year the number of private jets flying in for the show was larger than that of the rain drenched Miami Super Bowl. The champagne corks popped, the private parties paraded their celebrities and the paparazzi took their pound of flash for the world’s press; while the average passerby was relegated to pressing against the pri- vate UBS VIP lounge velvet ropes, in won- der at the conspicuous consumption going on for the insiders inside. Warhol’s $87,000,000 soup can was pro- minently on display - yes, we accept checks - emblematic of the other impossi- bly priced items of debatable value. What should be a glorious celebration of art at every level had once again arrived as an El Dorado of impossible dreams and unthinkable price tags. Enter the mad, malevolent Mr. Madoff as a dark winged harbinger of the collecting financial doom. As the news coverage unfolded concerning his investors - read victims - the pillars of the highest platforms of the art world’s elite began to shake until the entire house of credit cards crashed, taking the movers and shakers down with it. Even UBS, the primary sponsor of Art Basel was deeply wounded and ridiculed, as the United States forced the bank to divulge the pri- vate accounts of hundreds of their clients for tax retribution. Fears arose that Art Basel Miami 2009 would be a sponsorless shell of it’s former façade. The organizers and the art world responded admirably and courageously to this doomsday scena- rio by retrenching and redefining it’s pro- duct. As a result, Art Basel Miami 2009 is regarded as the most successful edition since it’s inception on the 4th of December 2003. At the same time, there was no downsizing of what is universally regarded as the most important art exhibition in the world. Instead there was a refocusing and re-evaluation that took into consideration the sensibilities of the art watching public, the needs of the exhibitors and artists; and extended a more accessible and less exclusive invitation for all to attend, won- der, and even to acquire art. The numbers serve to tell the story: 2,500 artists were exhibited; 250 of the world’s leading galleries - the same number as last year, but minus 75 from ‘08 who were scared off by the dip in the economy - 33 countries represented; 65,000 attendees; 19 satellite fairs; 500,000 square feet of exhibit space - up 120,000 from last year. An astounding 93% of the galleries repor- ted profit. No small wonder that the uni- versal comment from participants was, “...the optimism is back!!”. Perhaps the best example of a successful retrenching would be the Cartier Column. Last years Cartier exhibit was conducted under a huge, elaborate dome in the garden across from the Convention Center. It was next to impossible to gain access to unless you were credentialed as a glitteratti level client. This year Cartier approached Alessandro Mendini, a renowned Italian architect, to create a single object d’art using precious gems. He created an incre- dible column of perfectly matched pearls, emeralds, saphires, mandarin garnets, moonstones, diamonds, chalcedonies and rubies in an 8 foot high column of 20 ver- tical, crystal flutes. The piece incorpora- tes 50 pounds of 18 kt pink gold and more than 17,000 carats of gems. It stands as the most magnificent piece at the exhibit. Truly, it was the worst of times and the best of times for Art Basel Miami. Lessons were learned - hotel prices were dramati- cally lowered; and awarenesses sensitized - easier public access and transportation provided; and perhaps most importantly, the broader range of prices made buying a possibility. The positive results, hopefully, will be carried over into 2010. The world of art awaits. Cornelius Myers photos Gary Mercer ART BASEL MIAMI A TALE OF TWO CITIES L
Transcript
62 t endance
...MiamiTendance
ogically the two cities involvedshould be Basel, Switzerland andMiami, Florida, but that is not
the story of 2010 Art Basel Miami. Thetwo cities are Miami 2008 and Miami2009 - two dramatically different venuesfor this venerable, international art exhi-bit. In 2008 the usual suspects - collec-tors, galleries and investors in fine art -poured into the Convention Center inMiami Beach to act out what had becomean elitist dance of ostentation and acquisi-tion. That year the number of private jetsflying in for the show was larger than thatof the rain drenched Miami Super Bowl.The champagne corks popped, the privateparties paraded their celebrities and thepaparazzi took their pound of flash for theworld’s press; while the average passerbywas relegated to pressing against the pri-vate UBS VIP lounge velvet ropes, in won-der at the conspicuous consumption goingon for the insiders inside.
Warhol’s $87,000,000 soup can was pro-minently on display - yes, we acceptchecks - emblematic of the other impossi-bly priced items of debatable value. Whatshould be a glorious celebration of art atevery level had once again arrived as anEl Dorado of impossible dreams andunthinkable price tags. Enter the mad,malevolent Mr. Madoff as a dark wingedharbinger of the collecting financial doom.As the news coverage unfolded concerninghis investors - read victims - the pillars ofthe highest platforms of the art world’selite began to shake until the entire houseof credit cards crashed, taking the moversand shakers down with it. Even UBS, theprimary sponsor of Art Basel was deeplywounded and ridiculed, as the UnitedStates forced the bank to divulge the pri-vate accounts of hundreds of their clientsfor tax retribution. Fears arose that ArtBasel Miami 2009 would be a sponsorlessshell of it’s former façade. The organizersand the art world responded admirablyand courageously to this doomsday scena-rio by retrenching and redefining it’s pro-duct. As a result, Art Basel Miami 2009 isregarded as the most successful editionsince it’s inception on the 4th of December2003. At the same time, there was nodownsizing of what is universally regarded
as the most important art exhibition in theworld. Instead there was a refocusing andre-evaluation that took into considerationthe sensibilities of the art watching public,the needs of the exhibitors and artists; andextended a more accessible and lessexclusive invitation for all to attend, won-der, and even to acquire art.
The numbers serve to tell the story: 2,500artists were exhibited; 250 of the world’sleading galleries - the same number aslast year, but minus 75 from ‘08 who werescared off by the dip in the economy - 33countries represented; 65,000 attendees;19 satellite fairs; 500,000 square feet ofexhibit space - up 120,000 from last year.An astounding 93% of the galleries repor-ted profit. No small wonder that the uni-versal comment from participants was,“...the optimism is back!!”. Perhaps thebest example of a successful retrenchingwould be the Cartier Column. Last yearsCartier exhibit was conducted under ahuge, elaborate dome in the garden acrossfrom the Convention Center. It was next toimpossible to gain access to unless youwere credentialed as a glitteratti levelclient. This year Cartier approachedAlessandro Mendini, a renowned Italianarchitect, to create a single object d’artusing precious gems. He created an incre-dible column of perfectly matched pearls,emeralds, saphires, mandarin garnets,moonstones, diamonds, chalcedonies andrubies in an 8 foot high column of 20 ver-tical, crystal flutes. The piece incorpora-tes 50 pounds of 18 kt pink gold and morethan 17,000 carats of gems. It stands asthe most magnificent piece at the exhibit.
Truly, it was the worst of times and thebest of times for Art Basel Miami. Lessonswere learned - hotel prices were dramati-cally lowered; and awarenesses sensitized- easier public access and transportationprovided; and perhaps most importantly,the broader range of prices made buying apossibility. The positive results, hopefully,will be carried over into 2010. The worldof art awaits.
Cornelius Myers photos Gary Mercer
A R TB A S E LM I A M IA TA L E O FT W O C I T I E S
L
The Scope Art Fairin Miami’s ArtBasel satelliteexhibitions isalways a through
the looking glass-typeadventure. It contained an artwork unlike any other piece inthe fair. This was the solo showof Swiss and Croatian artistsComenius Roethlisbergerand Admir Jahic entitled “ForBig Mistakes, ErasedPrincess Diana Drawings”.At first glance, the framed blankpieces of paper encased in plexi-glass boxes were devoid of anyimages. Curiouser and curiouser.On closer inspection they werefound to contain an old, usedpink eraser, and on the paperswere faint traces of drawings.Plunging deeper in to the rabbithole made apparent the remainsof used eraser shavings at thebottom. The story behind thework is intriguing. The two arti-sts, posing as an anonymousSwiss collector, bought an era-ser from Princess Diana’sschooldays. The large, pinkeraser has printed on it’s surfacethe phrase “For Big Mistakes.”
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The disappearing Princess DianaThe artists then drew different portraits ofPrincess Diana and Prince Charles with apencil, and then put the eraser to work and era-sed the drawings.The shavings from the erasures,along with the graphite from the pencil imageswere collected and placed in the frames.Is this a reflection on the temporal aspects of
portraiture, a comment on how pop-culture iconsshould be erased from contemporary art, or a tri-bute to the mistake business end of the pencil? Itis all enough to make a speculating rabbit late.
Cornelius Myers
H O P S C O T C H I N G T H E S C E N E A TART BASEL 2009
aris born artist SylvieRobert brought herdigital art to LaPiagia - the chicestrestaurant in SouthBeach - to celebrate
Art Basel 2009. Entitled"Glamour and Diamonds" shedisplayed a digital homage toLiz Taylor and AudreyHepburn that had the packedhouse of international, celebritypatrons buzzing with excite-ment. Her use of color, designand dimension produces a spe-cial exotic energy that drawsthe viewer into her work andprovokes pleasure and emotion
nastasia was born in Russia, in 1966, on Aprilthe 15th, coinciding with the birth date ofLeonardo da Vinci. She was raised in an ortho-
dox monastery and was offered a genuine classical edu-cation, emphasizing in painting and restoration of antiqueicons. At the early age of five, she had already begunmaking copies of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings. She waspresenting her last works at Grove Isle. Anastasiais the one and only artist who was entrusted to make agiant icon for Ziff Ballet Opera House - Performing ArtsCenter of Miami, using 24k gold leaves. She is currentlyliving and working between Italy, Greece and USA and co-operates with major charity foundations, donating her artfor philanthropic purposes. She has managed to establi-sh a personal style, inspired by the early Byzantine ico-nography, endorsing impressions of Hellenistic andRoman art.
Sylvie Robert atLa Piagia
A n a s t a s i a a t G r o v e I s l e
A P
...Florida& Lifestyle
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LES DAMESDE MIAMI
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L o n d o n - C a n a d a - M e x i c o - P a r i s - B u e n o s A i r e s - S a o P a u l o
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uliette Ezagui, one of the Unicorn Foundation’s current directors (LoriCabrera; Elisabeth Dalfen; Eric Dorsky, Esq.; Joanne Gabay; MadelineHillsberg; Genevieve Murphy; Valeria Rosenbloom; and Jeannette Stark ) wel-comes friends from Monte Carlo, Charlotte and Gaetana Otto-Bruc andJacqueline Lestrade along with Victoria London from Key Biscayne, for
the presentation of 2010-2011 program.
J
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...PeopleInternational
true socialite and generousheart, as well as a fashionaddict and business woman,Claudine Smurfit is indeed anESSENTIAL part of the Miami
scene . In addition to her commitmentto Alzheimer's, Claudine is involved innumerous causes ranging from AIDSto Domestic Violence to Diabetes. Sheserves as an Honorary Chairman ofthe N'Aamat Organization, is a mem-ber of the Miami Country Day SchoolBoard of Trustees, and is Presidentand Founder of the Children'sResource Fund. The proud mother oftwo sons, Claudine is funding the buil-ding of a hospital and orphanage inRomania. We were lucky enough tomeet her in her Turnberry Aventuraestate, where she shared with us andher younguest son, her best memoriesand souvenirs from around the worldwith people of the highest infuence,including HSH Prince Rainier ofMonaco and President Bill Clinton.
Claudine Smurfit
Welcome little one
playing golf with HSH Prince Rainier of Monaco Claudine with President Bill Clinton
Claudine with her younguest son
A
heodore JamesGary has justbeen born May7th 2010, to
happy parents, Mariaand Alexander Gary.Congratulations to thewhole family... LittleTheodore is surroun-ded by the sweetestf a i r i e s : B e a t r i c eClancy, Lucilla Schmitzand Monica Heftler.
T
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elebrated shoe and fashiondesigner Leah Vixamar'slatest collection was on
display at the beautiful andhistoric art deco Hotel Nationalin South Beach as part of the ArtBasel fever that overtakes Miamieach year. Her "Living Art"fashion show featured a casadeof colors, creativity, and fantasy,literally from head to toe - withmannequins constantly swirlingaround the azure blue swimmingpool to a blizzard of flash bulbs,pulsing music and cheers
tect that built SouthBeach and created StarIsland - opens his incre-dible mansion and it'sgrounds to a highly selectgroup of revelers andfriends to signal the ope-ning of Art Basel. The glit-
tering evening was desi-gned by PR specialistHope Gainer of HopeInternational. Surroundedby his personal art collec-tion and scantily dressedmodels (some cycling onenergy bikes), nourishedby an exotic buffet and sti-mulated by DJ/ArtistJanet's driving sounds,the guests gathered tocelebrate this year's ArtBasel and the incredibleart scene that Miami hasbecome. The stars overStar Island were givingaway to dawn as the lastguests departed.
E
...MiamiTendance
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...MotorcarsTendance
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...VoyagesInternational
PACKARDSTILL PACKING THEM IN
text by CORNELIUS MYERS photos by CHARLOTTE OTTO BRUC
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...Motorcars& Life Style
PACKARD, STILLPACKING THEM IN
The 1920’s was a epoch ofindividual expression andclass. It was a time whenyour motorcar was a perso-nal statement; not the march
of the penguins that we see at every stoplight in America today. No cookie cuttercabriolets or coaches, but masterpieces ofmotoring design and innovation.
The spirit, ingenuity and beauty ofthis era in automotive history can berecaptured by a visit to the FortLauderdale Antique Care Museum inFlorida. On display are 22 Packard motorcars from the 1900’s to the 1940’s, all infull working order. It is an homage to insu-re the preservation of the history of thePackard Motor Co. - creators of the carsthat were regarded as the the Rolls Royce ofAmerica - and to show the amazing level ofskill in American engineering. Themuseum is a reproduction of aPackard showroom from the 1920’s.There are Packards of every description -from Roadsters to a Fire Engine. Each gli-stens as if it has just arrived from the fac-tory. The 18,000 square foot building is alsocrammed with thousands of pieces ofmemorabilia. It took twenty five years ofpainstaking loving research, planning andconstruction by Arthur Stone and his wifeShirley to make their dream a reality and toafford visitors a unique view into Americanautomotive history. It is a trip back in timeto a period when the great American loveaffair with cars was as shiny and solid asthe Packards themselves.
If you go:Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum1527 Southwest 1st AvenueFort Lauderdale, FL954- 779 7300
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...FloridaTendance
text by CORNELIUS MYERS photos by CHARLOTTE OTTO BRUC
...EcuadorTendance
text
Ecuador has been flying underthe tourism radar for decades,but now, finally, it is emergingas a prime travel destination.The Galapagos stands out as a
hugely-- desirable and powerful tourism expe-rience. The rest of the country, however offersjust as much, if not more than the Archipelago.The history, culture, diversity and naturalbeauty of Ecuador are capturing the attentionof tourists around the world.
Quasar Expeditions, in Quito, offers a sixday land package tour of Ecuador as anadjunct to the cruise of the Galapagos.Although it is brief, it is designed to provide aninsight to and a flavor of Ecuador and it’s peo-ple. The tour is called “Along the Avenueof the Volcanoes;” a phrase coined byAlexander Van Humboldt, the German natura-list and explorer, after whom the Humboldtcurrent was named. It is an appropriate namefor this impressive mountain range of theAndes.
The “Avenue” runs for 325 km and boastsEcuador’s highest peak, Chimborazo,standing 6,526 meters, and once thought to bethe world’s highest mountain until the disco-very of Mount Everest. The world’s highestactive volcano, Cotopaxi, stands at 5,897meters along the corridor which includes nineof the highest peaks in Ecuador and theworld.Some of these green, terraced moun-tains of fire, standing against a backdrop oftowering snow capped volcanoes, dominatethe views above Quito, our first destination.
It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNE-SCO because it is the best preserved and leastaltered historic center in Latin America.
A S L E E P I N G
V OLCANO
A W A K E N S
text BY CORNELIUS MYERS photos by CHARLOTTE OTTO BRUC
E C U A D O R
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Judging by Quito alone, Ecuador may bethe smallest, but it is the most ecologi-cally and ethnically diversified country inSouth America. In fact, during our tourwe will encounter white, black, indige-nous and mestizo people everywhere wego. They are universally friendly, warmand welcoming.
Quito’s colonial center is a maze of nar-row streets, exquisite monasteries andchurches. The restoration of all of thesefeatures has been extensive and true tothe history of the city. The jumble ofstreets opens onto wide, cobbled plazaslined with mansions and colorful, balco-nied houses. There is a buzz of energyabout the old town as some of the 1.8 mil-lion residents make their way to places ofbusiness, boutiques, markets, restau-rants and houses of worship.AlthoughQuito is a modern city - particularly inthe new town, with it’s concentration ofbanks, shops, bars, hotels and restau-rants - it is not uncommon to see indige-nous, Quichua-speaking women waitingfor buses in traditional clothing withyards of beads strung tightly around theirnecks; or children being carried on theirmother’s backs wrapped in hand loomed,colorful blankets.
There are a number of hotels in the oldtown that have been restored to their for-mer magnificence with great effect. ThePatio Andaluz is located in a fabulous old
building dating from the 16th century. It featu-res colonnaded courtyards and balconies.Another recently restored hotel, Plaza Grande,is located on the historic Plaza de laIndependencia. It’s rejuvenated glory capturesthe regal beauty of Quito’s rich colonialhistory.
The Plaza de la Independencia, or PlazaGrande was first laid out with a string andruler in 1534. The original dimensions havebeen preserved and the plaza and surroundingstreets have been established as a pedestrianzone. There are two other two main plazas tovisit in the old town, Plaza Santo Domingo andPlaza San Francisco. The cathedral and theArchbishop’s Palace on the Plaza have bothbeen restored, as have most of the neoclassi-cal buildings in the neighborhood. Culturalevents are scheduled daily on a busy calendarof dance, symphonies, opera, art and music.The Centro Cultural Metropolitano is at thehub of many of these activities as the focus ofcultural life in the old town.Nearby, the Iglesiade La Merced, built in the eighteenth century,features an amazing Baroque and Moorishinterior. The Museo Nacional de Arte Colonial,inside a sixteenth-century colonial house hasa vast collection of religious art. Perhaps themost opulent of all the houses of worship is LaCompania with it’s seven tons of gold leaf,facade of carved volcanic stone and twistedcolumns. It was built by the Jesuits between1605 and 1765 and completed two years befo-re Spain expelled the order from the continent.Rising over the southern edge of the old town
...VoyagesInternational
ECUADOR smallest most
ecologically & ethnically diversified
country in SouthAmerica
is the hill El Panecillo, crowned by a thirtymeter high statue of the Virgin of Quito,overlooking the city. It is the largest bronzestatue in the world. The next stop on thetour is the world-renowned market ofOtavalo. For hundreds of years surroundingvillages have brought their crafts and pro-duce here. Today the market serves not onlyas a showplace for producers across thecountry, but as one of Ecuador’s top attrac-tions.There is still a genuine feel about themarketplace. Otavalenos have been accom-plished weavers since pre-colonial timesand the products of their skills are still ondisplay throughout the mind-boggling laby-rinth of the market. Carvings, crafts, cera-mics, tapestries, Panama hats (yes they aremade in Ecuador) and garments areeverywhere. Leather crafts are centered inthe town of Cotacachi, nearby.
Travel tips for ECUADOR
If you decide to go contact:Quito Ecuador Tourism Board(593 2) 2993300Fax: (593 2) 2993341www.quito.com.ec
Quito is the third largest city in Ecuador; acountry named after it’s position stradd-ling the equator. It is situated betweenColombia and Peru, and is the smallestAndean nation. Quito is also one of the
world’s highest capitals at 2,830 meters
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text BY CORNELIUS MYERS photos by CHARLOTTE OTTO BRUC
The Hacienda Zuleta, built byJesuits in the 17th century,is a highlight of the tour. Itwas deeded by the King ofSpain to Canon Garbriel
Zuleta in 1713. The 4,000 acreranch/farm is the largest private propertyin Ecuador and has been owned by theGalo Plaza family (the former President ofEcuador) for generations. His descendant,Fernando Polanco Plaza is the generalmanager of the property. It is immediatelyapparent that this is a special place. Thegardens are filled with colorful flowers ofthe region. Each guest room is individual-ly decorated, and has it’s own wood bur-ning fireplace. Everything from the bedcover to the shower curtain is locally handembroidered. At 5 PM each evening guestscongregate in front of the huge fireplace inthe spacious living room for wine, cheese,made on the property, and conversation.There is a two story library with 1000volumes available. At dinner the excellentEcuadorian cuisine - prepared with home-grown food from the organic garden - isserved. Homemade jam from the fruitorchards and freshly baked bread from thekitchen, butter and cream from the dairyand large caldrons of homemadeEcuadorian soup grace the table.
Beyond the floral, dining and architecturalcharms of the hacienda is an energy thatdrives a large variety of activities beyondtourism. The cheese factory, on the pro-perty, uses the milk from the largeHolstein herd at the ranch to hand makeeleven varieties of semi-aged cheese.Several varieties are exported internatio-nally. There is also the production of acompletely organic fertilizer that is chan-ging the way crops are grown.
The horse barn is home to 90 Zuletenohorses, a rare breed of AndalusianThoroughbred and Quarter horses.You can ride up into the 9,000-foot highcountryside on these magnificent animals.Along the trail is a trout farm, producingthousands of trout for the Hacienda’sdining table and restaurants around theworld.Further on is the CondorRehabilitation Project with some ofthe 60 remaining Andean Condors in theregion. The huge ebony birds, with wing-spans of 9-10 feet, are protected in anenormous aviary until they are ready to bereleased. Not all the activities are agricul-tural. The family has an active and com-mitted charitable foundation thatdonates to the libraries, supports theschools, trains the farmers in modernorganic techniques and contributes to the
communities at large. The driving, hyper-active force behind these activities isFernando Polanco Plaza. He provides theinspiration for all these projects and manymore besides; and his energy seemsboundless. Add to this his great ability tobe a gracious host and you have a comple-te renaissance man, who honors thememory of his ancestors and their philo-sophy of life, while he gazes into the futu-re of his Hacienda and his country as well.
Cotopaxi stands tall among the “Avenueof the Volcanoes: at 5,897 meters (19348feet) above sea level. It is the highest acti-ve volcano in the world, but as we approa-ch it’s base it seems serenely snowcappedand majestic. The perfect symmetry of thecone covered in a thick blanket of purewhite snow, reflecting the sunlight so bril-liantly, makes the mountain seem otherworldly. But, it is a killer with at least 10major eruptions since 1742 that havedevastated the countryside.
The volcano is in the middle of the ParqueNacional Cotopaxi that covers 330square kilometers. The park is the homefor wild horses, over ninety species ofbirds, white-tailed deer, Andean foxes andpumas. Construction of any kind is forbid-den.
There are the ruins of an Inca fort nearthe base, that overlooks the surroundinglandscape in all four points of the com-pass. Strategically it was perfectly placedagainst any surprise attack. Today, howe-ver, †it is under assault by the intrepidtourists from all over the world who maketheir way here in the thin, crisp air for aphotograph of the most photogenic volca-no in the “Avenue of Volcanoes.”
Ecuador has a democratically electedPresident, Rafael Correa. The 56th pre-sident, elected in 2007 and re-elected in2009, is an American trained economistwho supports using the U.S. dollar as hisnational currency. The wars with Peru areover and the country is looking to a newera of prosperity, ploughing billions intosocial projects, particularly for the poor.
Emphasis on tourism - on the attractionsof the mainland and not the Galapagos - isvery strong. After decades of war, civilianand military dictatorships, domination bya handful of powerful families and ram-pant poverty, it seems that Ecuador,like a sleeping volcano, is awake-ning to the 21st century.
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État souverain depuisl’an 954, Principauté en1079, Monnaie propredepuis environ 1630,Hôtel des Monnaiesdepuis 1666 Protectoratpersonnel des Savoie1729/1749-1798,1814-1946, jamais annexé niannexable par l’Italie,Institutions refondées1963/1995
...Tourismetendance
La Principauté de Seborga ne fut jamais enre-gistrée officiellement parmi les propriétés dela maison de Savoie. L’origine de Seborga estantérieure au 10ème siècle. Il s’agit d’un ancienfief des Comtes de Vintimille, qui a été cédé aux AbbésBénédictins des Iles de Lérins (en face de Cannes).En se promenant dans les ruelles du village, onremarque des traces de son passé si particulier,notamment illustré par des peintures de ChevaliersTempliers (qui furent, au 12ème siècle, Princes deSeborga) sur les murs des maisons. Dans les années1960, ses habitants se mirent à revendiquer leurindépendance, élirent un prince, recommencèrent àbattre monnaie et à émettre des timbre. La « reven-dication d’indépendance » de Seborga constitue plusprécisément la reprise de sa souveraineté qui n’ajamais cessé d’exister malgré son administration civi-le par l’Italie. Seborga n’a jamais été une propriété dela Maison de Savoie, mais son Protectorat (ce quiexplique sa non-annexion par le Royaume dePiémont-Sardaigne rebaptisé « Royaume d’Italie » en1861, dont la République Italienne a hérité les droitset devoirs en Droit International)
La Principauté de Seborga est une Monarchie électi-ve depuis le haut Moyen-Âge et sa reprise de souve-raineté a logiquement mené à l’élection d’un nouveauPrince : il ne s’agit pas d’une innovation.
La monnaie séborgienne été créée vers 1630.Sa pro-duction a seulement redémarré (en 1995).
Le site gouvernemental officiel a pour adres-se www.seborga.homeip.nets
omme Monaco, mais à plus petiteéchelle (2000 habitants !) Seborgaest une Principauté. Cet état indé-pendant, dont le souverrain a le titrede Prince démocratiquement
élu, et qui nomme un conseil des ministres etdes consuls) édite sa propre monnaie, sestimbres et son journal. Le village de Seborga,situé à 500 mètres d’altitude, bénéficie d’unpanorama exceptionnel sur tout le littoralazuréenet sur les sommets des AlpesMaritimes. Il s’étend sur un territoire de 14km2 où résident plus de 2 000 habitants, maisne possède aucune reconnaissance juridiqueau niveau international. Son drapeau bleu cielpavoise les ruelles pavées, 3 restaurants pro-posent des spécialités de gibier et de poisson.Dans les petites boutiques, on trouve le vin(rouge) de la Principauté à 4 la bouteille (etil est plutôt bon !), la Grappa aromatisée àplusieurs parfum et divers gadgets…
Les Séborgiens ont élu en avril 2010leur nouveau prince : MarcelloMenegatto. Marcello I1er jeune souverainâgé de 31 ans seulement a battu l’autre pré-tendant au trône, Pepi Morgia, par 89 voixcontre 67. Marcello Ier succède ainsi au prin-ce Giorgio Ier, disparu en novembre 2009.Son règne va durer sept ans. « Je suistrès heureux de devenir le nouveau prince deSeborga. J’entends poursuivre l’action menéepar Giorgio Ier, notamment pour l’indépendan-ce du pays et pour le tourisme », déclare lesouverain.
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