Centre Pompidou launches #PompidouVIP to highlight 20 masterpieces

On December 11, 2020, the Centre Pompidou in Paris launched #PompidouVIP, a cultural marketing project designed to enhance visitor experiences with its extensive modern and contemporary art collection. President Serge Lasvignes pointed out that while 60% of attendees are repeat visitors, many perceive the museum primarily as an architectural landmark. The institution, which boasts Europe’s largest collection of 12,000 artworks, curated around 20 'lighthouse works' based on a 'crystallization' method to foster immediate emotional connections. Input came from curators, mediators, semioticians, and public surveys. This initiative particularly targets less experienced visitors, notably from Asia, who typically spend only 30 minutes at the museum. Featured artists include Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, and Joan Miró, among others. To maintain accessibility, the museum will restrict loans of these selected pieces. Additionally, free podcasts in French and English, available via Wi-Fi or for download, will explore themes such as abstraction and the societal role of artists. Notably, Frida Kahlo's 'The Frame' is emphasized as the sole Kahlo piece in a European museum collection, recently returned from Lille.