WORDS OF WISDOM IN MONACO
WORDS OF WISDOM IN MONACO WITH MATÉO MORNAR
INTERVIEW by Nicole Laffont
Matéo Mornar in front of the lion in the olive tree park of the town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin with ‘ Pégasse ’ below
Сrédit Ville de Roquebrune
Born in Split , Croatia ( former Yugoslavia ), Matéo Mornar has been a Monaco resident for fifteen years . A double Croatian and French national , he defines himself as a ‘ citizen of the world ’ and above all , a free man . Approaching sculpture as if it were a religion , this tender-hearted colossus embarked on his artistic journey after working as a graphic designer and interior decorator . Recognized internationally and followed by many collectors , Prince Albert foremost , Matéo Mornar is constantly looking for new shapes and materials . Among his recent pharaonic projects are revolutionary ‘ habitable ’ sculptures designed to change our urban landscape .
Сrédit Ville de Roquebrune
HelloMonaco : How did you finish up in Monaco ?
Matéo Mornar : It all started with a drama in my workshop in the centre of Nice . Two men dressed as municipal workers rang the bell saying there was a gas leak in my house . As soon as I opened the door , they knocked me out . My son Nicolas fought them and screamed so loudly that the two criminals fled leaving behind a hat and a pair of glasses which later served to identify them . A few days later , Prince Albert learned about it and called me : ‘ You are going to come to Monaco !’. This is how I settled down in a very large space in the port .
: So the Prince knew who you were ...
MM : Yes of course . He would be by his father ’ s side when the latter visited my exhibitions . Prince Rainier really appreciated my work . He had acquired two of my bronze women sculptures and called me ‘ my little Croatian ’. We had met twenty years ago when I illustrated a layout for the princely history in Monaco …
28 / Hello Monaco Spring 2021 www . hellomonaco . com