Rémy Kerténian

Art at heart

Rémy Kerténian, the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Toulon and a member of the Académie du Var, has been passionate about art since he was very young. “As a child I was fascinated by art in all its forms. My parents gave me the opportunity to go to museums, the theatre and opera. Seeing my sense of wonder, they supported and encouraged my curiosity, allowing me the freedom to make my own discoveries.” So what could be more natural for Kerténian than to study the history of art at the University of Aix-en-Provence and turn his passion into a full-time job! Having specialised in the history of decorative arts, costumes and fashion, Kerténian now teaches the History and Sociology of Fashion and has contributed to numerous exhibition catalogues and books, enabling him to fulfil his insatiable desire to share his expertise: “Keeping your knowledge to yourself doesn’t make sense. Communicating and sharing are what really drive me.” His heart beats more intensely for the city of Toulon, for which he is spearheading a host of projects. His philosophy? “To give the public access to heritage, major facilities and services through political will.” In recent years he has been involved in two major projects, the construction of the Chalucet media library opposite a large landscaped park in the heart of the district of Creativity and Knowledge, a project led by architect Corinne Vezzoni, and the renovation of the Musée d’Art de Toulon, which has undergone a profound transformation while respecting its past. He is currently focusing on two other major projects, the restoration of Toulon cathedral and the construction of a media library in a public garden in the district of Saint-Jean-du-Var.

By Valérie Rouger