• The CCI plans to auction 187 objects from the 50,000 pieces in its collection, formerly on display at the Navy Museum.

    However, it denies wanting to squander this memory of Marseille trade.

  • To try to save this heritage, she will set up an endowment fund and call for the creation of a public interest group.

  • With the aim of creating “a maritime museum worthy of the name”.

"An unjust controversy," repeated Jean-Luc Chauvin in front of an audience of journalists in the honorary lounge of the Chamber of Commerce (CCI) of Marseille.

A controversy over the project to auction 187 pieces of the finest works from its rich heritage of nearly half a million pieces, of course, but which could have the virtue of having moved the lines.

In any case, this is what the boss of the Aix-Marseille chamber hopes, who took advantage of this exposure to grab the ball on the rebound.

“I am happy to see the interest that our heritage has aroused among public authorities,” he said, referring to various statements made in recent days.

Among those who stepped up to the plate, Jean-Marc Coppola.

The assistant to the culture of the town hall of Marseille denounced "a sale which is not acceptable", regretting that "that this fund is not classified as a museum of France, that would make it inalienable".

The President of the Region, Renaud Muselier had abounded in the same vein.

A naval museum?

Jean-Luc Chauvin, if he admits having "perhaps been clumsy in communication", and "not having done everything well", nevertheless recalled the efforts made, or rather the failures encountered, since 2017 to try to find a solution to the management of this fund.

Region, town hall, department, Mucem, "did not follow up or did not agree", he explained in substance.

Solutions sought to remedy the collapse of the CCI's budget linked to the refocusing of its activities solely on supporting businesses.

Between 2010 and 2022, its budget has increased from 53 million euros annually to 13.7 million.

Nevertheless, the objective remains the conservation of this fund and its highlighting, with the creation of “a marine museum worthy of the name”.

And for this, the CCI intends to appeal to private generosity and the mobilization of communities.

An endowment fund will be created to collect donations and an economic and cultural heritage committee, responsible for arbitrating the choices in the management of this fund, will be set up.

The next general meeting, scheduled for April 28, should ratify these announcements.

The Lyon example

But for the museum, it's a different story.

We may find it unfair that Paris, a well-known maritime city, has one, but that does not help matters.

The natural site for such a museum would be that of the maritime domain, ideally within the perimeter of the future new headquarters of the Grand Port Maritime.

To do this, the idea would be to set up a public interest grouping by bringing together the Region, department, metropolis and town hall…a whole programme.

However, this ambition has the merit of having an example: Lyon has done it for its weavers.

Although the museum buildings were already in existence, they were taken over after their closure by the Region and have since been under construction for an opening scheduled for 2023. Amount of the operation: 15 million euros, plus four or five million annual operating costs.

But Jean-Luc Chauvin, who is counting on "the generosity of the Marseillais", warns: the public market for the auction closes on March 29.

And it is not excluded that the profit from a possible sale, the amounts of which remain to be estimated, will be used for the development of this project, or for the conservation of the funds.

Society

Marseille: The local Medef ready to buy the heritage of the Chamber of Commerce at auction

Culture

Marseille: Swastikas, walled town hall, displaced building… the hidden curiosities of the Marseille city

  • Paca

  • Society

  • Auction

  • Marseilles

  • Heritage

  • artwork

  • 0 comment

  • 0 share

    • Share on Messenger

    • Share on Facebook

    • Share on Twitter

    • Share on Flipboard

    • Share on Pinterest

    • Share on Linkedin

    • Send by Mail

  • To safeguard

  • A fault ?

  • To print