Current exhibition
The Dora Maar Cultural Center provides year-long cultural programming at the historic Hôtel de Tingry.
From June 27th to September 27th, the DMCC and the curator Frauke V. Josenhans present an exhibition of Afghan-Canadian artist Hangama Amiri in France. The presentation at Hôtel de Tingry features fifteen new and recent works by the Hangama Amiri, highlighting her engagement with textiles to create images that evoke cultural memory and belonging. The exhibition Hangama Amiri: Through the objects examines the notion of “domestic objects”, and how their functional character and emotional weight blend, making them bearers of complex longings, while at the same time offering a way to put down new roots.
Opening hours during exhibition: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 PM to 6 PM (free entry)
Hôtel de Tingry, rue Cornille, 84560 Ménerbes
History
The Hôtel de Tingry, classified as a historic monument, was the personal residence of Nancy Brown Negley for about 13 years. The building was erected in the 18th century by Joseph Balthazard des Laurents, whose descendant, Éléonore Pulchérie des Laurents, married Charles François Christian Montmorency-Luxembourg, Prince of Tingry, who gave his name to the residence.
In 1781, the Count of Rantzau, captain of the king of Denmark, found refuge in these places and lived there until his death in 1789. Nancy Brown Negley bought the hotel in the 1990s and lived there until 2013, turning it into a place where curious minds could gather around an extensive library, a garden with breathtaking views of the Luberon, and welcoming spaces.
In 2020, Nancy Brown Negley donated the Hôtel de Tingry to the Mérimée Foundation and the Nancy B. Negley Association to become a hub for local cultural activities.
NANCY NEGLEY Story
Nancy Brown Negley lived a life of passion and commitment, touching many with her generosity and open spirit. The eldest daughter of George R. Brown, she grew up in Houston, Texas. She inherited from her father and her uncle Herman Brown their vision and daring to build and create. From her mother Alice Brown, Nancy inherited a passion for historic preservation and the arts.
Her personal practice as a painter gave her empathy for other artists, whom she supported both individually and through institutions. Many individual creative people were helped by her at a crucial moment in their careers, and the world we live in is richer in immeasurable ways.
When she could no longer travel to France, she wanted to cement her life’s mission to nurture the creative spirit. She donated her own home Hotel de Tingry and the Dora Maar House to a non-profit foundation which continues her life’s work.
