Project and history
Triangle-Astérides is a center for contemporary art of national interest based in Marseille (FR) at La Friche la Belle de Mai, a cultural cooperative located in a former tobacco factory, since 1994.
Triangle-Astérides articulates a rigorous program of exhibitions with research residencies for artists from international and French scenes outside Marseille and associate artists from the local scene, to which are added events, editorial projects and a thorough outreach program for all audiences.
Triangle-Astérides is part of international networks (notably the Triangle Network, which initiated the founding of Triangle-Astérides which remains a member while operating independently), as well as national and local networks (with the merger, in 2018, of Triangle France and Astérides). Connecting these different scales is at the heart of all its activities.
Mindful of each individual’s needs, Triangle-Astérides ensures, to the best of its ability, the accessibility of all its programs for the audience as well as for the invited artists (the building is accessible to people with disabilities, tours are offered in French Sign Language and upon request through audio description).
Triangle-Astérides is a non-profit association supported by the City of Marseille, the Ministry of Culture - Drac Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur Region and the Bouches du Rhône Department.
Key dates
— 1992: simultaneous creation of Astérides (by artists Gilles Barbier, Claire Maugeais, Jean-Christophe Nourisson and Sandrine Raquin) and the Système Friche Théâtre (SFT) association to manage and develop the Friche Belle de Mai project. The reconversion of this factory is in its early stages. Asterides took over the fifth floor of the Tower and built the first artists’ studios in the Wasteland, in what was the refectory of the Seita factory. The residencies began in 1993.
— 1994: creation at Friche Belle de Mai of Triangle France by artists Claire Lesteven (resident of Astérides) and Alun William (resident of Astérides and member of the Board of Directors of the Triangle Network founded in 1982 in New York, US , by the British Anthony Caro, artist, and Robert Loder, collector). The Triangle Network network is today inclued associative structures present in 40 countries around the world.
— 1995: Triangle France international workshop at the Marseille School of Fine Arts.
— 1997: development of the first exhibition space at La Friche and start of the regular program of Astérides and Triangle France (immediately mixing resident and guest artists).
— 2007: a Cooperative Society of Collective Interest (SCIC) is formed by the SFT association and historic residents of Friche Belle de Mai, including Triangle France.
— 2018: the Astérides and Triangle France associations pool their missions, programs and expertises. The association born from the merger is called Triangle-Asterides.
— 2021: Triangle-Asterides receives the label “Contemporary Art Center of National Interest” from the Ministry of Culture.
— 2024: for its 30th anniversary and thanks to the investment of its public partners, Triangle-Asterides is equipped with a new graphic identity and a new online platform reflecting the density and diversity of its programs (exhibitions and events, but also resident and associated artists, associate audiences, other public and editorial programs).