Photo credits: AMP Monaco
In the refined heart of Monaco, a unique fusion of art, gastronomy, and philanthropy is quietly unfolding. With the official opening of the CHOKOLASHOW® 2025 exhibition on September 25, the Principality welcomes the second edition of an initiative that redefines the contours of sensory experience and artistic innovation - through chocolate.
Housed at the elegant Wannenes Art Contact gallery, the exhibition presents eight original works created by artists selected for this year’s edition of CHOKOLASHOW®, each crafted from large slabs of chocolate and inspired by nautical symbols, drawn by lot earlier this month. The identities of the artists remain undisclosed, with each piece displayed anonymously and identified only by number. The intent is clear: to allow for an open and unbiased public vote.
Visitors to Wannenes - located in central Monte-Carlo - are invited to cast their vote in person by selecting their favorite numbered piece and submitting a ballot on-site. Voting remains open until October 10, and the piece receiving the most public votes will be revealed - and its creator honored - during the Village CHOKOLASHOW®, scheduled for October 13–14 at the Hôtel Méridien Beach Plaza.
Conceived and organized by the Association Monaco International Hub, under the leadership of journalist Maria Bologna, CHOKOLASHOW® is not merely an art show. It is a celebration of creative collaboration, one that draws together artists, chefs, educators, and social advocates in a shared pursuit of cultural engagement and charitable giving.
Photo credits: AMP Monaco
At the heart of the initiative lies a deep commitment to solidarity. On the evening of October 14, a charity auction will see each of the eight chocolate sculptures sold to benefit eight nonprofit organizations, drawn at random in a gesture of equitable support. The auction, followed by a gastronomic dinner prepared by Executive Chef Laurent Collin, will take place in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, underscoring the event’s cultural and civic significance.
This year's edition also introduces a novel immersive workshop, titled “Choco-thérapie”, led by Monica Di Rocco, a practicing art therapist and educator in both Italy and Monaco. Scheduled for October 14, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., the session aims to explore the therapeutic and symbolic power of chocolate through hands-on artistic engagement.
The broader Village CHOKOLASHOW® experience promises a vibrant landscape of culinary exploration, artistic discovery, and community engagement. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days, it will offer tastings of experimental chocolate creations, thematic workshops, and informal gatherings - a rare confluence where flavor meets form, and where philanthropy becomes participatory.
What began as a bold idea - transforming chocolate into a medium of artistic and social expression - has, in its second year, taken on the shape of a meaningful tradition. In Monaco this autumn, chocolate is not just something to be tasted. It is something to be seen, to be felt, and above all, to be shared.