Monaco, March 4, 2026 - Now on view at Le Méridien Beach Plaza, Japan Highlights offers an immersive exploration of Japan through the complementary perspectives of Franck Solimeis and Carole Micallef. The exhibition, which opened on March 2 and runs through June 15, examines the contrasts of a country where centuries-old traditions coexist with cutting-edge modernity.
Blending photography and digital artistry, the show presents quiet temples, contemplative landscapes, vibrant cities and contemporary aesthetics in a layered artistic dialogue. It forms part of a broader celebration of Japan at the hotel, coinciding with the forthcoming opening of a new Japanese dining destination within the property.
Franck Solimeis, a self-taught photographer born in Monaco, has developed a distinctive visual language shaped by travels to Greenland, Namibia, the Atacama Desert and Madagascar. In Japan, he has said, he found a deeply personal connection. Through his lens, he captures the stillness of temples, the precision of time-honored gestures and the energy of sprawling metropolises, revealing what he describes as a multifaceted Japan - at once ancient and ultra-modern.
“I’m not sure whether photography led me to travel, or whether my love of travel inspired me to capture these unique moments,” Mr. Solimeis said in a statement. “Japan has become a country close to my heart. I feel a deep sense of harmony there, both with my energy and my spirituality. It is this duality between tradition and modernity that I sought to reveal.”
In dialogue with this photographic perspective, Carole Micallef brings a practice that blends craftsmanship, drawing and digital creation. Her work has included pottery painting, wood engraving, macramé and mixed media. Known for reimagining vintage and found objects through painting and engraving, she began incorporating digital tools into her practice in 2024, while maintaining a hands-on creative process without the use of artificial intelligence.
That evolution gave rise to her collection Women of the World, celebrating identity, culture and inner feminine strength. Her work Tokyo Planet, recipient of the 2024 Audience Prize at the Monaco Artists Forum, exemplifies her fusion of artistic heritage and technological modernity. Within Japan Highlights, her pieces extend the journey initiated through photography into a more symbolic and introspective interpretation of contemporary Japan.
The exhibition is presented at the Méridien Hub, the hotel’s lobby space dedicated to cultural programming, which hosts four exhibitions annually featuring both emerging and established artists. The initiative reflects Le Méridien’s philosophy of hospitality as a gateway to cultural discovery.
Photo credits: Courtesy of Le Méridien Beach Plaza