The Nomad – Bastion St. Jaume

In 2007, the greatNomad was presented as part of a temporary exhibition at Bastion St. Jaume – organized by the Picasso Museum and dedicated to Catalan artist Jaume Plensa.

In 2010, however, the monumental sculpture returns as a permanent part of Antibes’ diverse culture. It is now a standing invitation to travel through the sculpture, whose space – made of emptiness and silence – beyond the material (painted stainless steel) that makes it up, opens and unfolds around it.

She is now the giant figurehead of the bastion and stands today as a modern landmark for a city with an ancient history.

Broad support made the difference
It was acquired by the city of Antibes with the participation of the State, the Regional Museum Acquisition Fund (Ministry of Culture and Communication), the Association of Friends of the Picasso Museum, the Mixed Economy Joint Stock Company of Port Vauban and the International Yacht Club of Antibes.

History of Bastion St. Jaume
After housing a temple and then a chapel in Roman times, a fortified tower was built on Saint-Jaume, which was later completely destroyed in the 17th century. 

A few decades later, the Bastion shipyard was built here and in 1950, Captain Jacques Cousteau’s famous ship Calypso was rebuilt to suit Cousteau’s wishes. The shipyard later closed in 1985.

The site of the shipyard was cleared and is now a large area highlighting the famous fortified bastion, which was beautifully renovated in 2005 to restore its original look.

To celebrate the new Renaissance look and renovation, a major event was organized in the summer of 2007, where artist Jaume Plensa was invited to exhibit his monumental Nomad, which is now an integral part of the bastion experience.

Free entry.

By Tommy Sverre – updated 2025