How has the Casino evolved over the last 25 years?

It permanently evolves. When the Casino was founded, it was the first place [in Luxembourg] where you could see and experience international contemporary art. The environment has developed; new venues have joined. The Casino isn’t alone anymore with a monopoly on contemporary art. We must make sure to find our path in this evolution. We adapt; we evolve; we see what the cultural scene has to offer.

You’ve been artistic director since 2009. What have been some of your highlights?

There are many highlights and many great memories. Next year, we are hosting an exhibition of a project we’ve been following for nearly ten years by French artists Fabien Giraud and Raphaël Siboni. In 2014 there was a first exhibition, the second in 2018, and the third and last one will be in 2022. To follow this has been very exciting. There are a lot of international collaborations. A real network has developed. We try to stay cutting-edge, experimental, to give artists a platform where they can blossom and try things that they can’t do in the art market or a museum institution.

The pandemic has probably been more of a challenge than a highlight. How have you experienced this past year?

It was strange, closing down in the spring not knowing when we’d reopen. We work according to a schedule, a programme. And when everything collapses from one day to the next, you must rethink. It was strange to see exhibitions that just sit there, works that aren’t alive in the interaction with the audience. Luckily, we weren’t closed that long, but it had an impact.

The Museum Days are taking place this year on 15 and 16 May. What can visitors expect given the constraints?

Everything is a bit more stretched across the two days, less compact than normally. But we’re adapting; we’re open. Every museum has its own concept. We’re well equipped to welcome people. We have a small programme of events, a film screening. It’s not the same as in previous years but people adjust.

What are the wider implications of the pandemic for the contemporary art world?

The art world is organised around big events where people meet and exchange, around fairs, galleries. When all these things cease, what remains to keep the art world alive? The art itself. But the market needs places where collectors get together. A lot of artists are cooped up in their studios, which is great, because they can work. But it’s also isolating. They cannot travel to where they need to be. Preparing an exhibition is difficult. It’s challenging.

Where do you see the Casino’s role in promoting Luxembourg artists?

We work a lot with Luxembourg artists, not only locally but also internationally. We’re now also in a generation of artists for whom the Casino has always existed. In February, we opened a new space, the Casino Display. It shows very young artists. But it’s also a place where young people who are curious about studying art or who want to get an insight can go and receive advice, have discussions.

Does contemporary art still have to compete with more traditional art?

There are always people who prefer more classical or traditional art. We facilitate access. But the ambition of an exhibition shouldn’t be determined by appealing to the public. When audiences become used to being confronted with contemporary art, they become more comfortable with it. You need an open mind.

Luxembourg marks its first Museum Days since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic on 15 and 16 May. The full line-up of activities and exhibitions can be found online.