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Cartier. The name immediately brings to mind high fashion and luxury. The well-known luxury jewelry and watch company has long been associated with providing their jewelry and timepieces to royalty and celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor. Yet, manufacturing ultra-luxe fashion accessories is not the only undertaking the Cartier Company is know for. Cartier has also long been involved with the contemporary art scene, having established the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a contemporary art museum in Paris. The Fondation’s current exhibition takes a unique look at the world of mathematics.

The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, or simply Fondation Cartier, was established by the Cartier Company in 1984. The purpose of the Fondation was to establish a center for contemporary art that would not only by a place for established artists to exhibit their work, but would also be a venue where young artists would have a chance to debut. In 1994, Fondation Cartier moved to its current location at 261 boulevard Raspail in Paris, with a building designed by architect Jean Nouvel.

Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain

The museum has on display over a 1000 works by 300 artists. Some of the works within Fondation Cartier include “The Monument to Language” by James lee Byars, “Everything That Rises Must Converge” by Sarah Sze, and “Caterpillar” by Wim Delroye. The museum includes works by French artists as well as international ones.

Fondation Cartier currently has a unique exhibition on display. This exhibition, entitled “Mathematics: A Beautiful Elsewhere,” has brought together mathematicians and artists to create work together. Mathematicians often talk about the beauty and elegance of equations or numerical patterns. Yet, for many people, the beauty of these abstract principles is hard to see. With Fondation Cartier’s latest exhibition, mathematicians have paired with artists to create visual works of art to convey the elegance of mathematics to a wider audience. “Mathematics: A Beautiful Elsewhere” runs through March 18, 2012 at Fondation Cartier.

Cartier has long been a heavyweight contender in the luxury watch and jewelry market. The brand’s pieces are well-known throughout the world. With the founding of Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, Cartier has shown that the company’s interests lie in much more than just watches and jewelry. Fondation Cartier is a place where contemporary art and new unique exhibitions can be seen, as “Mathematics: A Beautiful Elsewhere” shows.

The Room of Four Mysteries, part of Fondation Cartier's Newest Exhibition