Paris has always been a city loved by artists. How can it not be? Paris is beautiful twenty four hours a day in every light. In Paris, art is everywhere. From every building to every café crème, beauty is a big part of life in Paris. New York is the opposite. In New York, art is basically confined to Art Galleries in Chelsea and museums. Please do not miss-understand, New York has its own art and beauty, but it is not as visible and tangible as the art in Paris.
metmuseum.org
On my second day of spring break, I was brought to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. My friend Jaclyn and I walked through the hallways filled to the brim with European, Roman, and Greek art and felt the soft cultural touch of the old world. Then we got to the special exhibit. The exhibit that this article is centered around, the exhibit that was comparable to me getting on a plane, putting my tray in a an upright position, leaning back, and taking off back to the place that showed me the beauty of art for the first time 5 years ago. I saw Paris for the first time through a very unique lens. I saw Paris through the lens of someone who didn’t know what to expect. I was 17, and I acted like Keanu Reeves in “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, needless to say art was not in my repertoire. But, before I go into the exhibit and what I saw, I would like to give some background on Impressionism and what impressionism is.
In its time, Impressionism was a very controversial subject. Some writers thought it was incomplete and did not understand its sketch-like and creative appearance. But, other writers saw it as a depiction of modern life. That is exactly what Claude Monet and his contemporaries were trying to accomplish. Impressionism is considered to be a new way of looking at life, to quote my friend Jaclyn “not exactly what is there, but the way the artist sees it”. Impressionism is a long and complicated subject that I can write you pages and pages on. But, I’ll save that for my book. Right now, I’ll just cut to the chase about what I saw. Continue reading →
The Espace Pierre Cardin is holding a FREE exposition on French lingerie. It’s a small space and a limited collection, but a charming and innocent thing to do while in Paris this month. Continue reading →
The World Press Photo 2011 expo is hosted by (fashion designer) Azzedine Alaiä, in his gallery in the Marais.
These are the photos of 2011 that have won World Press Photo recognition. This is photojournalism with a push towards creativity. The contest to select the top photos was held in February, and over 108,059 photos were submitted in the 9 different categories. Press photographers, press agencies, newspapers and magazines were able to submit photos. Those that were recognized are up on the walls of Mr Alaïa’s gallery.
The building is normally home to The fashion designer’s showroom. It was build just before the Eiffel tower, and has that very distinct architectural design that came out of that era. The space was originally built by the owners of the BHV to become a people’s class restaurant. After that it became a place for BHV to store things, until Mr Alaïa purchased it for his fashion house. I love the opaque white glass ceiling which lets in so much light that no artificial light is really needed at all. And then there’s that typical juxtaposition of sculpted metal and glass that is so common to Parisian architecture from the Art Nouveau period (one of my favorites along with Art Deco).
Enjoy the expo until June 21st, 11am to 7pm every day. Entry is free. 18 rue de la Verrerie 75004, Paris.
Nestled among the residential buildings that pepper the busy shopping area of the 6th-7th arrondissement, I came upon quite by surprise a little square : Square Roger Stéphane, 75007
At the end of rue Camier, past the EDF foundation (a FREE museum by the way where you can see different and interesting expositions)… All the Parisian charm mixed with nature is here to welcome you.
Benches everywhere for a little in-between shopping rest.
Lucky people who have a vegetation covered balcony lookinng over the garden…it’s a double win!
Bring the little ones to play!
This garden is full of “secret” paths and nooks and crannies… I love nooks and crannies!
Perfect for a quiet tête-à-tête
Or for a game of hide-and-seek…
Le concept : traduire un ancien billet et français, déjà pour pratiquer mon français à l’écrit mais aussi pour faire un geste envers mes lecteurs et lectrices francophone!
The concept : translate an old post into French, first in order to practice my written French, but also to be a bit more welcoming to my francophone readers!
Je ne vais jamais au Champs Elysées, sauf si c’est absolument nécessaire. Mais quand même j’ai rencontré Dita Von Teese elle-même en Printemps dernier, et cela dans une pharmacy… peut-être je devrait y aller plus souvent. Bon bref, nous y étions l’autre soir, pour allé au cinoche pour voir The Informant (avec Matt Damon jouant très bien dans la peau d’un personnage différent de ses rôles habituels, je devrais dire). En avance d’une demi heure, nous avons décidé de se promener un peu sur l’avenue au lieu d’attendre dans la queu à regarder avec désintérêt le vendeur des popcorns. A quelques portes de là on se trouve au 136 avenue des champs Elysées. Alors ce n’est pas la première fois que je suis passée devant cette adresse, mais je l’ai toujours ignoré comme si c’était un attrape-touriste et totalement sans intérêt. Cette fois j’ai en fait regardé ce que l’on y expose.
À part les voitures Peugot, articles d’exposition complètement évident (et assez beaux), il y a plein d’autres articles à voir et à acheter qui sont eux aussi créés par Peugot. Et moi qui pensais qu’ils ne faisait que des voitures! En fait il paraît qu’ils n’ont pas commencé en fabricant des voitures.
En plus d’une petite leçon d’htoire (Peugot) avec une liste des dates, on peut examiner tous les modèles jamais fabriqués par peugot en forme de petit modèle.
Savez-vous que Peugot fabrique aussi des clés à molette? Et des salières et poivrières (avec éclairage dessus)? Ouai! Ils les font! Une bonne idée pour la chaussette de noël. En fait la boutique a plein de bonnes idées. Mais vous pouvez y aller voir comme si c’est une exposition de l’hostoire Peugot si vous ne commencez pas encore vos courses de noël, et c’est entré libre et gratuit!
April 9th 2011, Forest of 52 Martinis, Kim of I Heart Paris and Adam of Invisible Paris hosted a fun and carefree Atlas Obscura event at Dorothy’s Gallery: 27 Rue Keller, 75011 Paris. It was a two part event, but alas, I didn’t get tickets in time for the morning event which was a guided tour by Adam of the garden of Jardin Tropical de Paris dating back to around 1900. Adam took participants around this obscure place that served as a spot for an”Colonial Exhibition” in 1907 for quite a large number of visitors. For more details of the morning event. it’s accessible right off of the RER A, and is worth a little day trip out there!
The evening even was a cocktail party held at Dorothy’s gallery in the Bastille quartier, serving gin cocktails made with a Scottish gin, Hendricks, (didn’t know they made gin!). Regardless, it was delish’ and refreshing on a un-typically warm April day. (Is that a word? Un-typically?)
There were images from the tropical garden projected onto a wall, and sound recordings of Des Coulam from the garden itself, which made for a nature-strewn atmosphere, plus there was a little patio in the courtyard and plenty of plants to make us feel like we were in a garden. It was a great way to catch up with fellow Paris bloggers : JennyphoriaNot Just Another Milla and Luxsure, as well as meet some new faces and got the chance to converse gluten and lactose free recipes with the waaay down-to-earth-but-she-totally-doesn’t-have-to-be Sherry Yard, who came with foodie, chef, author and blogger David Lebovitz. I was also ecstatic to meet real-life absintheur, Peter Schaf. By the way, absinthe is not illegal anymore…even in the USA! (but it has to adhere to certain recipe guidelines).
Among the guests there were the bloggers of Norton of Paris who brought some astonishing edible cobblestones :
For more pics of the evening, check out Melanie Vaz’s facebook album. Dorothy’s gallery host events continuously, so do check it out to see what’s new there.
The nineties and the first decade of the new millennium brought us an entire spectrum of emotions that the Musée des Arts Décoratifs has decided to commemorate in an intimate look at some of the most influential designers, in the second volume of their retrospective exhibition : Histoire idéale de la mode contemporaine. Starting with Maison Martin Margiela and ending with Balençiaga with sandwiched inbetween everyone from Dries Van Noten to Alexander McQueen to John Galliano, Karl Lagerfield with Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lanvin, Prada, Comme des Garçon, Martine Sitbon….and more.
The expo began with these words (translated by me) : The nineties was the decade of maturity. They were also radical years, completely opposing the preceding decade.” …… “The first decade of the millennium were years marked definitively by the graveness of the events that punctuated them. The euphoric start of the new century was in part stunned by world-wide tragedies. The world of fashion put on a more discreet demeanor.”
Each designer that is displayed has several pieces set in a mise-en scène with lighting, and a video of a défilé or two that helps define the artist’s true nature, or inspiration. Some of the artists reinvent themselves over and over, so it is hard to chose one particular collection, but if it can’t pin them down to one style or inspiration it can at least communicate what drives these designers to create, and display what they bring to their art.
Just some of my personal highlights :
Dries Van Noten, his SS2005 show, set to the musical piece “Boléro” by Ravel, with the models walking the length of a podium turned into very long white linen table and the spectators had glasses of wine they were drinking out of, with dozens of chandeliers hanging in a line over the table. The spectacle was so breathtaking that I forgot to look at the clothes!
photo: style.com
Lanvin
Lanvin, by Claude Montana, with stiff form holding pieces made mostly out of silk. The amount of work it must have taken to find the right composition so that the fabrics held these very striking forms…it’s a science really.Plus the video of his Automn-winter 1990-1991 and Spring-Summer 1992 where a stunning Linda Evangelista walks the podium, and the collection is full of that sheer classy elegance that Lanvin is famed for.
Photo: Guy Marineau, from museum website
Alexander McQueen’s Spring-Summer 2004 collection shown in the form of a 30 minute show that was inspired from the novel “They shoot horses don’t they” (1935) that was turned into a movie by Sydney Pollack, 1969, (which I have actually seen many years ago); a story about a dance marathon during the Great Depression, starring Jane Fonda, that tries to take a look at what desperate people will put themselves through. It’s a study in psychology more than a fashion show, and gives a hint to those emotions that simmered within this incredible artist.
Dior
Dior’s gown, from the 2004-2005 collection, by John Galliano, shows the bottomless source of over-the-top creativity of the designer for this couture house. The gown gives a whole new meaning to the shape of a woman, and although it is different and not common, it is beyond beautiful, and displays the fact that couture is art first and fashion second.
D&G
A Dolce & Gabana bodice made entirely out of gem-like “stones”. from the Autumn-winer ’91-’92 collection at the start of the nineties, that was shown to mixed Madaonna hits, and was composed of mostly whites, contrasting with what most palettes are composed of for winter wear, this blinged-out bodice shows the remnants of the 80′s that influenced fashion is such a dramatic way. (sorry for the poor photo quality, photos are not allowed at this museum, and I was taking clandestine ones with my phone).
The previous collection I mentioned, contrasts so greatly with the Victor and Rolf Autumn-winter 2001-2001 collection where forms were larger-than-life, colors were steel-grays and moody blacks, and the défilé had models with faces painted entirely in a dark soot color. This shows the mood of the start of the new century, and the somber turn fashion took almost as if it were anticipating the mourning to come after the tragedies that were about to unfold…
Photo : Guy Marineau, from the museum website
To end on a happy note, with a theme that is becoming as common in our daily lives as breakfast : recycling. E2, a line created by a couple of designers that uses vintage pieces found in flea-markets, vintage clothing stores and elsewhere, and remakes them completely or reuses the fabrics to create an entirely different piece. I love the eco-friendly aspect of re-using, and the creativity of finding a new soul for an old article of clothing.
Photo: Goran Vejvoda, photo from museum website
Exhibit until May 8, 2011
Les Arts Décoratifs – Mode et textile
107 rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris
I pass often the atelier-boutique on avenue Daumesnil along the aqueduct archways… There are many wonderful workshops and showrooms with amazing items on display, but the one that has always caught my eye is the Baguès boutique. Not because I dream of crystal chandeliers, (oh but I do, because oh my! they can be such stunning pieces of work) but because they have one particular chandelier in their window that just sparks a little childhood spirit in me. This chandelier, in the bedroom of any child could stimulate the most fantastical pirate day dreams, Peter Pan fairy schemes, magical stories and mystical things… to activate the most timid of imaginations…
High brow shopping for fat wallets and investors…or a pleasant promenade among beautiful objects and a voyage back in time…
Since 1978, the Louvre des Antiquaires, right next to the Louvre museum, hosts the boutiques of dozens and dozens of connaisseurs and experts that sell things from years past. On the grounds of what was before the Grands Magasins du Louvre which was founded in 1855 to compete with Le Bon Marché. It closed it’s doors in 1974.
It had over a century of history and success, selling anything that their clients might desire and everything à la mode (in style). Now it is a building full of offices, and on the underground, ground and 1st levels are where you will find the rows of antique dealers with their treasures on brilliant display.
A stroll here is a daydream as well as a moment of education, because you will find things from all over the world and from all different eras… Don’t be afraid to press your nose against the windows, ask questions and linger…
Here is a look at just some of the possibilities you could find there :
The Salon du Mariage gave me this uneasy feeling that I was walking into the realm of that horrible reality TV show Bridzillas. It is a venue that perhaps useful to some, I found to be an atrocious institution of grotesque commercialization of what should be one of the most special days of your life : your wedding. It seems to merely be a manifestation that the wedding day focus no longer lies upon the union of matrimony or the love between two people, the attention is on every single minute detail that can be primmed, purchased, packed and posted to you, from the toenails of the bride to the napkins on the table to the way you dance with your new spouse. As Kasia Dietz put it, « I found a lot of things that I don’t want at my wedding, there. » And I saw a spectacle that made me swear to never ever make myself or my sweetheart go through that kind of wedding planning torture.
Krista of Sugarplum Cake Shop making cakes with love
The Salon was full of “bling-bling” and “tappe-à-l’oeil,” ruffles and pink and sparkley things, for each of the stands and products and services.With each one trying to sell you the “best” thing for your wedding that’s better than the rest. You could have blackjack table at your reception…Ooo how cool, or you could have more flower arrangements than you ever thought you needed, you could even get married, sleep in and hold the party at a real château that may cost a year’s salary, or you get personally printed M&M’s (okay well I like this idea)… In fact all of these ideas and products and services ARE wonderful individually and would make a splendid ceremony and celebration. What I felt I was choking on was overload, the checklist of things that one apparently needs in order to have a good wedding, it’s the sheer abundance of it all, and the way vendors would pounce on attendees like vultures, in order to sell them something, ANYTHING! And every vendor’s booth promised the wedding of your dreams. Yuck! It was like choking a piece of candy that I thought I was going to get a lot of pleasure out of but it ended up being waaaay too sweet. And all this without even mentioning the gowns. There were maybe two in the entire salon that I would ever consider wearing, the rest would make any woman look like a pile of Chantilly cream. What is wrong with society these days? There is so much attention on the table settings and bride’s maids dresses and party favors that it seems like people are forgetting what this is all about! It’s about spending a life together. Who is going to really care in ten years if the napkins had your initials embroidered on them, or if you had roses or petunias at your wedding?!? Who!?!?!
But, there was an oasis of authenticity. At their first ever Salon de Mariage, the Sugarpum Cake Shop was THE cake reference of Paris. They hosted a small subdued stand, with simple black walls and a table laden with cake confections and photos of their previous creations. No frou-frous, no ostentatious overdone over-the-top extravagant display… just cake. Just a lady, a schedule and her cake. And she filled up her schedule with brides-to-be for tastings and design sessions, where the bride gets to decide what her cake will be like, because in spite of what everyone is trying to sell women, what they really want is simply a cake, a white dress and a husband who loves her.
Sugarplum does not only make wedding cakes, they make cakes for all occasions in any shape or design. If you have an idea they can make it edible (and delicious). I personally am addicted to their chocolate cake.
Laurel of Sugarplum Cake Shop
The only other stand that I was impressed by was the event planner Jean-Luc Blais stand. It was literally a decorative pièce montée all on its ow. And he of course, commissioned the Sugarplum fairies to make him a cake. So we like him!
If you go this weekend (it ends the 17th of Oct 2010), make sure you stop over to say bonjour to the ladies with the cake… and watch my video posted here to see the progress of their work on the cakes.
The Salon du Mariage au Carrousel will be held this week from the 15th to the 17th of October. I have one free invite that I am giving away to a reader/tweep. Wether you need to plan or are a dreamer, there promises to be everything bridal in store. To enter send me your story of how you proposed or were proposed to. Leave it in a comment below or send it to me via twitter.
Carrousel du Louvre,
99, rue de Rivoli le 15, 16, 17 octobre 2010
I can’t wait to hear all your stories!
Also, may I suggest stopping by the Sugarplum Cake Shop booth – see my blog post on them. These 3 North Americans are rising stars in the Parisian pastry circles (they make scrumptious American goodies and increddible cakes), and are fast becoming THE reference for wedding cakes in Paris. Hence why in addition to their own stand they are also making cakes for Jean-Luc Blais wedding and event planner spécial!
It is going on now until the 22nd of September… 25th edition.
What is it you ask? It’s a giant art sale really. The Grand Palais hosts this event every year where prestigious galleries from all over the world are invited to display their wares, to buyers… and dreamers, or ‘window-lickers’ as we say in French (lèche-vitrine). But we are able to do more than just drool on window panes, we get to get up close and personal with the art. Inspect the detailed work and discuss the price… if you can afford it. Some curious people ask the price anyway. I overheard prices that made my toes tingle.
Underneath the daylight streaming through the glass art nouveau dome, there is an excited hush amongst the well dressed browsers. The possibility of owning one of these precious pieces hangs in the air, as vendors eye you and judge weather you are a new sale. They are also on the lookout for their return customers from last year, and put on their instant ‘I’m your best friend’ voice for that American patron of the arts that swaggers up with a ‘hey, howya doing man!’ Entry is 25€, not necessarily cheap. Refreshments are hefty as well, but the consolation is that there is a Ladurée stand to the right upon entry!
The European elite and super wealthy are welcome with open arms, of course, as you can see here. Aesthetic attention to detail and comfort are a must, especially when you want someone to spend a small fortune on a painting or piece of décor.
But I wasn’t there for macarons (even though I ate some) nor was I there to be awed by the astronomical price of art and antiques, I was there to see pieces that will soon probably end up in some private collection where the public will no longer be able to gaze at it. Picasso, Klimt, Greuze, ancient books like a first edition print of La Peau de Chagrin by Balzac… I’m swooning.
I saw a small Fragonard that would go perfect in my living room… sigh…
In the center of Paris at Châtelet, there is a little boutique of “treasures”… It’s like the jam center of a fresh beignet, or the ganache filling in the middle of a macaron (but not the macarons from McDo, this is the shopping equivalent of a one-of-a-kind-hand-made-naturally-flavored macaron).
It is also a place to return to more than once, because the choices are always changing and revolving. Haut Les Arts Boutique des Créateurs is a store that is collectively rented and run by a group of artists and créateurs. Each week some take down their exposition, some stay on longer and others arrive. And there’s something fro every style and budget.
September 13-19 (after that check their site for more dates)
Every day 11h // 20h
1 Rue Ste Opportune,
75001 à Paris
M° Châtelet – RER Les Halles (exit n°6 Sainte Opportune)
This week, until Sunday, you can find :
Some adorably sexy ladies boxer shorts from Pon Pon, by designer Leatitia Guillet.
Also from Pon Pon are cute zipper earrings and zipper pouches
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Hats and head accessories are back in fashion. And designer/modiste Laurence Le Clerc has got you covered.
Here are a few of her creations (pictures taken from her website photos by Davoud Ohadi)
Suddenly my head feels a little bare!
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Did you know that coal from wood has beneficial characteristics, and that it’s use is an old Japanese tradition?
Lorène Hayat and Hirohiko Kamiya design jewelry from coal that comes from Holm oak trees from the protected forests in the Kishu region of Japan. The combustion and treatment of the wood is very meticulous and must be done by skilled workers. The resulting substance has a porous structure. It is great for absorbing humidity and odors as well as toxic substances in the air and in water. It’s a natural anti-termite product when placed under the floorboards. It is also believed to absorb electromagnetic waves that come from our various electronic devices, and it can also eliminate CO2 and has infra-rouge properties that ameliorate blood circulation. Find Charcoal Eskimeit in the boutique and on-line.
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And last but not least, part of fashion is beauty and well-being, and Les Secrets de Loly understands that as well as the need for quality, natural products that are hand made in respect nature. (Photos from her website where you can purchase her products if you don’t make it to the store at Châtelet).
The festival, Imaginez Maintenant – Les 4 Jours de la Jeune Création, is in it’s final day today. It started on July 1st for a 4 day run with : fashion, concerts, tastings, expositions, shows, performances etc. all on the Chaillot hill (Colline de Chaillot) which is just around Troacdero.
I ran into one of these performances which was more than just a performance, it was the hilarious idea of two women with a giant sense of humor! Charlotte Moisand is a “paysagiste” and Caroline Oriot is a “scénographe” who conceptualized Turris Ferrae ‘Eiffelum’ which is a project that explores the idea of what if the Eiffel tower grew roots! Their collaborators invent and explore all the possible reasons why the Eiffel tower would have roots that have pushed out of the ground, and discuss, with spectators and passers by, the ecological solutions for what to do with it.
What is so hilarious is that they keep a completely sober face when explaining this outrageous fib, and by the look of some tourists faces, there were a few believers in the crowd.
The young man I took a video of explains how the Eiffel tower’s roots are made porous from the mushrooms, mold and pollution underground, and then when it pushes through the ground it is actually a plant, that he was doing “scientific tests on” and even was able to cook it. It had a sort of licorice flavor. There were also buds of the Eiffel tower that grew, and he had one in a separate pot. He was saying that if this type of “plant could “grow” in these conditions, then we could grow this all over the world and feed the starving populations of the third world.And the whole time he keeps a complete straight face. It was so hard not to burst out laughing!
Bravo to Charlotte and Caroline, this is a fabulous, delirious idea, and a lot of fun! Go see it today if you get the chance. Spots are scattered around the Palais de Chaillot.
And what is it that they want? Well, at the moment it is a Yves Saint Laurent frock, gown, garment, glove…anything.
The artist who disappeared from this world in 2008 is not to be easily forgotten. Madame Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has teamed up with the Petit Palais and the Foundation of Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurant (Pierre Bergé was Yves life partner), to create a special homage to the man who understood the grace of the female body better than most women do.
The exposition which was opened in March, will be coming to a close soon on the 29th of August. I suggest you go as quickly as possible to see this stunning spectacle of fashion, artistry and pure genius.
YSL was a master of using texture, shapes, lines, colors and movement in his work, and this display shows about 300 pieces of his haute couture work, as well as photographs and film. Sometimes shocking, often innovative and always the emblem of elegance Yves creations will forever remain works of art.
YSL, started at the age of 19 as Christian Dior’s assistant modéliste . He then took over the maison when Dior passed two years later. In 1961 his own maison is created YSL, under the guidance of Pierre Bergé, and Yves went on to revolutionize fashion for decades.
The exposition has a well thought out scenographie, and you flow through the rooms as if on air, passing in front of one gorgeous piece to the next, with each one calling out to you to touch (which is not allowed), so you feel them with your gaze. All those folds of taffeta, tweed, silk, satin, velvet, tulle, lace and embroidery are enough to drive a lady mad, or ecstatic, or both. You exit feeling as if you have wings, or are wearing a silk gown… same thing.
A true Parisian, born here in 1965, Arnaud Lucet has let his imagination run wild through the streets and history of this city. His opus, called No Art, is a nostalgic reverence to Parisian culture and French innovation with a conscienceness for the environment, and a touch of humor. His art, based on reccuperation of industrial parts and objects that would otherwise end up in the refuse heap, takes it’s original inspiration from Jules Vernes’ novel, “20000 leagues under the sea”, and its humor from a Warner Brothers cartoon (Wyle Coyote and the Road Runner), to create on-of-a-kind pieces that have style and story. Décorum, lamps, or furniture pieces… this is not your typical design. It’s futuristic, nostalgic and “tongue-in-cheek” all at the same time, and you’ve never seen anything like it!
At age 20 he received his diploma from the Ecole d’Art de la Rue Madame, and less than ten years later he had his first exposition at the Galerie de Nesle in Paris, titled “C’est toujours comme-ça…” Since then he hasn’t ceased to reveale his works all over the Parisian landscape, scattered across France and in several places throughout Europe. He has even sojourned in India at an artists’ residence at Tamil Nadu where he worked on “The Dune“. So one could say he’s “going places” but home is definately where his heart is. Notice on his new poster for the current No Art exposition “L’Explosition”, the font of the title is the same old font of the RATP, the company that exploits the Parisian underground transport system. If you look closely at some of his pieces, you’ll see things that come directly from the walls of Parisian buildings, etc… His work is full of these “clin d’oeil” towards Paris and it’s innerworkings. From the local water company (which we find reccurent in many of his pieces) to the aluminum piping, to the nuts and bolts that hold the city together, his art is a deep hommage to his hometown. Where you might see his work : In addition to designing the office of the mayor of the 4th district of Paris, he has also designed several other interesting places : Click here to find out where.
His exposotion “L’Explosition” is on display until April 25th 2010 at GalerieArtima which has two locations in the Marias, 4 rue Pas de la Mule 75003; and 20 Place des Vosges 75004. They are right around the corner from eachother (you can stop at Café Hugo which is inbetween them, for an apéritif!)
For art collectors, these are items to snag NOW, because they go very fast. But The artist does create custom pieces and comissioned works. For rennovators, he also could very happy to take old industrial style “junk” off your hands. Or you can have him create a work of art from the ancient sink piping that you just had replaced in your Parisian pied-à-terre apartment, or for Thing-finders, items that you found on the sidewalk next to the trash can could become the next No Art chef d’oeuvre!
On the edge of the Jardins du Ranelagh in the 16th arrondissement in Paris is nestled a wonderful ‘hôtel particulier’ that was owned by the Marmottan family. Jules the father and Paul the son collected art, Jules especially was keen to Napoleonic pieces. At his death he willed the pavillion and the collection along with an extensive library to the Académie des Beaux-Arts. It has become over the years, known for it’s Impressionism era interests. It houses a large collection of Monets, and is probably a more comfortable place to come admire them than the over-run-by-tourists-wait-in-line-forever Musée d’Orsay.
They moved the usual spot of the Monet canvases for the temporary exhibition at the Musée Marmottan Monet. I was able to take a few clandestine photos to give you a sneak peek (especially those of you who are “locationally” challenged). It’s a must in the cold Parisian winter weather (certainly with this years unusually unusual cold spell)… The paintings are full of warm, vibrant colors that warm you up from the outside chill; full of expression to melt your icy face. There’s a steady simplicity in the brush stroke, and the thick paint recalling their impressionistic for-fathers, have a way of making manifest the painting with more than just an image, they attest to the matter, the material of which that image is made. When you look up close you can see it. You can see the exacte touch of the painter’s hand, you can see his intention, you can see the strange colors that make up a skin tone, a water tone, a shadow. And when you step back a few paces, you see the harmony that it all creates. But, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will cease my “baratin” (jabber).
(click images to enlarge)
Above:
1910, Jeune fille en jupe rouge, by Adolf Erbslöh
From left to right :
1906, Nu de jeune fille, by Kees Von Dongen
1907, Portrait de jeune fille, by Auguste Herbin
Mention : For all images on my blog of the Eiffel Tower at night : copyright Tour Eiffel - illuminations Pierre Bideau. Pour toutes image sur mon blog de la Tour Eiffel la nuit : copyright Tour Eiffel - illuminations Pierre Bideau
