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January 14 2012
Peaceful moment
L'Ecole nationale supérieure des beaux-arts (the National Fine arts school), is a school before all, and it's normally not a place to visit, but if you manage to sneak in, you'll see amazing things. Hence this Venus which original is apparently at the Vatican. The place is absolutely amazing, with lots of interesting buildings which history you can see here (in French only...).
Mole art...
I took this photo at the Hotel de Sully, a stunning hôtel particulier (private mansion) that was built between 1625 and 1630 and is now the French historical monument center. It's worth a visit in general, but it's even more worth a visit right now, as they currently have an artist (Ghyslain Bertholon) performance in the gardens. What is it about? Moles... Yes, giant moles, like the one you can see in the foreground of this photo. It's odd, but pretty unexpected, therefore creative...
September 18 2011
Before and after at La Conciergerie
La Conciergerie is a very famous place in Paris. Not only is it one of the most beautiful monuments in the city, but on top of that it is known for having "sheltered" Marie-Antoinette for several months, before she was beheaded on the Place de la Concorde (Place de la Révolution at that time). La Conciergerie is also constantly covered in scaffolding (I suppose that's the price to pay for a monument that was built around the 12th century! Anyway, right now, Samsung commissioned French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac to make a huge fresco on it. I took these photos a few days apart from each others. See more here and in this video.
September 06 2011
The naked truth!
I actually did not know how to photograph this sculpture initially (a beautiful piece by Daniel Hourdé called "La vérité mise à nue par ses thuriféraires" (don't ask me to translate!), then I found this angle which I find interesting even if you cannot really see the sculpture! Anyway, in the background you probably recognized the Saint-Germain Church. As you can see the rain has returned in Paris...
August 20 2011
Paris Dehli photo ?
Yesterday (Saturday) I went to see the Paris Dehli Bombay(Mumbai) exhibit at the Beaubourg center. It was really amazing (see a little video here). Not that I "understood" everything (being non Indian, I don't have all the cultural codes to understand everything), but I enjoyed every single part of it. What I loved the most? The fact that you're miles away from the traditional Indian culture: no Taj Mahal nor Maharadja palace in the exhibit, but real modern stuff! All the time I thought of Rahul Chittella, a talented young Indian film maker whose work I got to discover thanks to PDP.
August 05 2011
Coool sculpture
Look at this cool sculpture! Isn't that a great idea? I found it on the Port de Suffren, by the Eiffel tower. Unfortunately I did not see who made it and could not find the info on the Web. If you know the artist, please let me know. This reminds me of a well-known problem that French mailmen have to face: every year 2 000 of them get - sometimes very seriously - bitten by dogs! BTW, thank you very much for your nice words yesterday. Now I know that your favorite monument in Paris is ! But I had no doubt about that...
July 16 2011
Haut Maris art
Here another one of my "discoveries" in Le Marais. I found it at the beginning of rue Charlot (or the end, depending on which end you start it!). Apparently these posters are remains of an event that was organized by the 3rd arrondissement City hall of Paris aiming at promoting artists, art galleries, museums... in the Haut Marais (the higher part of Le Marais) area (they were more than 230 participants apparently). I missed all this as... it took place in May 2011. Next year maybe! Still love the posters though ;-) FYI, it's pouring in Paris at the moment ;-(
July 01 2011
Art!!
I know that modern art is not an easy topic to deal with, but there is a lot in Paris and from time to time I like to report about it. Thus, this week, I went to La Maison Rouge, an art gallery located near Bastille, where they celebrated the launch of Slash Magazine, an online magazine that... deals with modern art. The main exhibit was dedicated to Winnipeg, and this little sculpture was part of it, I believe. Don't ask me... Maybe one of the "treasures" that will be part of the huge treasure hunt that the Paris city hall is organizing this Saturday!
April 09 2011
Holy cow!
The Swedish Cultural Center was not my only find at rue Elzévir... I also noticed the workshop of Judith Devaux, an artist who specializes in animal sculptures. Her work (made of bronze, mostly) can (or could, as I think it's over now) be seen in the Mouvance art gallery at Place des Vosges, but I love the way her mock-ups appear though the frosted glass of her workshop. From the number of art pieces on display I guess we can say she's been as busy as a beaver lately ;-) Do check her website for more.
April 04 2011
Délicieuse attirance
I don't remember exactly how, but I recently got invited to an art exhibit on a boat by the Eiffel Tower by these people. I had no idea of what I was going to find there and I was not really sure it would be worth it. And then I really fell in love with the sculptures by Aude de Bessac, two of which you can see in this photo... The one in the foreground is called Délicieuse attirance (delicious attraction) and, well, that is how I felt towards it when I saw it.
March 29 2011
Nathalie Shau's work
Yesterday, Diane from Buzzeum (an agency specializing in the promotion of cultural events) sent me an email to invite me to the opening of an art exhibit (yes, another opening, I know what you're going to say!) As I'm really very busy at the moment I was about to say "No sorry, I can't", when I saw it would take place in Le Passage Verdeau, right where I live! I had no excuse not to go ;-) And I did not regret it. It took place in a gallery called Le cabinet des Curieux, by which I pass everyday (and where I already took this photo last year) and the exhibit was about the work of Natalie Shau, a Lithuanian artist who is a illustrator and photographer. Beautiful work (a little spooky too ;-)).
March 25 2011
The Rosenblum Collection
Stunning! About 2 weeks ago, an good acquaintance of mine invited me to visit the "Rosenblum collection". I had no idea what it was all about, but since I trust his judgement, I said, OK. And there I was, 2 days ago, in front of this big black door in the middle of the 13th arrondissement waiting for it to open. What I saw there was absolutely stunning. Steve and Chiara Rosenblum, who run the place, are modern art lovers and instead of keeping it for themselves, they had the idea of creating this big space and organize private - and guided - visits at a very affordable price (10 €). You HAVE to go there if you come to Paris ; first, because it's really spectacular, second because it's really off the beaten tracks. If you want to see a few shots of what you can find there, check this little Animoto.
October 26 2010
Paris, capital of modern art?
Last weekend the Fiac (Foire internationale d'art contemporain) took place at Le Grand Palais. It's probably the largest modern art fair in Europe, a place to see and... a place to be seen. There were plenty of other events around modern art in Paris at the same time including this Art Elysées exhibit, where 67 galleries could show and sell their artists. I know you would have rather seen a piece of art, but that is all I have to offer for today. Besides, you have been spoiled these past 2 days LOL!
October 15 2010
Quartier Drouot
I live in what is called Le Quartier Drouot, that is the area around the Drouot auction house where there are lots of art galleries. Nice place to walk through at night, when the windows are all lit! And even more so at this very moment for they are having their annual "Drouot en fête" days, during which they open late at night, have little cocktails and stuff. I went to the opening night on Thursday and I once again drooled in front of this painting at gallery Xavier Eeckhout that I see every night on my way back home. It's by Jean-Louis Foulquier - a man who started painting because he was sick and needed a soothing occupation! I simply love his work.
September 02 2010
African art at the cloister
There is a lot more that funny shaped baguettes in Le Marais ;-) There is also a lot of art. Hence this African art exhibition in Le Cloître des Billettes (the Billettes cloister) - a sublime place built around 1430 ! - I love African art so I'm a little biased of course, but I'm sure you will all agree that these sculptures are positively stunning. I wish I had won the lottery and could afford to buy them... See the little video here if you want to know more about this exhibition and about Marie B who made them.
August 21 2010
An elephant at Orsay
This sculpture is called "the trapped Elephant" and it was made by Emmanuel Fremiet for the Universal Exhibit of 1878 (it used to be gilded then!). To me it has a special flavor as... before being in front of the Musée d'Orsay like today, it was located at Porte de Saint Cloud, in the 16th arrondissement. I used to pass by it everyday when I was a little boy and would try to climb on it!
May 20 2010
More art!
I had a very busy day today but I managed to find some time to go to the opening of an art exhibit - a more conventional one, not like yesterday! The unusual part was that it did not take place in an at gallery, but... in the offices of Mac Allister, an executive search company located near the Opera and the famous Edouard VII area that I already mentioned here. I did not find a job there(!), but some very tempting pieces of art by Odile Gaslonde (in this photo) and Antoine Faure. I know the picture is hard to see in this photo, but it's on purpose!
May 08 2010
Happy anniversary Mister President?
I found this "figurine" (a little 3D portrait) in an art gallery (Galerie Lefor Openo), in the 6th arrondissement. Mougey, the artist that is featured there until the end of May made funny little statues of famous people ("pipoles" as we now call them!) including politicians... I thought this was the most appropriate one to post at this very moment, as President Sarkozy just celebrated his 3rd year in power. Times really flies, as I recall taking this photo so well, that it seems like yesterday.
April 04 2010
Jean-Jacques Henner Museum
Remember the girls legs photo 2 days ago? Well here is where I took it... I had the chance to visit the brand new Jean-Jacques Henner museum, a fabulous French (Alsacian) painter from the 19th century. When I say brand new, I mean newly reopened after an enormous amount of work (still not fully completed) in the building - a former hotel particulier that originally belonged to another French painter called Guillaume Dubufe. I enjoyed every single minute of the visit, and not only because the mantelpiece is a real piece of art, nor for the winter garden, but mainly for the fabulous paintings. Check the a little Animoto I made for you...
March 29 2010
Metro Palais Royal
That's it! As of today, I'm a "real Parisian": I have a metro pass! A lot of people (ie Guille, PHX...) made fun of me when they heard it was such a big deal for me to take the metro, but what can I say, I hate it! Not only because it's crowed, but because it's very slow (well compared to riding a scooter...) Anyway, to "celebrate" I took a photo of what is probably the most photographed metro station in Paris: Palais Royal. It's famous because it was (re)designed by Jean-Michel Othoniel, as the "Kiosque des noctambules" (Kiosk of the night-walkers) in 2000 for the centenary of the Metro. Only this time I tried to take a different angle (see a broader view in this very very old post!).
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