Jean Genet, L’échappée belle @ Mucem
Discovering the rough life of this extraordinary author, along with his friendship with Giacometti whose « L’homme qui marche » is central to the exhibition.
Art
Angkor, citée Khmer: the (extended) postcard
Preah Ko Banteay Srei Angkor Vat Angkor Thom Bayon Ta Prohm Preah Khan
Er Xi, Air de jeux: Ai Wei Wei @ Le Bon Marché
Trying to console myself of having missed his RA exhibition, with this one in Paris. Er Xi, Air de Jeux where Ai Wei Wei represents his interpretation of the mythological creatures of Shanhai Jing as giant kites hanging in the main lobby of the Bon Marché, one of Paris’ oldest « Grand Magasin »
Neues Museum, Berlin
Built in the XIXe century to house the stolen archaeologic findings from Egypt, as was unfortunately the way Europeans liked to behave in those days, the Neues Museum even sported a pastiche copy of the great hypostyle hall in Karnak. It was almost destroyed by WWII and left abandoned until the 80’s. It was painstakingly
Meisenthal Glass factory
Meisenthal, like a few better known villages around as: St Louis, Lalique, Baccarat, were built around a glass or cristal factory. The museum guides explain that the secret of the chemistry for making glass and cristal, was so precious at the time, that it was always set up in very remote valleys were spies could
Eastside Gallery, Berlin
This still existing bit of wall in Berlin is dubbed the Eastside gallery, it is indeed beautiful, and emotionally very strong, as many of those painting where made @ the fall of the wall in 89 and recently restored for the 20th commemoration. The « Brejnev kiss » is still there but constantly covered with tourists taking
Observatory/Playground, Dan Graham @ MAMO
Playing around with reflections in Dan Graham’s exhibition… Inside the MAMO: Skateboard pavillion, 1989 Ying Yang, 1998 Two half-cylinders off-aligned, 2000 And on the roof terrasse: Two nodes and Tight squeeze, both 2015
ECAL @ Appartement 50, Citée radieuse
Although Jean-Marc Drut and Patrick Blauwart have obsessively restored this flat to its original state (see their website here), and are graciously opening it to the public on appointment; they don’t intend it to become a museum but a living project. Their clever approach to this challenge is to invite a designer to furbish it
Alexander Mc Queen @ the V&A
Although no where close to being a fashionista, and looking a bit out of place amongst the most exuberant fashion crowd at this exhibition… But it was this years must see as I understood it from a friend who had been fascinated at the MET version back in 2011.. and didn’t shy away from seeing
Galpon Patagonia
Kind of a surprise to find this Brooklyn-like art space at the very end of the world, down in Puerto Natales: definitely a place to visit if you are down there! Galpon Patagonia was inaugurated early this year, this exhibition included works by: Antonio Rodríguez, Carlos Edwards, José Vicente Gajardo, Soledad Ramsay, Mauricio Guajardo, y Marcela
Les Clegues de Reattu
Clergues not only is a great photographer, he is also the founder of the « Rencontres d’Arles » and is the man behind the first photography collection in a French museum, at Arles’ Reattu Museum. He was also a friend of Picasso, Cocteau and numerous artist of the time. Lucien Clergues, Les Saltimbanques Lucien Clergues, illustration of
Defini, fini, infini: Daniel Buren @ MaMo
This years’ must-see on the Cite Radieuse’s roof terrasse:
Relatum: Lee Ufan @ Chateau de Versailles
Had to be seriously fascinated by Lee Ufan’s exhibition in the Chateau’s garden to keep looking for his sculptures under the pouring rain… a « summer » day in Paris.. Relatum, Lames de vent Relatum, A l’ombre des étoiles Relatum, La tombe, hommage a Andre Le Nôtre
Rudolf Stingel @ Palazzo Grassi
Even without being a contemporary art expert, difficult to ignore the palazzo Grassi installation , omnipresent in all deco magazines @ the world. Was very curious to see the palace wrapped in rugs, and how Stingel’s work would stand off in the middle of giant pixelised persan-like carpet, so here we are headed for this
Prima materia @ Punta della Dogana
Second episode of our « Pinault in Venice » sightseeing day: Punta della Dogana admiring Tadao Ando’s awesome renovation… The punta seen for the Isola Sab Giorgio Maggiore
Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini in Isola di San Giorgio Magiore
This isn’t what I planned to see in Isola di San Giorgio Magiore, being actually headed for the new library designed by Michele de Lucchi in the former Benedictine fathers dormitory of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini…unfortunately, as this is only done by appointment, we decide to make the most of this « trip » (5 min vaporetto)
Contemporary art, Bernar Venet @ Pharo, Marseille
For MP2013, an installation by Bernar VENET: Desordre 2013, 84 arcs acier corten And the bonus of some fabulous views over the old harbour, Fort St Jean. MuCEM, and commercial harbour… Monument to the people lost at sea, palais du Pharo, Marseille
Residence Secondaire, MAMO Audi talent awards
In a previous post, I presented the MOMA=Marseille Modulor, a design and art gallery nestled in the gymnasium of Le Corbusier’s « Cite Radieuse », courtesy of star designer Ora Ito, see post here. The MAMO currently showcases the Audi Talents Awards, the work of laureates since 2007 in an exhibition called Residence secondaire. LAUREATS DESIGN: Arnaud Lapierre, laureat 2011,
Les Papesses, Palais des Papes & Collection Lambert, Avignon
A powerful exhibition at the Palais des Papes, les Papesses exhibits the work of 5 major women artists, »Les Papesses », from modern to contemporary: Camille Claudel, Louise Bourgeois, Jana Sterback, Kiki Smith, Berlinde de Bruyckere. Camille Claudel being a favourite of mine, stumbling on this exhibition while showing the Palais des Papes to family was a great surprise…
Château Borely, Musee des arts décoratifs, de la faïence et de la mode
Amazing how many museums are opening or reopening in Marseille, one French comic was even doing a sketch on that the other day on the radio.. Indeed there seems to be a museum opening every other month theses days, but that’s because before MP2013, Marseille was indecently poor in museal space, so thanks to all