Venice by vaporetto

Always a fun game that to be playing at being a local. A bit difficult in Venice when you don’t speak Italian, although taking the vaporetto without saying a word is a start…until of course, after a few seconds, the urge of taking a million pictures of the marvels off the grand canal gives you […]

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

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)

CA Maria Adele, Venice

A friendly, stylish and sexy place in Venice, CA Maria Adele is definitely on the list for a romantic week-end. Renovated by Milanese duo Campa&Campa, it’s full of quirky ideas, warmth, softness comfort and individuality.. Attention to detail starts with the lobby that is simply a cosy reception room where you are checked in the

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

Design Tour, Marseille

The design Tour that runs through Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon, Montpellier and finishes here in Marseille late Novembre, is a showcase for young designers and French manufactures and industries outside of Paris, a welcome decentralisation initiative. Many shops related to design open their doors showcasing a particular collection and/or designer. The tour starts with an exhibition

Funny zoo, Parc Longchamps, Marseille

At the top of the Palais Longchamps, house of the Musee des Beaux Arts and the Musee d’Histoire Naturelle, is a hilly park, also created during the  XIX century. It used to host an « exotic style » zoo, as was the hype at that time. If the installations are now considered much too small to receive

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…

Le Corbusier et la question du brutalisme, au J1

It is only fair that this major exhibition on Le Corbusier’s work takes place in Marseille, on the beloved Mediterranean shores, in the town of the « Cite radieuse », first construction in which LC experimented the « romantisme du mal foutu ». The exhibitions reveals the architect but also the painter and sculptor       Accounts of his

Choukatam in Cassis

Katherine Dubourdieu, the artist behind the concept store Choukatam in Marseille’s bohemian’s Cour Julien, was showing in an out of this world setting, a property overviewing Cassis’s Calanques. The perfect setting for her soft, tender, tactile and meditative artwork…    The exhibition was followed by a great concert by Will the blue griot, a groovy

Musee d’histoire de Marseille

A welcome surprise, the renovation of this museum, encased under an ugly mall behind the Bourse, has been completely opened onto the archaeologic site of the antic harbour and now boasts multimedia exhibition with several interactive stands perfect for kids and adults alike. The exhibition is immense and takes hours to view, much in line

Le Noir et le Bleu, Un rêve Méditerranéen, MucEM

After several visits to the MucEM/Fort St Jean complex, we finally get to one of the current exhibition: « Le Noir et le bleu, Un rêve Méditerranéen », very much in the spirit of the spring exhibition of the J1. By mixing historical documents, archaeologic findings and art, the show takes us through history: the happy times and

Jaume Plensa in Bordeaux

Several sculptures of the Catalan artist Jaume Plensa are scattered throughout the town centre and mix wonderfully with the buildings, the metal work responding to the balustrades’ ironwork It was a real pleasure to stumble on those inviting figures during our stroll through town.. The exhibition runs until October 3rd, 2013, don’t miss it! The

Bordeaux, Journées Européennes du Patrimoine

Some views of the magnificent town centre, it’s blond stone buildings ornate with delicate sculptures and intricate ironworks            And on this « Journee Europeenne du Patrimoine », several buildings had animations:  The customs house: Eglise Notre-Dame Cour Mably, showcasing the workmanship of wood and stone workers, ironmongers all « Compagnons » (a qualification that implies several

Revelations, episode 5, Groupe F au Château d’If

An hypnotic midnight vision of the Chateau d’If, whose enormous walls were home to Edmond Dantes, the mythic Monte-Cristo count, now taken over by Group F and their spectacular show, Revelations, part of a series running throughout the year in Marseille and Provence, as part of MP2013 We arrive on the boat to see the

La Galerie des chercheurs de midi a l’Atelier du large, J1

With the reopening of the J1, la Galerie des chercheurs de midi comes back @ l’Atelier du Large, free of charge exhibition space overlooking Marseille’s harbour.   La Grace du hasard exhibits a sélection of the Photomaton (photo boot) pictures taken in the spring by passing visitors. This renovated photomaton using argentic technique was installed

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