A very good edition of FIAC

Robert Bittenbender at Galerie Lomex in front of “quora”, 2018

It was a young and very international FIAC, (Foire international d’art contemporain) this year at Grand Palais and I discovered a few artists which is what one wants from art fairs. The Grand Palais looked stupendous in the sun and everyone was still tanned from the summer and happy to be in Paris. With many exhibitions “off” at Petit Palais, on place Vendôme and in the Tuileries gardens, Jennifer Flay, director of FIAC, has managed to shake Paris and bring contemporary art into everyday life.Read More

Paula Rego is so contemporary with her “Cruel stories”

The Policeman’s daughter, 1987, private collection, © Copyright Paula Rego Courtesy Marlborough Fine Art

At 83, Portuguese born British artist Paula Rego is as violent as ever in her show at Musée de l’Orangerie. I fell in love with her work in November 1988 in London, when she exhibited at the Serpentine gallery and one of the paintings, “The Policeman’s daughter”, which so struck me then, is also here. “The Cruel Stories” is about fairy tales inspired by Louise Bourgeois’ spiders, Goya and Daumier dark prints, Jane Eyre and James Ensor. Her culture is as wide as her modernity and all the themes she develops are strikingly contemporary. There is a parallel show of her work at Galerie Sophie Scheidecker, behind Place des Vosges.

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Fondation Bettencourt for intelligence of the hand

At 27, Julien Vermeulen, won the prize for Exceptional talent as a plumassier (feather worker), photo Sophie Zénon

Every year, Fondation Bettencourt Schueller awards its prizes for “Intelligence of the hand“, one of the most original awards for artisans and this year again, I was flabbergasted at the range of laureates. The Manufacture of tapestries of Aubusson, a feather worker JulienVermeulen and three designers Mona Oren, JérômeMalbren and Lionel Bourcelot won in three different categories for their talent and originality. Read More

Two American photographers illuminate Le Jeu de Paume

Dorothea Lange, Towards Los Angeles, California, 1937, the Oakland Museum of California

American photographer Dorothea Lange was born in New Jersey in 1895 and is famously known for her portrait of “Migrant mother, Nipomo, California”, shot while she was investigating migrations from the Midwest to California in the thirties. Ana Mendieta was born in Cuba in 1948 and died prematurely in New York in 1985 just after marrying the minimalist artist Carl Andre. She fell from his apartment on the 34 th floor. There are twenty of her  films here. They are the topic of two beautiful exhibitions at Musée du Jeu de Paume in the Tuileries.Read More

At Grand Palais, Venice and Miro compete with FIAC for prime time

Giambattista Tiepolo, Jupiter appearing to Danae, 1736, Stockholm, Universitets Universitet © akg-images / Cameraphoto

“Eblouissante Venise” is not as dazzling as announced at Grand Palais even if famous castrato Farinelli is representing opera, Polichinelle announces Commedia dell’ Arte and Tiepolo glitters with Canaletto. Miro is superb with many paintings from his youth which I had never seen before and FIAC, Foire internationale d’art contemporain should be a good edition starting on Thursday 18 to Sunday 21.Read More

Freud is remembered at MahJ

André Brouillet, A clinical lesson at Salpêtrière, March 1887

MahJ, Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme was founded twenty years ago in the beautiful Hotel de Saint Aignan in the Marais. Besides its permanent collection it is devoted to exhibitions with a Jewish theme in the most varied way. This show “Freud, du regard à l’écoute” curated by Jean Clair and Philippe Comar with Laura Bossi, gives us a full spectrum of Freud as an art collector and a 19 th century scientist. The artists he inspired  are represented and his passion for Moïses concludes the show. Read More

Madagascar, an island full of magic!

Charme “Quadruplets”,  wood, shells and pearls, Collection Guy Porré and Nathalie Chaboche, Uccle

What I love about Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac is that you get to travel to faraway countries without having to fly. And the exoticism of new (to me) cultures makes me dream for days afterwards. “Madagascar, arts of he great Island” has just opened with serious moments on how to succeed in your own death and much more playful images of straw hats and colorful sculptures. Read More

Three Syrian artists show in Paris

Khaled Dawwa, Untitled sculpture, terra cotta

They are a group of young ladies from “La Maison rouge” and they became interested in Syrian artists who took refuge in Paris in 2011 and 2012. Ola Abdallah, Paula Aisemberg director or La Maison rouge, Dunia Al-Dahan, Véronique Bouruet-Aubertot, Pauline de Laboulaye, Randa Maddah and Véronique Pieyre de Mandiargues have created an association around Syrian artists in France. This is their first show together at Galerie Premier Regard, with a sculptor, Khaled Dawwa, a painter, Monif Ajaj and a video artist, Dino Ahmad Ali.Read More