From the beaches of the Coromandel peninsula to the National Gallery of Victoria, what a life!

parisdiaArchitecture, ArtLeave a Comment

New Zealand and Australia are two very distinct countries and I would never dare compare them, but I had such a wonderful time in both, that I will share again two small experiences. A week long stay on Otama beach, 3 hours Northeast of Auckland, and a fabulous visit of the Ian Potter centre, the Australian art collection of Melbourne’s … Read More

Anne and Patrick Poirier have a “sacred” project in Reims!

parisdiaArchitecture, Art7 Comments

As we discovered with the Cité du Vitrail in Troyes (which many of you have commented on), stained glass windows are definitely attractive for contemporary artists and the new project developed between Centre des Monuments nationaux and Anne and Patrick Poirier is worth getting involved with. There was an intimate and friendly presentation of their project for the Musée des … Read More

Simon Vignaud, true magic in drawings

parisdiaArchitecture, Art2 Comments

When you meet Simon Vignaud, you realize that the same charm and sensitivity exudes from him as from his drawings. It takes a little time to get into his very special atmosphere whether in Portugal or in Sicily, since all the works exhibited at Documents 15 (until February 3) are exceptionally intimate. Talking to  him was an extra bonus. Trained … Read More

Didi Pei, an architect and a francophile

parisdiaArchitecture16 Comments

I met architect Didi Pei on the laguna of le Pyla in September 1986, drinking Château la Lagune. He died on December 13 from a heart attack at home in New York. At the time, he was overseeing the building of the Louvre pyramid for his father, I.M. Pei, and had moved to France for three years. Perfectly trilingual (Mandarin, … Read More

Musée Hergé in Ottignies, at last!

parisdiaArchitecture, Art, Books4 Comments

Since I heard, that Christian de Portzamparc was the architect for this new Hergé museum built in 2009 in Ottignies/Louvain la Neuve, Belgium, I had wanted to visit it. And the occasion was given to me by a wonderful Franco-Belgium wedding nearby and my stay at Villa Monceau, a small family hotel five minutes away. It took us three hours from … Read More

Rambouillet is the new place to be!

parisdiaArchitecture, Art, Furniture, History1 Comment

It’s always very exciting to enter a newly restored house and Château de Rambouillet, managed by Centre des Monuments Nationaux, is particularly interesting for it glittered under three different regimes. First, King Louis XVI  who used to hunt there often (it is close to Versailles) and he  asked Hubert Robert to conceive laiterie (milk farm) for Marie Antoinette who did … Read More