Musée Fabre in Montpellier became a true star in the summer of 2012, when it organized with FRAME (French American Museum exchange) the fabulous Caravaggio exhibition, which subsequently traveled around the US. It was founded by French artist François-Xavier Fabre (1766-1837), in 1825 and is located in the old Montpellier, the capital of Languedoc, which was a Protestant stronghold until the 17 … Read More
Concept Cars reign in Compiègne
Château de Compiègne, where the young Marie Antoinette was welcomed by Louis XVth upon her arrival in France from Austria, on May 14, 1770, has been recently revamped and its different drawing rooms and galleries are on top form especially since Rodolphe Rapetti, its Director, arrived two years ago. He loves cars and had the idea of this amazing exhibition … Read More
Christian de Portzamparc is a painter at Kamel Mennour
If you have a passion, like I do, for Pritzker Prize laureate Christian de Portzamparc, you will be curious to discover his new ink and acrylic paintings at Galerie Kamel Mennour rue Saint André des Arts. They are very architectural of course, with a strong sense of space and geometry, and a very special light which illuminates dust, gaz particules … Read More
Antony Gormley and Lucian Freud, a double bill at the Royal Academy
Every time I travel to London, I try to have the same routine. From King’s Cross, I take the tube to Piccadilly, visit Hatchards book store, have lunch at Fortnum’s and visit the Royal Academy of Arts. And this time was particularly successful, for there were two admirable exhibitions: “Lucian Freud, The Self- portraits” (until January 26) and “Antony Gormley” … Read More
The mythical château de Groussay is revisited by Alexandre Serebriakoff
At his conference at Sotheby’s, Pierre Arizzoli Clementel, who used to be Director of Versailles for 15 years, had the perfect voice for telling the magical story of Charles de Beistegui‘s life and style. The book he just wrote, based on the 35 watercolors by Alexandre Serebriakoff of château de Groussay, is important: it is the only thing left from … Read More
Baselitz in Pantin, an explosion of paint
Driving to Thaddaeus Ropac gallery in Pantin is always an effort but there is always a great reward! This time, East German artist Georg Baselitz is showing his “Homage to Elke”, his wife of nearly sixty years. The thirty paintings might seem repetitive in different colors but as soon as you come near them in the gigantic space, you realize the … Read More
In Porquerolles, a natural Foundation for art
The fifteen minute boat trip to Porquerolles reminded me of taking the short ferry ride to Naoshima island in Japan. I had a few hours to wait at Toulon airport and when I realized that Fondation Carmignac was just a few miles away, I jumped in a taxi and boarded the crowded Sunday morning ferry to the beaches of this … Read More
Pierre Yovanovitch, the Book!
It was the first book signing of the Rentrée and at Galignani’s, Danielle Cillien-Sabatier, the grande Prêtresse of the bilingual bookstore, was in full steam. Interior architect, designer and art collector Pierre Yovanovitch was chatting to all his friends while dedicating a superb 365 page album of his work, published by Rizzoli in English and in French. Everyone was glamorous, tanned … Read More