5 January 1875, marks the inaugural Gala for the Paris Opera created by Charles Garnier. Napoléon III has been deposed. The show on stage is very “pale”, all eyes are directed on King Alfonso XII of Spain, the Lord Mayor of London and the President of the French Republic, Patrice de Mac Mahon. The building was the real hero of … Read More
Marigny, a new restaurant on the Champs Elysées
Théâtre Marigny has just reopened after five years of rejuvenation by his new operator, Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière and two architect-decorators, Jean-Michel Wilmotte for the public spaces and François Joseph Graf for the “Costes” restaurant. It is a huge aesthetical success, since modernity mixes with the 19 th century style of the theatre founded by Jacques Offenbach, in 1855. Ushers … Read More
KraK des chevaliers and Palmyre, Syria is celebrated everywhere
Three exhibitions track the disappearing treasures of the Orient and recreate them with digital tools. The emotion is total at seeing Palmyre, Alep, Mossoul live again despite the war. A new technic forced by circumstances and developed by Iconem, projects images on huge screens at Institut du Monde Arabe. At Cité de l’architecture, the large fortress of Krak is described … Read More
Tutto Ponti, a design giant rediscovered at MAD
Visiting “Tutto Ponti” the retrospective dedicated to Italian designer and architect Gio Ponti (1891-1979), was a true discovery and a wonderful immersion in 20 th century design. Musée des Arts Décoratifs, now called MAD, has gone a long way to give to the ” Italian Le Corbusier” enough space and luxury. Maybe too much? But you can visit the show … Read More
Tadao Ando, Tomas Saraceno and “Marxito”
What do Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Argentinian artist Tomas Saraceno and French chef Thierry Marx have in common? They draw young urban art lovers in masses. And it is a duplicated pleasure to see how 25-30 years old crowd the Pompidou center, the Palais de Tokyo and restaurant “Marxito” on rue Jean Mermoz, with their energy, their red lipstick and … Read More
At Fondation Cartier, Geometry is Latin American!
Fondation Cartier has accustomed us to fun and high quality exhibitions ranging from architecture to African art and photography. This time, “Southern geometries from Mexico to Patagonia” could seem like an aggregate of shapes and colors that have nothing in common. But it actually gives us a leading thread between pre Hispanic art and today’s Indian and contemporary art. … Read More
Versailles and Louis Philippe, a long history
King Louis Philippe reigned in France from 1830 to 1848. During this time he made a point of transforming Versailles into a historical museum dedicated to all the glories of the country. To celebrate his work, Catherine Pégard, president of Château de Versailles, is opening thirty two new rooms and 5 000 square meters, where the historical galleries will be … Read More
Domaine du Muy, an enchanted sculpture kingdom in Provence
Three years ago, a series of flattering articles in the French and American press alerted me to the success of Jean Gabriel Mitterrand’s sculpture park in le Muy, a little town, an hour north of St Tropez and west of Cannes. There was some mystery around his project and I never got around to visiting it until Anne Laure … Read More