Iranian artist, Bitar Fayyazi, ceramic “Cockroaches”, 1998-99 (detail)

It is a very original project that Antonie de Galbert founder of  La Maison Rouge conceived with the Museum of Ceramics in Sèvres and the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht. To exhibit modern and contemporary ceramic sculptures made by famous artists. Ceramics or china as people call it everyday, is mostly used for plates and tea pots. But in 300 bc in Xian, China, and in Italian Renaissance, artists like Della Robbia already created ceramics sculptures.

Katsuyo Aoki, Predictive dream, 2013, a very refined skull at La Maison rouge

The Japanese room in Sèvres with a work by Futamura,© Gérard Jonca

Today, many artists have experimented it, starting with Picasso, Gauguin and Derain, more recently Alechinsky and Thomas Schütte and Gabriel Orozco in Mexico… Also Miro, Fontana, Tapiès, Chillida and Barcelo. There is also a strong tradition in Japan with Katsumata, Nagaswa, Takako Araki and Nakamura Kimpeï.

Marilyn Levine, “Bob’s bag”, 1982

At Musée de Sèvres, the exhibition is very large and uneven, but the permanent collection is so stunning that you will not be disappointed to have gone all the way (30 mns drive from Concorde). The museum is a very special place with collections dating from the Middle Ages and Porcelaine de Sèvres is one of the most renowned in the world. Do take your time.

Pierre Alechinsky’s book, “Infeuilletable”, 1994

At La Maison Rouge, the atmosphere is more hip of course, and there are some stunning installations including Iranian artist Bita Fayyazi’s cockroaches, Robert Arneson’s faces, Marilyn Levine’s hyperrealist pieces  like “Bob’s bag”.

The evolution of ceramics art in the last hundred years is so interesting that whether you like Picasso’s vases in the shape of women (1947-49) or prefer Viola Frey’s self portraits, these two visits will interest you. (Until 5 June)