Pierre Bodo, Dance of the animals, 1999, Pigozzi collection

Once again, Fondation Cartier is showing a summer exhibition which is playful and gracious, contemporary and for all publics. It is devoted to animals and music and primarily to birds. « Le grand orchestre des animaux » exhibits artists from France, Africa, Japan, Brazil, Detroit and California. And ten films from the Cornell Lab of ornithology are extraordianry moments of pleasure. Do sit down and take the time to watch them properly.

Hiroshi Sugimoto, Alaskan wolves, 1994

On a rainy July morning, it was a great surprise to hear tropical forest birds sing to me at the beautiful Fondation Cartier designed by Jean Nouvel. African artist Pierre Bodo, MoKe, JP Mika, were also making music for my heart with their painted orchestras of animals. Ryuchi Sakamoto, Shiro Takatani, Hiroshi Sugimoto also fascinated me with their photographs like Manabu Miyasaki and his night owls.

Brazilian artist Adriana Varejano created a wall with bird painted ceramics

I found it more difficult to understand Bernie Krause’s recordings of birds songs and Christian Sardet‘s video work downstairs. But loved all the photographs and sounds. The public as always is very diverse and mesmerized and children love every moment of it.

Five screens show 2.5 mn films of birds singing from Cornell University lab of ornithology. Here, a very special Paradise bird

Until January 2017. On September 18 th and 19 th,  Trisha Brown will give live performances in the garden.