Mechanical Avalokitesvara by South Korean artist Wang Zi Won, 2015. The arms of Buddha move constantly
Musée du Quai Branly, the future Musée Jacques Chirac, always surprises us and this time, the exhibition, « Persona, Etrangement humain » which hightlights objects from old civilisations up to contemporary robots, is both riveting and disconcerting.
Even in grey skies, Villa Cavrois looks like a sunny ship! Mallet-Stevens understood everything about light.
It is a long and grim drive from Paris to Lille on the Autoroute du Nord which also leads to Brussels and Calais. But if you are travelling with two very dear friends, an architect from Boston, and the daughter of the leading Texas architect Frank Welch, it is much more fun.Read More
Omar Sy and James Thierrée are a fantastic acting couple in Chocolat
« Chocolat », the new film directed by Roschdy Zem and produced by the Altmayer brothers (Nicolas and Eric), is the charming and sad story of the rise and fall of the first black actor in France. And it is a lovely surprise, thanks to the two main actors, James Thierrée, a confirmed stage actor and Charlie Chaplin’s grandson (who looks so much like his grandfather on screen) and Omar Sy who was made famous by his part in the film « Intouchables », and whose presence and large smile are vivid throughout the film.Read More
Women were being honored on the invitation of Académie du Mardi gras
It was just too tempting to be missed and so I crossed Paris from west to east under a violent rain storm, in order to see Stéphane Layani, President of the Rungis market, be honored with the Prix de l’Académie du Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday’s Academy prize), a prize given for the past five years to a personality who helps traditional French butchery. Shrove Tuesday was traditionally, in the Christian religion, the last day when you could eat meat before lent. The invitation showed a lady butcher, but the room at Ecole Nationale supérieure des Métiers de la viande, was filled with men who were all presidents of some special food academy.Read More
“Apollon servi par les nymphes et les Chevaux du Soleil”, marbre by François Girardon and Thomas Regnaudin, ©D-Saulnier
Everything was a huge surprise in the city of Arras where I went after having heard of the exhibition « Arras vous fait la cour » (Arras courts you ) of 100 chefs d’œuvres lent by Versailles. As always, it is hard to lead Parisians to the French provinces and the two hour drive to this northern city of Picardie was so easy and so pleasant that I intend to go back for a few days to see more museums.
A marble statue of Louis XIV by Varin in a decor of Escalier des Ambassadeurs
The new editor of the Boston Globe, Marty Baron, (Liev Schreiber) shakes everyone around. He is now the executive editor of the Washington Post
If you have not seen this film yet, rush, you don’t have a choice! It is the most exciting, well written script and psychologically well tuned film I have seen for a long time. It only came out last week in Paris and it has become the word of mouth tip since. Everything is bright about it. The characters are unbelievably subtle, with their qualities and their faults, the acting is at its best with Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo and Boston is a fun city to spend two hours in.Read More
Un loup percé d’une lance, 1771, © David Rase
Musée Cognacq-Jay is one of those hidden treasures in the Marais that would remain unknown if it wasn’t for its special exhibitions. These are sometimes cramped in the little 16 th century rooms of Hotel de Donon, where Ernest Cognacq (1839-1928), the founder of La Samaritaine’s, collection of china and antique furniture and paintings is exhibited, but curator Benjamin Couilleaux found the perfect topic this time, and the Jean-Baptiste Huet’s country paintings are a huge pleasure to discover.`Read More
One says that January 31st is the last day for sending good wishes for the New Year, so here are my favorite cards this year and I am happy to share them with you!
From Mexico City, the most colorful table decoration by Gérard Fontaine