The October Revolution (1917) ended centuries of Czarist rule reshaping the Russian empire into the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Meanwhile Russian artists during those turbulent times were making their own revolutions breaking the old art rules with new ideas such as cubism, futurism and expressionism. Continue reading “Back in the USSR”
Tomi Ungerer Paris Exhibits
The Irish Cultural Center in Paris tributes Alsatian-born satirist and illustrator Tomi Ungerer (1931-2019)—who lived in Ireland for more than forty years– with an exhibition “En Attendant” featuring his “Waiting for Godot” collage series and several sculptures (until July 5, 2019). Continue reading “Tomi Ungerer Paris Exhibits”
Thomas Houseago Paris Retrospective
Los Angeles based British artist Thomas Houseago’s “Almost Human” is a retrospective exhibition featuring his sculptures and paintings at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (until July 14, 2019). The exhibition —with a title inspired by Leonard Cohen’s iconic song “Suzanne”—follows the evolution of Houseago’s work from the 1990s to present day experiments. Continue reading “Thomas Houseago Paris Retrospective”
Wilting Point Photos
William Daniels’ color documentary photographs are featured with the exhibition “Wilting Point” at the the Pavillon Carre de Baudouin in Paris’ 20th arrondissement (until April 11, 2019). Dainiels (born 1977) is a French Paris-based photojournalist working with National Geographic, Time Magazine, Le Monde and Polka. The exhibition includes recent photos from his Central African Republic series as well as photos taken in Kirghizistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Syria and a dizzying number of other troubled places. Continue reading “Wilting Point Photos”
Les Nabis Revisited
Decorative art by “Nabis” artists such as Bonnard, Valloton, Vuillard and Sérusier is the subject of “Les Nabis el le Décor” at the Musée du Luxembourg. It includes ceramics, textiles, wallpaper project proposals and decorative panels commissioned by the artists’ friends and patrons (until June 30, 2019). The exhibition accompanies another “Nabis” themed exhibition in town at the Musée d’Orsay “Le Talisman Sérusier, une prophéte de la couleur” (until June 02, 2019). Continue reading “Les Nabis Revisited”
Eiffel Tower Behind Glass
We’ll always have Paris. But if Bogart’s character in Casablanca came back to the city today he would be shocked to see some of the changes… par exemple the Eiffel Tower set off behind a three meter bullet proof transparent glass security wall. Continue reading “Eiffel Tower Behind Glass”
Bamboo Art at Branly Museum
The “Fendre l’air, Art du bambou au Japon” exhibition at Musée du quai Branly —featuring bamboo art dating from the late 19th century to the present— looks at how Japanese basket making went from craft to a medium of expression used by contemporary artists (to April 07, 2019). Continue reading “Bamboo Art at Branly Museum”
The Gardener of Eden
A mysterious beachcomber, in “The Gardener of Eden,” appears one day on the coastal bluffs near the small town of Carverville, a place whose best days are long behind it. Who is he, and why has he returned after nearly forty years? The book is Paris-based author David Downie’s haunting, luminous novel set in a mythical Pacific Coast locale somewhere in Northern California. Continue reading “The Gardener of Eden”
Zen Word Paintings at Gleichapel
Gleichapel, an upper Marais Paris art space —describing itself as “a discrete, miniature and independent art platform— is showing an installation of Zen word paintings by New Mexico based painter John Phillip Abbott (February 9-March 24, 2019). Continue reading “Zen Word Paintings at Gleichapel”
Tutto Ponti in Paris
Giovanni “Gio” Ponti, (1891-1976) one of the most important figures in 20th century Italian design, is featured with a retrospective “Tutto Ponti, Gio Ponti archi-designer” at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (to May 5, 2019). The exhibition presents a panoramic chronology of Ponti’s six-decade career in architecture, design, interiors and publishing. Continue reading “Tutto Ponti in Paris”
The Invisible Killer
A new book by pollution scientist Dr Gary Fuller “The Invisible Killer, the rising global threat of air pollution… and how we can fight back” examines air pollution past and present while revealing the global magnitude of the pollution problem from London to Beijing to Los Angeles. Continue reading “The Invisible Killer”