Tuesday, December 13, 2016

10 Artsy & Cool Reasons To Visit Paris in the Fall/Winter (2016-17)


©Iwan Baan/Fondation Louis Vuitton
By Jacquelin Carnegie
While great art is on view all year long in Paris, many of the museums open major exhibits in October that stay on view until the end of January or longer. Additionally, a number of fairs and festivals add to Paris' Fall/Winter cultural calendar.
MAJOR MUSEUM EXHIBITS

Be sure to check out the Fall exhibit openings at these fabulous museums: 
Fondation Louis Vuitton 
8 Ave du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, 16eme; Tel: 01 40 69 96 00; www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr; Metro: Les Sablons 
Past Exhibit: Icons of Modern Art: The Shchukin Collection - Sergei Shchukin, a Russian textile magnate in the late 1800s, was a visionary collector. He bought paintings by Gauguin, Matisse, Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, etc., before their style was appreciated by the public. 

"Observatory of Light” -  French conceptual artist Daniel Buren covered FLV's Frank Gehry-designed building with stunning colored filters, until April 2017.
Musée de l’Orangerie
Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, 1eme; Tel: 01 44 77 80 07; www.musee-orangerie.fr/en; Metro: Concorde
Past ExhibitAmerican Painting in the 1930’s: The Age of Anxiety - These iconic images from the Art Institute of Chicago by famous American painters such as Grant Wood (American Gothic), Thomas Hart Benton, Edward Hopper, etc. show how the Great Depression affected their artwork along with the lives of ordinary Americans. A beautiful, poignant exhibit.

Grant Wood, American Gothic


Centre Pompidou
Place Georges-Pompidou, 4eme; Tel: 01 44 78 12 33; www.centrepompidou.fr/en; Metro: Hôtel-de-Ville, Rambuteau
Past Exhibit: Magritte: La Trahison des Images (Image Betrayal) - The ultimate exhibit for lovers of the work of Belgian artist René Magritte. It featured beloved masterpieces and lesser-known works, drawn from leading public and private collections. A decidedly pleasing and comprehensive collection by one of Modern art's grooviest painters.

Musée National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet
6 place d'Iéna, 16eme; Tel: 01 56 52 53 00; www.guimet.fr; Metro: Iéna
Explore the fantastic collection of Asian art and sculptures in this museum, known as Musée Guimet. It's just down the street from the Palais de Tokyo & the Musée d'Art Moderne; visit all three!
Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
30 Ave Corentin Cariou, Parc de la Vilette, 19eme; Tel: 01 41 57 32 28; http://bit.ly/2dDML6x; Metro: Porte de la Villette
Past Exhibit: Quoi de neuf au Moyen Âge? (What's New in the Middle Ages?) - This terrific exhibit, aimed at kids but great for adults as well, showed that the Middle Ages was not just a bleak period of plagues and religious fanaticism. It was also a time of impressive inventions: eyeglasses, the wheelbarrow, spinning wheel, hourglass, compass, etc. Videos and interactive displays brought the Middle Ages--from country peasants to aristocrats--to life.


There is always something of interest on view at these two venerable museums, next-door to each other:
Petit Palais 
(http://www.petitpalais.paris.frAve Winston-Churchill; 8th arrondissement, Metro: Champs-Elysées Clemenceau
Grand Palais 
(https://www.grandpalais.fr/en; 3 Ave du Général Eisenhower; 8th arrondissement, Metro: Champs-Elysées Clemenceau) - The museum will close for a major restoration/renovation from Dec 2020 to spring 2023. In the interim, a "temporary" Grand Palais will be set up; check the website for updates.

FABULOUS ART FAIRS
In October: FIAC (fiac.com) - This major fair showcases offerings by top, international galleries such as Applicat-Prazan, Raffaella Cortese, Gladstone Gallery, Lelong, Waddington Custot, Nicolai Wallner, Michael Werner.  
Another cool element of this art fair--totally free of charge!--is the outdoor sculpture exhibit, "Art Hors les Murs," in the garden, Jardin des Tulleries.

COOL CULTURAL CHOICES
Festival d'automne (www.festival-automne.com)- This annual festival celebrating the arts--dance, theatre, music, film, and visual art--runs from September through December. The events take place in a variety of Paris venues highlighting exceptional work.

Place des héros de Thomas Bernhard, Festival d'automne
European Heritage Days (https://bit.ly/2KEogmK) - On the third weekend in September, historic sites--public monuments and private buildings--offer free admission. This is a unique chance to visit some of Paris' most prestigious places.
La Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre (https://bit.ly/2uPVpZa) - Montmartre’s vineyards date from 390 B.C. Every year, during the first week of October, Montmartre’s Wine Harvest Festival is celebrated throughout the neighborhood with a parade, wine-tasting booths, food stalls, music, dancing in the streets, and fireworks. It’s a fun time to plan a trip to Paris. 
PORTES OUVERTES (http://bit.ly/1EPEeGl) - While most Portes Ouvertes (Artists Open Studios) take place in the spring, a few are in the Fall/Winter: Portes Ouvertes des Ateliers de Ménilmontant (www.ateliersdemenilmontant.org, Sept); Les Ateliers d'Artistes du Père Lachaise (www.apla.fr/blog, Dec). Where To Stay: Lots of choices http://bit.ly/17XRTrg

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