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@parisianhoursofidleness
Given the recent Tumblr changes and the rumours I hear about copyright and intellectual property, I have decided not to publish on this site anymore.
The blog remains alive and active at its main address, though :
parisianhoursofidleness.wordpress.com
See you there soon, I hope !
Given the recent Tumblr changes and the rumours I hear about copyright and intellectual property, I have decided not to publish on this site anymore.
The blog remains alive and active at its main address, though :
parisianhoursofidleness.wordpress.com
See you there soon, I hope !
Don’t mistake me: I love the Louvre. But really, their exhibitions can be terribly disappointing. The last one I went to visit, Masques, mascarades et mascarons, unfortunately proved it again.
Let’s start with a bit of music.
The idea is not a bad one, the theme is interesting, and the content could have been well used, but the whole thing just did not work, at least for me. The subject deserves a much bigger development, extended to other locations and times. Or they should have written on their posters that the exhibition would only focus on Latin Europe from antiquity to the 16th century.
Other than the strange setting, with no clear start or end, and the exclusively European focus (would it have killed them to throw a reference to the dogon, inuit or Slavic masks in there for instance ???), it was the tone I especially disliked. It was so elitist! The person who wrote the texts clearly loves to read him/herself, and doesn’t really care about the audience.
Anyway. If you managed to see beyond those uninteresting and long texts, you could, actually discover a few beautiful masks and learn a couple of things about them and their associates, the mascarons (the pertinence in this exhibition of which I could discuss but I will refrain myself as you probably already are tired of my criticising).
What turned out to be the most striking to me was the diversity of use for a mask: it hides (with a more or less criminal intent), it protects the “honesty” of its bearer (courtesans in a royal ballet for example), it punishes (the accused witches and wizards had to wear one), it turns you into a different person (in plays or carnivals), it exposes an emotion (during the ancient funerals), it preserves a face (Romans moulded their deads’ faces to keep them afterwards), it removes identity (the famous Masque de fer)…
(Since cameras were forbidden inside (why?), I had to illustrate this post with other pictures, sorry if most of the references are French…)
Masques, mascarades et mascarons Don't mistake me: I love the Louvre. But really, their exhibitions can be terribly disappointing. The last one I went to visit, …
Something I forgot for a while: the Fête de la Science (Science festival). It took place in different locations in Paris, between September the 26th and October the 16th.
(a little song to get you in the mood, good luck if you want to sing along)
At the Cité des Sciences, the permanent exhibitions were free, with many activities, most of which were made by companies come to showcase their products or their expertise. Some could criticise this commercial but not me. First because they didn’t actually sell anything and also because I thought it was good for the kids there to see how the science they saw in the exhibitions applied to real life. Other activities were… weirder… For instance, I’m still looking for the connection to science of the inflated horses’ dance, and the giant puppets’, or the skits done by a group of nutcases dressed as Cupid… But then again, it was a festive atmosphere at least!
A lot of brands were there, but I’ll only show you the ones whose presentation I preferred: the tiny Parrot robots (no good pictures) that make you want to adopt one as pet, Messer’s aerostat Aéroplume that I would take over the metro any day, and the storyteller Lunii, absolutely adorable project where children make the story as they go.
FYI: the Aéroplume will still be there during the Toussaint holidays, if you want to try it for yourself, but you will have to pay the entrance fee this time !
Fête de la Science Something I forgot for a while: the Fête de la Science (Science festival). It took place in different locations in Paris, between September the 26th and October the 16th.
What's up, doc ?
What’s up, doc ?
With autumn settling in, I want heavier cakes, so here is a “gateau aux carottes”. Yes, a gateau aux carottes, and not a carrot cake, because I think the recipe is rather different from the American one.
(more…)
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During the Paris Design Week (and until the 24th of November), the Grandes Serres du Jardin des Plantes were invaded by the work of designer Alexis Tricoire. The leaflet given at the beginning mentions “transcending the beauty of hybrid landscapes”, and “a new reading on the relationship between object and plant, between natural and cultural, between society and primary forests”. Oh my. What a heavy program.
Then, on a tiny part, is introduced Mr Tricoire’s partner in crime: the Fédération française de la brosserie (French federation of brush making). What? Did they forget to tell you? That transcendence is to be achieved through brushes (for house cleaning, industrial purpose, or toilets) scattered among the plants.
Of course, you will easily find people to tell you how wonderful a questioning it is, how incomparable the process of thought is, and that, truly, it is Art. I might as well say right now that will not be me. Yes, some parts are pretty, and the brushes are really well put to use. But, come on, transcending? How about the people in charge stop exaggerating?
Anyway. If you manage to unread this unwelcome arrogance, it was interesting to see this familiar environment so unusually occupied, and, once again, congratulations on using the brushes so well, however, honestly, I learnt more about the variety of French-made brushes than on my relationship with the Amazon…
Brushing Nature During the Paris Design Week (and until the 24th of November), the Grandes Serres du Jardin des Plantes were invaded by the work of designer Alexis Tricoire.
Be the night obey'd*
Be the night obey’d*
The Muséum d’Histoire naturelle offers, until November 3d, an exhibition with a very pretty poster : la Nuit.
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The good thing about daytime shrinking is that now I’m wake early enough to watch the sun rise.
Here are a few pictures of dawns, though they don’t do them justice at all.
The rosy-fingered Dawn The good thing about daytime shrinking is that now I'm wake early enough to watch the sun rise.
After a relatively rotten Summer, Autumn is not that bad.
A walk on part of the Coulée verte (be careful: renovation work is being done near the rue Hector Malot and “break” the Coulée).
Autumnal stroll After a relatively rotten Summer, Autumn is not that bad. A walk on part of the Coulée verte (be careful: renovation work is being done near the rue Hector Malot and "break" the Coulée).
A Bobo afternoon
(in case you don’t know what “Bobos” are : they are “bourgeois bohème”. A kind of wealthy chic hipster that swarm the Marais and the surrounding areas)
Last week, I indulged in a bobo afternoon. Two pastries at Jacques Génin‘s (ouch, my wallet, but yum yum yum) were a good start, then a nice little walk to Merci to finish it off nicely.
In the end: lemon tartlet to die for at Génin’s,…
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The “Tatoueurs tatoués” exhibition at the Quai Branly museum was one of the big ones this year in Paris. Considering the massive promotion in the media, and despite the good reviews I heard, I imagined it to be like those at the Grand Palais, and especially similarly priced… So I postponed going for a while. Which, in fact, was a good move: it was a lot less crowded in September than during the spring.
(I still have the same formatting problem with captioned images. If you know how to fix it…)
A lot of good points in the making of the exhibition itself, which, for me, is becoming rather rare in those big Parisian exhibitions:
a good scenography, first chronological then geographical
successful use of different media (objects, films, photos, drawings, skins (yuuuuuck), acrylic paintings, tattooed silicone mouldings…)
no audioguide (hurray!!!)
Bonus points for the film at the end, showing how tattoos have infiltrated commercials, sport and show business over the last decades, for opening the exhibition to a lot of different tattooing cultures, and for the idea of moulding parts of real people (with normal bodies, no bony models), tattooed by famous artists.
Minus points for the complete absence of Africa (3 photos of scarification and of tattooed Berber women do not count comparing to the development of the rest), of South America and “primitive” peoples (it is supposed to be the point of that museum, isn’t it?: what happened to the jungle and Northern tribes, for instance ?). I would also have liked to learn a bit more about the techniques.
And a list of what I learned (amongst many others!):
the oldest tattoo found : 6000BC among the Chinchorro people (South America)
Pendant, India
it has always been used as identification, positively or negatively: it shows where one belongs. The mark of criminals or slaves, clan, gang and caste members, groups of workmen or soldiers, or, in its most horrific occurrence a form of counting and identification during the Jewish and Armenian genocides. Even today, a sociologist could argue that a Scrooge Mcduck tattoo on the left shoulder is a kind of identification symbol!
Lady Viola, c. 1928, tattooed by Frank Graf
during the 19th century, in Europe, a sharp turn: tattoos went from criminals to men working in dangerous places: sailors, soldiers etc. It became a sign of pride, a souvenir, or a mere ornament.
Dreyfus’ cashiering tattooed on Auguste Formain’s back, Oswaldo Tofani, 1897
today, in France, out of every ten people, one has a tattoo, and they can be found everywhere: on celebrities, athletes, models, in commercials, and someone pretty much made his living out of his tattoos…
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http://vimeo.com/11883449
the so admired and so copied Japanese tattoo is the one from the 19th century tradition, disgraced afterwards by its use among Yakuzas. It was re-discovered by Americans, who preferred using it and the European one as inspiration rather than the centuries of Native American tattoos (sadly absent from the exhibition as well).
Rôshi Ensei, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19th c., Rôshi Ensei, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19e, woodcut
Tattoo project, Horimitsu, 2013
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1888, woodcut
the black-and-grey style was born in the US, in and around LA, and was linked to gangs for a long time. It forced tattoo artists to develop new techniques to give a better rendering of shadows and details (which are still used today for other styles).
while tattoos marked lowlifes in Europe for a long time, in New-Zealand it was the exact opposite since it was the sign of chiefs. It then became the property of gangs during the 19th century: absolute reverse evolution! Today it is considered a national treasure.
Dion Hutana, Hans Neleman, 1997
tattoos from the Pacific are very diverse, but we tend to imagine them all as similar because of the omnipresence of the New-Zealand Maori type in the media. Actually, those from Samoa (with a very impressive technique) are quite linear and symmetrical. And those from Polynesia have more of a Mayan look.
Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo, 2013 (Samoa)
Chimé Tahiti Tatau, 2013 (inspired from the Marquesas tattoos)
Te Peha a Uetonga, Marc Kopua, 2013 (NZ)
As a conclusion, the exhibition was made to demystify tattooing, while proving what a true art it is (and it works). However, it focuses too much, for me, on the “trendy” side of tattoos, showing mainly the big, fashionable movements and those the most in touch with our current tastes.
Tattoo by Kostek, photo by Zoé Forget, 2013
Tattoo of characters from the Beijing Opera, Shih-Min Wu, 21st century
If you want to see it yourself, the best time to go is between 12h and 14h, before October the 18th 2015 (!!!).
If you go with children (or if you still are a kid at heart), booklets (only in French) can be found at the entrance or downloaded here.
Tatoueurs tatoués The "Tatoueurs tatoués" exhibition at the Quai Branly museum was one of the big ones this year in Paris.
Seasonal baking
A simple pear tart, as the season starts.
To make it, you will need a short crust pastry, an almond base (2 eggs + 80g brown sugar + 100g ground almonds + 50g butter), and a few pears. You can also add ground bitter almonds (just a teaspoon) or almond extract, if you want to enhance that taste, or even add spices, cinnamon being the most obvious.
First, blind bake cook the dough: the better it is…
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I had been dreaming of going to the Jardin alpin for a while. Bits of it appear through the vines growing on the gates and railings, including flowerbeds (coming from mountains all over the world) slightly overwhelming the gardeners. The whole place most of the time being empty since… closed. I should tell you this right now: the only two faults of this garden are its relatively impossible opening times (even after a long study of the website, you always take a risk), and the severe lack of labels in the bushiest parts.
(no, that little guy is not in the Jardin alpin, it is in the neighbouring Ménagerie, but can be seen from the top of the Jardin)
That said, there is little bad to say about this nice mountainous break. Grab a map and go have a look at the oldest kiwi trees in France. Sit down under the tall cypress and inhale its perfume. Enjoy the coolness of the bears’ ravine. Watch the bees’ harvest. Admire the delicateness of the flowers. Finally, enjoy this quiet space, so far from the city yet in its heart.
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To prepare your visit: go here.
Parisian Alps I had been dreaming of going to the Jardin alpin for a while. Bits of it appear through the vines growing on the gates and railings, including flowerbeds (coming from mountains all over the world) slightly overwhelming the gardeners.
The Tiki style was something I had never heard of until visiting this exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum. Or rather, I did. But like 90% of the population, I presume, I wasn’t aware it had a name. Have you ever seen this kind of ambiance?
Then you know the Tiki style.
(Listen to this as a soundtrack for this post: it will get you in the mood)
If you want to know a bit more (and the exhibition is quite thorough, I thought) I should tell you that the Tiki is an American decorating (and clothing…) style based on a fantasy Polynesia. Patterns of the Easter Island statues are mixed with real Tikis (originally a Tahitian man-god), Caribbean rum is included in “typically Hawaiian” cocktails, and blonde pinups pretend to be hula dancers. Kitsch is not lethal, thankfully, otherwise this fashion would have been a massacre.
The origins are explained at length in the beginning. To sum it up, the movement is rooted in a heaven-like image of the Polynesian islands born at the start of the 20th century, with popular novels. Those were then turned into films, and music also got inspired by the South Seas. Eventually, when the GIs who had been stationed there came home, the style reached its full potential, and all came pouring in: the wickerwork furniture, the aloha shirts, the exotic cocktails, the buildings shaped like huts etc.
The objects and documents that are part of the exhibition can be funny and ridiculous, but I was impressed by how familiar they seemed. As if I had integrated them in my image of America at that time without realising they were part of a proper style.
Its disgrace came with the 60s and hippie fashion, which saw it as (according to an explanation I thought a bit deep), apparently, a symbol of the American colonialist policy it abhorred. The Tiki got to be reborn in the 90s though, and still comes back sometimes now as a “vintage” design trend.
All in all, it was a nice exhibition (however long to start), with a beautiful scenography, on a relatively (at least around me) little known subject, and quite pleasant if, like me, you go on a grey day… Go very soon: it ends on September the 28th! If you decide to go, click here.
If you find the subject interesting but can’t go, you can read this good article which includes an interview of the curator.
Tiki Pop The Tiki style was something I had never heard of until visiting this exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum.
Vincennes, it seems, is especially known today for its park. But, to be honest, I much prefer its castle. Last year (when I took these pictures), I spent quite some time there, on several days, because I loved it so much. And, by the way, it happens to be the best place I know in Paris to hide from the heat during summer: not many people and deliciously cool. Although we didn’t exactly need that this summer…
I’m not going to tell you about its history, which you can find easily enough (including here), just show you a few photos, hoping they will make you want to go.
Dungeon seen from the chemin de ronde
Dungeon seen from the courtyard
Chapel inside the dungeon
Pilar in the main room of the dungeon
Dungeon from the courtyard
Rose window from the Sainte Chapelle
Inside the Sainte Chapelle
Chateau de Vincennes Vincennes, it seems, is especially known today for its park. But, to be honest, I much prefer its castle.
Koetsu
Koetsu http://wp.me/s4HL9W-koetsu
A good surprise of this summer. A really good Japanese restaurant with fresh products, made even calmer than it is by the comparison with the other ones in that street, but you do pay the difference. I ate my fill: an entrée of delicious marinated tuna, a miso soup with real tofu, and then a salmon mix: makis with a tasty yet not pasty seaweed, good sushi, and just-thick-enough and not too fatty…
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Summer is (almost) over, and I’m back ! Next week I’ll start posting again. So until then, have a great week end !
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