Explorer Paris: Quai Branly.

It’s like this: I have to feel a kick to start and successfully finish anything I do. In Paris, I’m definitely not bored, everyday something new is happening and “to see” list is somehow increasing, instead of reducing. But to write something I will like, I have to know what I’m writing about. I imbibe all the places, I could listen for hours peoples speaking French (doesn’t matter that if it’s a lecture – I understand about 20%), art inspires me so much that I wonder what if I’d try to draw some portraits in the streets, and meeting peoples from other countries and continents is so developing.

No, it wasn’t the introduction to inform you, that I don’t want to write anymore (sorry..). On the contrary – it’s the leading to a story about a great museum I’ve visited yesterday.

When I grow up, I would like to be Jean Nouvel. I started to learn about him from a skeptical point of view, knowing only few projects. Last time, I was describing two of them, and I said that Jean Nouvel always adapts his project to time, place, function and situation. He stands out between many Starchitects, who are often so defined, that they are putting similar building, in their own style, doesn’t matter where and when. But for me, architecture is made for peoples, it builds a world, so I’m not sure how much of an individual style can it take. I don’t want to be misunderstood, I’m not talking about historicism, most of the time, modern solutions are the best ones. It’s just that every project has to be consider individually, with respect to its surrounding and function.

Each and every one of Jean Nouvel’s projects is different, and it means that everyone is special. I’m not a biggest admirer of his buildings, but I don’t like neither a thoughtless opinions “I just don’t like it”. If it matches, if it works good – than what’s wrong? Get rid of vanity, life – that’s what matters. Welcome to the jungle!

Musée du quai Branly is a special place. Built in 2006, placed very near to Eiffel Tower, contains thousands of exhibits presenting art, culture, clothes comes from America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. From quai Branly, building is separated with already seen in other project, high wall of glass and very impressive (as for the center of Paris) jungle, which are barely showing the edifice. Also, when you’re going from direction of Eiffel Tower, you pass by 12m high green wall, planted by botanists Gilles Clément and Patrick Blanc (look out for flying snails!).

The solid is various not only in form, but also in colors and materials. There’s a main part on pillars, under which we have to pass to enter the museum. The front elevation is a mix of glass, covered with jungle-motived foil, wood and boxes in yellow, orange and red. Each box is inside an exposition space. The southern site is covered with moving, red blinds. Entrance is situated in smaller, white solid. We start the visit with passing the ramp, leading from the entrance, to main hall, where we can find the exposition separated on four continents and situated on two mezzanines. Inside, there’s dimness, you can hear a music, or cheers of tribal peoples, it’s very climatic. When I was passing between the exhibits, beautiful, sometimes scary, surprising, made of wood, straw, painted or carved, I couldn’t resist thinking about a work on a project which has to be a cooperation of architect with peoples involved in museum, after a deep analyze of subject. From wooden totems to fancy carnival costumes from South America – art has many faces.

 

Another important thing appearing in lots of Paris museums are special standings for sightless peoples, where they can touch the replicas of projects and read describtions in Braille’s. In Musée du quai Branly, whole central space is dedicated for this. I only didn’t like the finishing of looking like made of clay walls.

In addition, there’s surely a shop, but here we can buy books and souvenirs from Arfica, Asia, America and Oceania, cinema, lecture halls, library, café and restaurant. Up to 17 October, on the other side of the quai Branly, on the bord the Seine, you can also admire a very interesting photography exhibition from 29 non-european counties – Photoquai.


What else to say.. Maybe Musée du quai Branly won’t be on “to see” list of peoples, who are in Paris only for few days, but it has lots of indisputable advantages, like for example that it’s not so crowded like Louvre, and art is more sincere and obvious than in Pompidou.

I’m sending you regards from Paris flat, in this Friday afternoon, trying to heal before the evening.
See you!

Sprawa z tym blogiem wygląda tak, w ogóle sprawa z wieloma rzeczami, które robię, wygląda tak, że muszę czuć przypływ weny/inspiracji/fascynacji żeby coś zacząć i z sensownym efektem zakończyć. W Paryżu absolutnie się nie nudzę, codziennie dzieje się coś nowego, a lista rzeczy do zobaczenia jakimś cudem się wydłuża, zamiast skracać. Ale żeby napisać tekst, z którego będę zadowolona, i w ogóle żeby go pisać, muszę wiedzieć, o czym piszę. Chłonę jak gąbka te wszystkie miejsca, ludzi, którzy mówią po francusku mogłabym słuchać godzinami (mimo, że dociera do mnie w zależności od tego czy rozmawiam ze znajomym, dla którego francuski jest językiem obcym, frankofonem, czy słucham wykładu - od 99 do 20%), sztuka tak bardzo mnie inspiruje, że zastanawiam się co by było gdybym sama zaczęła rysować portrety na ulicach, a rozmawianie z osobami z innych krajów, kontynentów niesamowicie poszerza horyzonty.

Nie, to nie był wstęp do informacji, że nie chce mi się pisać. Wręcz przeciwnie, to był wstęp do opowieści o muzeum, w którym wczoraj byłam i które chciałabym każdemu polecić.

Explorer Paris: Jean Nouvel ft. Ron Mueck.

Someday...

Jean Nouvel to jeden z najbardziej cenionych na świecie współczesnych francuskich architektów, o czym świadczy fakt, że z Christianem Potzamparckiem są jedynymi francuskimi lauratami "architektonicznego nobla" - nagrody Pritzkera (zobacz: mój post o La Vilette). Może jego projekty nie są tymi, które najmocniej mnie inspirują, a pan konstruktor z którym zwiedzaliśmy mówił, że ciężko się z nim pracuje, to moim zdaniem nie zostaje się "starchitect" tylko za tupet (o tupecie w sztuce już niedługo). Charakterystyczne dla jego budynków są prostota formy i "inteligentne opakowanie", a co najbardziej warto docenić, to indywidualne podejście do każdego budynku, analizowanie zarówno miejsca, jak i przyszłej funkcji. 

W minionym tygodniu miałam okazję zwiedzić dwa ciekawe budynki autorstwa tego francuskiego architekta, a biorąc pod uwagę, że pracuje w Paryżu (swoją drogą niedaleko od mojego mieszkania), jeszcze wiele przede mną do zobaczenia.

Explorer Paris: Patrimoine.

Not yet.

Paryż nie śpi, a ja przez ostatnią deszczową pogodę trochę przysypiałam. Muszę się przyzwyczaić. Na szczęście odkąd zobaczyłam jak Paryżanie potrafią nawet w deszczu świetnie się bawić na Techno Parade (!?) uwierzyłam, że jest szansa na adaptację.

Journées du Patrimoine, które przypadały w ten weekend (14-15.09) dały możliwość zwiedzenia wielu obiektów, które zwykle nie są dostępne, bądź za darmo tych, za które zwykle się płaci. Ale kto by się skusił na stanie w kolejkach przed punktami oczywistymi? Mam lepszą strategię - idź na spacer i znajdź miejsca, o których nawet byś nie pomyślał. To najlepszy sposób na prawdziwe poznawanie miasta, przewodniki są dobre na początek. I tak szukając czegoś ciekawego, podążałam Rue de Rivoli, od neorenesansowego ratusza, obok gotyckiej wieży Świętego Jacka, gdzieś na wysokości Notre Dame... Możesz tak iść aż do Pól Elizejskich, chyba, że się dobrze rozglądasz i dasz się przyciągnąć ciekawej uliczce, lub na przykład zapraszającym do środka kolorowym drzwiom. W obu przypadkach, i nieznajomych uliczek, i drzwi trzeba być dość ostrożnym, ale gdy napisy przy drzwiach mówią: "59 Rivoli, Atelier d'artistes wejście darmowe od wtorku do niedzieli między 13 a 20" ryzykujesz i wchodzisz. Oblewa cię fala niesamowitej radości, bo jeszcze nigdy w życiu nie byłeś w miejscu, w którym artyści siedzą przy swoich stanowiskach robiąc niesamowite rzeczy, a ty możesz wejść, pooglądać, uczestniczyć. To jest żywa sztuka, nie muzeum.

Explorer Paris: Versailles - C'est fou!

Is there anybody out there, who hasn’t heard about Versailles? And you, how did you imagine this palace? I knew it’s big, I knew, that gardens are enormous. But what I’ve seen exceeded my expectations. I thought also, don’t know why, that it’s separated from living city, thus being an isolated historical reserve. Sometimes I don’t get my mindsets. Yet, the palace complex adheres to real town, quite well-organized, with the planning pointed on its main part. You can easily get to Versailles, there’s a train from the center of Paris and the trip takes about half an hour.

The palace history begins during the reign of Louis XIII, who wanted to have there a hunting lodge. Oh, I just love all those French “petits”, which eventually overgrows the wildest dreams of Arab sheiks. But who forbid the reach? You just have to get used to royal sense of humor.

Ok, the first one, built in 1624 was simple. Until 1668 it was rebuilt and increase several times, and park gained multiples sculptures, fountains, fairy cave. In 1668, when the throne was occupied by Louis XIV – Sun King, the next projects of rebuilding by Louis Le Veau was planned. Presented on the painting from “Le Palais du Soleil” period terrace from the side of the garden was in 1684 transformed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart into magnificent Hall of Mirrors, 74 meters long and 10 meters wide, with Charlesa Le Brune’s paintings on the ceilings. Next rebuildings led Versailles on the top of European chateaus in terms of size, of course, and became a seat of kings and ministers.  During the reign of Louis XV palace gained a chapel built in 1869-1710, projected by Hardouin-Mansart, and the opra by Jacques-Ange Gabriel in 1770 for future king’s Louis XVI and Marie’s Antoinette wedding.  The interested in palace history, I refer here.

Congratulations for Versailles  for awaking my interesting not only in its architecture, but also in the stories of its habitants, peoples who were dancing in Mirrors Gallery and walking through the gardens. 

I went out of the Ladies Appartments thinking: that’s it? Srsly? Nice, but I’ve been already in Lancut, give me some French chic. Ant I get it in Royal Appartments. Splendor, riches, madness. Impossible, that someone was living here. 

Advanced deviation didn’t allowed me to miss decorated coffered ceiling, monochromatic, but rich in chiaroscuro, nicely restored and exposed in one of halls. It’s worth to notice today’s decoration of the walls in exhibition rooms – declining vertically floral motive. Beautifull!

When in one of the showrooms I saw pictures from Sofia’s Coppola „Marie Antoinette” shoots, I just had to see that movie the same evening. My weakness magnet didn’t disappoint me  - movie made me sad. If I were Versailles (the palace) I would be offended, that having this scenography, this budget, this subject full of confusions, feelings, dramas, with such a powerful ending, they made such a drag. Maybe it aspires to modern artistic form, but it doesn’t convinced me. Very sad, but for me 5/10, because I watched and got gripped by this story about those lost children, which couldn’t bear the power  of leading a mighty country, accused of all guilt (especially Marie Antoinette). But the story was a little bit more complicated, and at last the confrontation of peoples dramas with courtiers living in abundance exploded in 1789 with French Revolution.

I was asking myself, why there are railings around beds, and the answer I found in the movie. Until the reign of Louis XVI it was normal to guard the king while he was sick or dying, escort the just married couples before they wedding night and to watch the births of royal children. While Marie Antoinette was in labor, the room was inappropriately too crowded, and from that moment this tradition started to disappear. It came back in XXI century with the British royal baby.

All I needed was my mind, to hear the music in my head and imagine myself in some uncomfortable dress, while passing through this incredibly long Hall of Mirrors. Suddenly all the crowd of visitors disappeared and I was at a Marie Antoinette’s partey. I couldn’t resist taking sweet picture in the mirror.

Here comes art. Starting from known and loved Jacques Louis David, through spectacular gallery of battle paintings showing the history of France, battles which I don’t know nothing about, up to modern art with “Breath of the shadow”.

Park of Versailles occupies 800 ha and the Garden, projected by Andre Le Notre – 250 acres. Garden of Versailles is a prototype of French style, popular in baroque in whole Europe, with its green parterres, paths, fountains, labyrinths and sculptures. In the northern part, there are also Grand and Petit Trianon, other gardens and small village built for queen Marie Antoinette.
I didn’t went to the gardens, because I would need some extra hours to cross them. Also, I had this strange feeling of nostalgia, when I was looking at them by the palace window. It’s hard to explain, maybe it was about this huge space, which doesn’t connotes a richness, but the loneliness and littleness of human being for me.

Versailles - the city is also very nice. Wide boulevards emphasizes the most important object, monuments are restored nicely, and modern architecture is introduced tastefully.  And believe me, palace is 10 minutes from the train station by foot. 

I’ll spare you a chat if it’s worth or not to go there. It’s Versailles. They have golden gates. 

Thanks for attention!

In next episodes inter alia:

What shapes can toys for adults  have?

What you should know about Tour Eiffel?

Why Paris have such a nice metro entrances?

* My knowledge about historical facts and architecture is supported by leaflets and informations found in galleries, but also by Wikipedia.

Czy na sali jest ktoś, kto nie słyszał o Wersalu? A jak w Twojej głowie kształtował się obraz tego pałacu? Wiedziałam, że jest duży, wiedziałam, że ogrody są ogromne. Ale to, co zobaczyłam przerosło moje oczekiwania. Myślałam też, nie mam pojęcia dlaczego, że zespół pałacowy znajduje się daleko od żyjącego, współczesnego miasta, będąc tym samym odizolowanym rezerwatem historycznym. Niezbadane są ścieżki mojego myślenia, szczególnie, gdy ich nie konfrontuję z rzeczywistością. Otóż do zespołu pałacowego dokleiło się całkiem ciekawie zorganizowane, jak najbardziej żyjące miasto, którego urbanistyka tworzy wprowadzenie na plac przed pozłacaną bramą. Zespół pałacowy lekko wznosi się nad miastem, dominuje i nie pozostawia wątpliwości, wokół czego wszystko się kręci. Transport oczywiście jest bardzo prosty, można na przykład wsiąść w pociąg w samym centrum Paryża, a podróż zajmuje około pół godziny.

Historia pałacu zaczyna się za rządów Ludwika XIII, który zechciał mieć w tym miejscu pałacyk myśliwski. Och, jak ja lubię te wszystkie "pałacyki", "pawiloniki", wszystkie francuskie "petit ...", które ostatecznie i tak przerastają wyobrażenia najśmielszych arabskich szejków. Ale kto bogatemu zabroni, za daninę baluj. Trzeba się przyzwyczaić do królewskiego poczucia humoru.

Explorer Paris: Louvre cz.1

Yes, I’m cliché. You have to visit The Louvre, especially that for UE residents before 26 years of age it’s free. But I would visit it anyway, because I’m very fond of art.

Round one: How much time does it take to enter?

As part of the research, I joined a grand queue, prepared for several dozens of minutes in drizzle. I was very surprised when after ten I was already inside. Huge queue is huge, but it passes quickly, because the security is only X-raying your backpack. It’s a little bit worse for those without privileges, as they have to wait one more time for the billet. If someone’s interested: there are two more entrances to The Louvre – from metro station Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre and from Porte des Lions. It’s worth to use it, because not the whole world knows about them. I didn’t chose the main entrance because I couldn’t find the first one, and the second was closed. As I was saying: research and also the pyramide is awesome (Ieoh Ming Pei, 1989).

Since I have plenty of time and I plan to visit Louvre Museum many times, I decided to explore it step by step with a map in my hand and in planned direction. So I started from Denon wing. Random choice, I wanted to visit by chronology, but in The Louvre it’s not the easiest way. My visit lasted about two hours, because I got tired. It tires more than Tatras.

Yes, I’m a glutton, but a choosy one. Ergo, I’ll present my own point of view, my taste, things which attracted me. Most of them were my favorites for a long time and seeing them in reality just affirmed it,  some just joined this noble group.

Italian, Spanish and North European sculptures passed quickly without superior emotions. Those occurred when I found one of my most favorite pieces, from the part of my life when I still had some romanticism in me: Cupid and Psyche by Antonio Canova from 1787. Pure Italian classicism, that is to say a reference to ancient Greek and Roman models. The beauty of human body, visible emotions, precision. What more to say, I’ll have one with delivery to my salon.  

Islamic art may not sound so great, maybe because it didn’t gave birth to any known to all pieces, but I have to say: Should regret, who was fooled by this impression.
It  turns out, that in 2012 a brand new exposition was opened inside one of the courtyards. The work of architects: Rudy Ricola and Mario Bellini interposed 3 000m² of exhibition space covered with undulating roof, which, as far as I’ve observed Is a lattice construction encased by glass panels with gilded grid. It looks great! There’s light, but it’s not a greenhouse. In addition, the form is floating between historic elevations as if it wasn’t at all a product of modern technology, but a waving water or cloth. If we add to this an Islamic art, which occurred to be beautiful with its usable art objects and fantastic mosaics build with natural stones – It’s an expo that you just can’t miss.

From the ancient Greek sculpture I brought one reflexion (which I followed also in case of Gioconda):  Instead of folowing the croud and cram to  Aphrodite of Milos - choose something less popular. I chose some other Aphrodite, at least she had hands. Later, it was worst, because some cruel rascals blocked out Nike of Samothrace!

This is how I ran between all of the most important remains of the foundations of modern civilization and finally all my sorrows went away, actually I went a little crazy when I reached the section of painting.  

Mona Lisa isn’t my favourite, also it’s hard to reach her. With so many great piece of art you can come to the conclusion, that she’s a typical celebrity. Everybody takes her pictures, but nobody asks for her opinion about world peace… I’ve chosen Veronese – big, colorful 

Later, there was pure happiness. 

In the beggining, I’d like to recall, that Leonardo de Vinci not only created one painting. Others are also exceptional. Maybe not that much, but they are. Apart of bothering situation on The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne (1506-1513), it’s worth to notice the colors and the background, which shows exactly what’s the aerial perspective.
*Aerial perspective it’s the technique which shows the background in more and more whitened coulours, just like it looks like in reality, was discovered most likely by Leonadro himself.

One of the greatest Italian renaissance painters was Caravaggio, who was working at the end of  XVI and the beginning of XVII century. Maybe in Louvre Museum you can’t find his most beautiful pieces, but it’s worth to remember his name, because he has lots of followers in his tendency to sharp chiaroscuro.światłocienia.

Unrepeatable Giuseppe Arcimboldo  (XVI century) with his portraits composed wit pieces of still life, enough brave to  aspire to be a surrealist in times of mannerism. 

A nephew of Giovanni Antonio Canale  - Bernardo Belotto  (both called Canaletto) should be known to Poles for his images of Varsovie, useful after the war to rebuild the city. His uncle became famous mostly for paintings of Venice.

English painting gained for horse eyes on the piece of Benjamin West (XIX age). I haven’t heard about him earlier, but he could easily give lessons to Manga drawers.

William Turner didn’t surprise me. Exceptional as always. An English romanticist, very emotional in his landscapes. This pure playing with color and aerial perspective – I’ll take one, to my bedroom. 

El Greco, deriving from Greece, forming in Spain in XVI and XVII centuries, with his manner to extend bodies and faces is one of his kind. Again – maybe not the greatest piece of art, but attracts attention and says something about the creator. 

I just couldn’t resist Sleeping Endymion painted by Trioson. Again to feed my muffled romantisme, awaked by Amor and Psyche and for the light on the boy’s body.

Now, I’d use some fanfares, because, ladies and gentlemen, here come French paintings of large size. 

Cheers for Jacques-Louis David. Historic painter, main artist of Napoleon Bonaparte and french revolution. But also main representative of clasicisme. On the painting The Intervention of the Sabine Women (1799) besides of a fine butt of a soldier he presented …  I forgot, I got distracted. 

Today’s  adventure with some of the greatest masterpieces of European painting I would like to end with Théodore’s Géricault and his Raft of the Medusa (1819).  It’s a romanticist vision of a tragedy of several dozens of survivors from the french frigate catastrophy in 1816, which were drifting on the sea for two weeks. Cloudy sky, agony on survivors faces – those romantics…

It became sad, nostalgic and serious, perfect time for a bonus! I officialy announce, that after two days of eating croissants, ravioli from can and pancaces from lidl, pack of 8 pieces, firs Sandwich Donner was dispatched. Meat - great, vegetables – average, plus for the fries, sauce – poorly, only mayonnaise or ketchup, bread unfortunately cold. Spot – next to the school, extras – tap water unlimited, price – 5,5 euro. In spite of all, overall rating is quite high, because the meat is the essence. Or maybe I was just hungry? I’ll check it out once again someday, that’s for sure. 

Thanks for your attention! 

Tak, jestem cliché. Luwr zwiedzić trzeba, szczególnie, że (co cieszy Polaka bidaka) obywatele Unii Europejskiej do 26 roku życia nie muszą płacić eurosów. Nieprawda, i tak bym zwiedziła bo cieszy mnie sztuka i obcowanie z nią. Tylko korzystać. Architekturą zajmę się gdy obejdę to kolosalne muzeum z każdej strony i gdy będę miała mniej do opisania.

Podejście pierwsze: Ile trzeba czekać, żeby wejść do środka?

W ramach reasearchu stanęłam w ogromnej kolejce licząc na dobrych kilkadziesiąt minut w mżawce. O jakże się zdziwiłam, gdy po około dziesięciu byłam już w środku. Przerażająca kolejka do piramidy jest przerażająca, ale idzie bardzo szybko, gdyż wystarczy oddać plecak do prześwietlenia, zabrać i pędzić dalej. Gorzej mają ci bez przywilejów, bo muszą odstać swoje w drugiej kolejce po bilet. Dla zainteresowanych: do Luwru są dodatkowe dwa wejścia - od metra Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre i od Porte des Lions. Warto skorzystać, bo nie cały świat o tym wie. Ja wcale nie wybrałam wejścia głównego, bo pierwszego nie znalazłam, a drugie było zamknięte. Jak mówiłam - cele poznawcze plus piramida jest czadowa (Ieoh Ming Pei, 1989).

Jako że mi się nie spieszy i zamierzam być w Luwrze około fafnaście razy, postanowiłam obrać pewien kierunek i zgodnie z mapą eksplorować go po kawałeczku. Zaczęłam od skrzydła Denon. Wybór losowy, bo choć chciałam podążać chronologicznie, to jakoś jest to tak poukładane, że nie byłoby to najprostsze wyjście. Tak więc z mapą w łapie (i z długopisem by zaznaczać swoją trasę, nie ma to tamto, ja nie będę krążyła wokół tych samych eksponatów) rozpoczęłam moją wyprawę, która ostatecznie nie trwała dłużej niż 2 godziny, bo się zmęczyłam. To męczy bardziej niż Tatry, serio.

Złowrogi amor cię widzi.

Nie jestem aż takim smakoszem jak się wydaje, żarłokiem - owszem, ale wybrednym. Przedstawię więc moje gusta, rzeczy, które mnie zainteresowały. Niektóre z nich były moimi faworytami od dawna i tylko potwierdziły się na żywo, inne dopiero dołączyły do tego zacnego grona.