Oh Hopper!

I was so excited to go to see the Edward Hopper exhibit at 3a.m. and be by myself with an audio guide in front of all that. 
We got to the Grand Palais on Sunday morning at 2a.m. and found this

Only further confirming my theory of France's secret love for it's American spawn. 

Not willing to wait for 2h45 minutes through a hail storm, we cabbed it home. 

I hope we can meet face to face someday, Nighthawks...

and a random surprise

A heart

Someone left their heart in our metro

Lucky for me the Austrians like cats!

Look what I found for my sister for Christmas!!  It is a cat version of Gustav Klimt's The Kiss.
Who knew the Austrians were cat people? 
I do hope #3 likes it.
But really, who doesn't like cat versions of art?

8 a.m. magic

Sometimes I get up early and go have coffee with my friend Max. The city seems to be just waking up at 8. And when we wander around there is always something to see. This morning it was sandcastles being built next to the Seine. Last week it was this optical illusion in front of the Hotel de Ville.looking straight on through the looking box

From the side

Photo Exhibitions

Being in Paris means I get to go to see Art all of the time. Even when I don’t want to and it surprises me in all its’ steamy, wing-flapping uselessness in a train station. But I am a big fan of the fact that I can go see photography shows all the time.

I saw Richard Avedon (1923-2004)

My favorite

Dovima with Elephants 1955

Willy Ronis 1910-2009

Le petit parisien 1952

My favorite

Petits Napolitains 1938

I love the expressions on their faces, like 40 year old men. And the crying little sister clutching her dress and doll.

Raymond Depardon (1942- )

A modern documentary maker who took a 2 year break to photograph France.

I admire the project but not necessarily the work. His photos made France look empty.

Yesterday we went to Maison Européene de la Photography (European House of Photography). The Extreme exhibition had some interesting photos,

Rodrigo Braga, Communion I

but what I really liked was the med/art exhibit. A doctor started creating art with MRI images. The exhibition was very dark and it had the same feeling as photos of space. A little new agey, 3-d, hypercolor, but it was a nice contrast to the seriousness of the shock exhibition.

Rodolphe von Gombergh

AND I am a nerd when it comes to space photos.

Thing or the claw?

I also love that at this nice château/hotel they were hosting 3 pieces from a contemporary artist.("contemporary" is the period in art -I have been told - after "modern").

I do love sculpture but could not get over the fact that this hand at the entrance looks like Thing (from the Addams Family) or the Claw (from Liar Liar). And it is out to get you.

P.S. The windows on the top left were our room.

Modern Art - Rant

What, you might ask, is this?

It's art. Of course!

And it is a commentary on War. Clearly!

Last week, I was waiting for a friend of mine in North Station and this modern art installation spontaneously started smoking, flashing its lights and flapping its wings.

I am pretty traditional when it comes to art. I like pretty art. I like art that makes me feel nice. I don't particularly like art that evokes a bad or confused feeling.

I have tried over the years to gain an appreciation for modern and/or contemporary art. I have been to Beaubourg. I been to the Picasso museum in Barcelona. I do not like Andy Warhol.

In the end, I like the Centre Pompidou because it has a good feel around the building (lots of life and diversity) and because it has a nice rooftop terrace full of too many employees who wander around not actually doing anything. And because the hostesses look like a model rainbow. Weird and true.

Ok I do like Salvador Dali.

I think it was the day I went to his museum and found a large red building topped with large eggs. No, really. And then I realized that even though I didn't get his art I could still appreciate his level of skill and be amused by his art. (And really, how can you not like a guy who has a handlebar mustache?)

If modern art were a person I would say: You are pretty but I don't understand you at all. What are you doing here? And why do you keep flapping your arms like that? Are you ok? You seem to be smoking.

If this piece, called Le grand serpent (The Big Snake) were a person I would, with my head tilted to the side and my face all scrunched up in confusion, say "what?"

At least my flappy, white, smoking friend at the station seems happy.