The Paris Chapter: 23 - 29 Oct
Sarah Bernhardt, kintsugi, literary recitals, language exchange, the nature of creation, a book club, brocante, chocolate festival, artist/author talks and more.
Rothko, the subject of this week’s art salve, famously used layers upon layers of paint to achieve his signature designs, the overlapping colours giving a sense of the work coming to life beneath your gaze.
Visiting his exhibition got me thinking on layering in a more personal sense: strokes of experience, insight and inspiration that build upon each other, softly creating our nuanced personal histories, softly creating a life.
What constitutes a layer? I tend to think it’s not so much time spent, more that which you were paying attention to. As Oliver Burkeman, author of the must-read Four Thousand Weeks puts it, “At the end of your life, looking back, whatever compelled your attention from moment to moment is simply what your life will have been.”
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Merci d’avance!
Art salve
Mark Rothko, Fondation Louis Vuitton (16e)
It’s a fascinating thing to see an artist’s work evolve, to feel like you’re there beside them as their talent and interests develop. This immense retrospective displays 115 of Rothko’s works in chronological order, the foundation’s full four floors dedicated to the journey.
It’s a sublime immersion, one that more than does justice to Rothko’s creed that “A painting is not a picture of an experience. It is an experience”.
16€. https://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/fr
Events
Missed the last edition and want to know what’s on this weekend, 21-22 Oct?
Mon 23
Scène Imaginaire de Sarah Bernhardt, Théâtre de la Ville (4e), 8 - 10pm
A gathering of artists who’ve taken Sarah Bernhardt's legacy to heart, to explore the question: “What to do with a woman who was afraid of nothing, exploring the earth and the air and above all the abysses of the human soul, who gathered such a vast public that her national funeral was worthy of Victor Hugo's?”
[FR] Free. Reservation required
Escuchar al medium, La maison des métallos (11e), 7 - 8.30pm
Drawing from the format of literary recitals, a leading cultural figure is invited to read an extract from a work that’s been important in their life, sharing its resonance and effect on their thinking and creations.
[FR] From 5€. Book your spot
Tues 24
Inventaire des ébauches, Césure (5e), through Sat
A mini exhibition showcasing research and artistic exploration, aka the rarely-seen behind-the-scenes of design projects. A diversity of approaches, tools, materials, media and working contexts will be on display.
Free. Full details
French English Exchange, Montmartre (18e), 5.30 - 7pm
Who doesn’t love a ‘walk n’ talk’, particularly when it’s a stroll through Paris, boosting your language skills as you go? This small group begins with an apéro before setting foot.
[FR/EN] Free. Reservation required
Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung, Reid Hall (6e), 7 - 9pm
Nina MacLaughlin will be discussing her novel Wake, Siren, a retelling of Ovid’s Metamorphoses that aims to recover “what is lost when the stories of women are told and translated by men”.
[EN] Free. Reservation required
Encore heureux, La Gaîté Lyrique (3e), 7 - 8pm
A public recording of the Encore heureux podcast, which focuses on self-care and mental health. Tonight’s theme is “Creating, yes, but what for?”, examining creativity from all angles, from daily capacities to whether talent is required.
[FR] 11€. Buy your ticket
Balance ton flip, La Gaîté Lyrique (3e), 7 - 8.30pm
Feeling eco-anxious and need to talk? This unique format breaks people into groups of 12, providing a safe environment where people can talk freely, build relationships and find hope in taking action, in the company of psychologists.
[FR] Free. Full details
Les Rendez-vous de la Justice, Sciences Po (7e), 7.15 - 9.15pm
Julie Couturier, Bâtonnière of the Paris Bar, will be sharing her experience of justice through the richness of her career. The session encourages full audience participation.
[FR] Free. Reservation required
Diaspora Unfurled, American Library (7e), 7.30 - 8.30pm
Fiona Sze-Lorrain will be discussing her debut novel, Dear Chrysanthemums, the culmination of a successful career as a poet, translator (across three languages), editor and musician. Her novel offers a mosaic of Chinese history through the stories of interconnected women.
[EN] Free. Reservation required
Chaleur humaine, Librairie L’instant (15e), 7.30 - 8.30pm
Can small gestures save the planet? Is democracy compatible with the climate emergency? Nabil Wakim, journalist at Le Monde, poses delicate questions such as these in his podcast-turned-book Chaleur humaine.
[FR] Free. Full details
Wed 25
Rencontre Edith Dekyndt, Bourse de Commerce (1e), 6.30 - 9pm
Artist Edith Dekyndt will be discussing her creative practice, and the way things and beings illuminate their environment. Her work focuses on sensory experiences and ranges from installations to performances.
[FR] 14€. Buy your ticket
Concert | 1991 Project Presents, Reid Hall (6e), 7 - 9pm
Beautiful classical music for a beautiful cause. The 1991 Project is a non-profit association providing Ukrainian musicians with financial and social support, and the means to preserve their artistic skills.
Free. Full details
Tête de lecture, Césure (5e), 7.15 - 9pm
A new kind of literary event, where chance and the tastes of the audience determine the program. Each spectator can bring 1-2 pages of literature close to their heart; they each receive a raffle ticket which, if drawn, means their work will be shared on stage.
[FR] Free. Full details
A New History of American Literature in France, American Library (7e), 7.30 - 8.30pm
How did Paris in the early 20th century become a centre of transatlantic literary exchange? Discover the story behind the first literary agency in France, spanning literary salons of the Île Saint-Louis and the holiday resorts of the Côte d’Azur, and writers from Camus and Colette to Baldwin and Hemingway.
[EN] Free. Reserve your spot
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Thur 26
Penser le Présent, Atelier Ati (6e), 7 - 8pm
Dive into the impact of cultural policies in art, with Hajida Jemni, director of the Contemporary Art of Africa department at the Centre for Applied Research in Contemporary Culture, and the co-founders of the ArtMéssiamé residency.
[FR] Free. Reserve your spot
Erotic Atelier, Uman Project (3e), 7.30 - 9.30pm
A clothes-on workshop unpacking arousal, empowering you to better connect with your body, understand the sensations of pleasure and communicate your desires with others.
[EN] 45€. Book your ticket
Générations Paumées, L’Académie du Climat (4e), 8 - 10pm
A show questioning our relationship with work, as inspired by the real-life testimonies of anonymous people. Their accounts are broadcast on stage, with the performers’ improvisations directly inspired by them.
[FR] Free. Reserve your spot
Fri 27
Atelier d’écriture, La Gaîté Lyrique (3e), 10am - 12pm
Hone your writing skills as a tool for debate and analysis of current affairs. This small group workshop will guide you in parsing your point of view as an audiovisual column (for TV or radio).
[FR] 31.80€. Full details
Frankenstein ciné-concert, Musée des Arts et Métiers (3e), 7 - 8pm
(Re)discover a cinema classic, in the stunning setting of the church of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. In honour of Halloween, the original 1931 edition of Frankenstein will be screened, accompanied by live music.
Free. Reserve your spot
Sat 28
Brocante, Grands Boulevards (2e), 8am - 6pm
In need of some new (old) things, or just down for a treasure hunt? This flea market will spread along boulevards Bonne Nouvelle and Poisonnière.
Salon du Chocolat, Parc des Expos de la Porte de Versailles (15e), through Nov 1
An extravagant celebration of chocolate, in the form of sculptures, fashion shows, demonstrations, pastry competitions and things you can actually eat.
14€. Buy your ticket
Book Club, Bistro de la banque (9e), 2 - 4pm
This month’s meet-up discusses You Don't Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War by Elizabeth Becker, the true story of three extraordinary female journalists who shattered the barriers to women covering war.
[EN] Free. Reserve your spot
Bulgarian Cartrader, POPUP (12e), 8pm
A versatile concert with everything from “catchy, feel-good indie tunes to guaranteed mosh pits to spoken-word introspections” on the menu, all under the influence of jazz.
13€. Buy your ticket
Sun 29
Paris Vinyl Sale, Bastille Design Center (11e), 10am - 6pm
Nearly 50,000 vinyl records on sale, across jazz, electronic, pop, metal and rock, with prices ranging from 2€ to 10€.
Free. Full details
Yard Festival, Yard Cave & Restaurant (11e), 11am til late
A cohort of natural winegrowers and local producers will be presenting over 100 vintages (available to taste, accompanied by charcuterie and cheese). Several masterclasses are also on the menu.
Free. View the program
Cracked open, Le Centre Element (3e), 2 - 4pm
An invitation for deep healing and heart connection via the sacred feminine. The workshop will explore “being broken” with the practical symbolism and ritual of kintsugi (the Japanese art of repairing ceramics with golden glue).
[FR/EN] 70€. Reserve your spot
Deep Time, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (5e), 2.30 - 4.15pm
Explore the story of the 14 volunteers who lived underground for 40 days with no sense of time, in one of Europe's largest caves. The screening will be followed by a meeting between Hugues Demeude, co-author of the film, and Etienne Koechlin, Director of the Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory.
[FR] Free. Reservation required
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Philharmonie de Paris (19e), 4pm
A concert focusing on the works of Rachmaninoff, as performed by the acclaimed Philadelphia Orchestra.
From 87€. Buy your ticket
Anatomie d’une Chute, L’Arlequin (6e), from 7pm
Lost in Frenchlation will be screening this year’s Palme d’Or winner, Anatomie d’une Chute, providing their usual “French film with English subtitles” service (fun fact: the founders do the subtitling themselves).
[FR/EN] 11€. Buy your ticket
Theatre of Thought, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (5e), 8 - 10.30pm
A screening of renowned director Werner Herzog’s exploration into the human brain, blending science, fantasy and fiction.
[FR/EN] Free. Reservation required
Out & about
Tis looking to be a good week for gallery and museum visits… visit our archive for inspiration on what to see.
The Paris Chapter is designed to help you have a deeper, richer experience of the city, as an expat, Frenchie or traveller. Feel free to tell me what you’re most looking for, and to send event details and tip-offs my way (email below).
Help others have a better week in Paris
Thanks for being here,
Jenni
About | Art salves | Escapes | Previous editions
I’m awed at all the amazing events that you gather for us, your readers. Proud to be a #FranceStack sister of yours!
Thank you for including Cracked Open at Le Centre Element on Sunday! ❤️