The Paris Chapter: 5-11 June
Takashi Murakami, consciousness, responsible travel, furniture markets, award-winning author talks, world crafts and the great outdoors.
“What is an art salve, exactly?” was my French tutor’s question this week, as he helped me craft the perfect translation.
An art salve soothes, inspires, ignites, alleviates; it’s an experience of creativity - in most cases, as the recipient - that nourishes or heals you in some way. The art can take absolutely any form, from classical to contemporary, pottery to photography.
I never used to think of myself as “an art person” - Sydney didn’t provide so many galleries to choose from when I was growing up. When I moved to New York, the transition wasn’t even a conscious one, it was more curiosity at this whole wide world of art that was suddenly available to me. At some point, curiosity fused with self-care and it became a reflex, an antidote to big city living, and I just thought everyone else went to The Met twice a month, too.
Paris is one of the rare cities (Rome, another) that I feel to be a giant art piece in and of itself. I often wander the city the way I do a museum: phone on silent, zigzagging from one visual draw to another, totally in the moment, letting logic and any sense of order slide from me.
To use art as a salve is to drift, to dream, for the pieces to wash over you (I often call it an art bath, even), a sacrament of sorts: you are not the same, something has changed, even if you can’t consciously put name to it.
Art salve
Musée de l’Orangerie, (1e)
Yes, we had Monet last week (the Giverny escape) but when it comes to art salves, it’s hard to beat the soothing powers of his Nympheas, calmly reposing in their made-to-fit elliptical cradle.
The works themselves are a symbol of peace, Monet offering them to the French State on the day following the Armistice of November 11, 1918. I come, I sit and stare, I conquer any inner turmoil.
As with most forms of meditation, the less distractions (in this case: other people), the deeper the experience. Start of the morning? The tourists and old people have the same plan, and they can get up earlier than you. Slide in at the end of the day or, even better, find the late night openings and go when everyone else is eating dinner (this was always my trick for The Met in NY, the post 6pm Friday slot).
12.50€ full price admission, www.musee-orangerie.fr
I came across this rare footage of Monet painting in his gardens, courtesy of a visit to the Monet/Mitchell expo earlier this year. The extract is from Ceux de Chez Nous, an exquisite 1915 documentary film by Sacha Guitry, displaying the likes of Bernhardt, Degas, Renoir and Rodin at work.
Escape to…
Hangar Y. Smack in the middle of Meudon, 40 minutes from Paris, this historic airplane hangar - the first in the world! - sits amidst 10 hectares of cultivated forest (with a little lake to boot).
Sculptures dot the grounds, along with an adventure park for small children/ eager adults, and there’s a grassy knoll open for frolicking (the rest of the lawn being adorned with “don’t even think about stepping here” signs).
Some tips: the expo is best for aviation buffs; food-wise, bring a picnic, book ahead for the restaurant, or be prepared to lunch closer to 3pm.
On June 10, they have a full day of events and activities taking place as part of Les Nuits des Forets.
3€ entry to the grounds, open only on weekends www.hangar-y.com
French resource
Filed under “things I wish I’d known about when I moved to Paris”, Lulu dans ma rue is an invaluable neighbourhood concierge service. Need someone to help you move/ paint/ set up your printer/ put your furniture together? Name pretty much any household task and they can find someone for it.
Less French resource than “surviving France” resource, but they’re two sides of the same coin, really…
What’s on
Mon 5
Conversations on Consciousness, Reid Hall (6e), 6.30pm
Kick the week off with a deep dive into philosophy’s biggest question: What is consciousness? Scientists from the Paris Brain Institute, in collaboration with Columbia Global Centers, will be detailing how the brain makes us who we are, through the lens of neuroscience’s most recent discoveries.
[EN] Free. Registration required
Tues 6
Hernan Diaz, Shakespeare & Co (5e), 6pm
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Hernan Diaz will be discussing his latest novel, Trust (which took home the prize). The multi-layered story explores the secrets of an American fortune in the early 20th century.
[EN] Free. No need to book, but best to arrive early
Wed 7
Les Others, La Recyclerie (18e), 6.30pm
Responsible travel and nature magazine Les Others is celebrating the launch of their latest biannual edition, with the creative team - inclusive of the photographers and videographers behind their Recto Verso Tour - on hand offering advice on how to up your photography game in the great outdoors.
[FR] Free. Registration required
Thur 8
Révélations, Grand Palais Ephémère (7e), through Sun
This international biennale of crafts and creation (organized by Ateliers d'Art de France) brings together 350 designers, galleries, architects and schools from 29 countries.
20€. Buy tickets
Rencontre Télérama, Théâtre du Rond Point (8e), 7.30pm
Acclaimed author Deborah Levy, known for her three-volume “living autobiography”, has gathered a distinguished cohort - Nathalie Azoulai, Barbara Carlotti, Isabelle Carré, Sarah Chiche, Marie Darrieussecq, Céline Leroy, and Leila Slimani - to celebrate the launch of her latest work, La Position de la cuillère et autres bonheurs impertinents. The evening includes readings, discussions and opportunities to connect.
[FR] 12€. Buy tickets
Fri 9
Survival Expo, Parc Floral (Bois de Vincennes, 12e), through Sun
Let your inner Bear Grylls out to play, in this three-day display of survivalism gear and techniques. Everything from hiking tips to aquaponics to animal tracking will be covered.
12€ for a one-day pass. Buy tickets
Third Mind(s) in a Drowning Night, Shakespeare & Co (5e), 2pm
An afternoon of readings, installations and projections, celebrating the work of poets/artists William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin, and those they inspired (Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Claude Pélieu amongst them).
[FR/EN] Free
Takashi Murakami in conversation, Beaux-Arts de Paris (6e), 5pm
Famed Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami will be discussing his progression in the NFT space with his Murakami.Flowers collaborator, Benoit Pagotto, cofounder of RTFKT Studios and director of brand and partnerships at Nike. The conversation will touch on the ways artists have utilized and continue to leverage technology (such as AI) to innovate.
[EN] Free. Registration required. Entry is still first come, first served
Sat 10
Festival Chilowé, Bois de Boulogne (16e), through Sun
More on the “play outside” front, with a weekend festival aiming to inspire local travel and living in harmony with nature. The line-up includes roundtables, film screenings, workshops and activities.
[FR] Free. Registration required
Bande de Créateurs, Bastille Design Center (11e), through Sun
Shop eco at this pop-up market showcasing French designers with a commitment to responsible, ethical creation. More than 60 brands, across fashion, jewellery, home decor and wellbeing will be present; expect a strong showing, based on previous editions.
Free. Full details
Sun 11
Undesignable Market (5e), 7am - 6pm
Discover 20th century French, Scandinavian, Dutch and Italian furniture, and snag collectors' pieces at affordable prices, at this cross between a flea market and antique fair. The promise: nothing new, copied, or in poor condition. Over 100 exhibitors from around Europe will be present
Free. Full details
Asian Street Food Festival, Grande Pagode de Vincennes (12e), 11am - 7pm
Take a quick culinary tour through Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, India and Cambodia, in this full recreation of Asia’s famous street food markets. In addition to the stalls, you’ll find a delicatessen market, DJ sets, karaoke, manga animations, and K-pop dance demonstrations.
Free entry
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Thanks for being here,
Jenni