Dries Van Noten, exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts.

Well known Belgium fashion designer Dries Van Noten was invited by the Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris to showcase his creative world and explore the collections of the Fashion and Textile Museum in Paris. What I found particularly effective is the way he reveals his creative process which he illustrates with his diverse sources of inspiration ranging from contemporary visual art to French embroidery to Orientalism, to name but a few. The 'context' is printed in the form of wallpaper behind each range, as well as on the floors of the exhibition space. The show also include artworks by well known artists including Thierry de Cordier, Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst,  Francis Bacon,  Elizabeth Peyton and Bronzino, all whom have triggered the designer's imagination throughout his life and career. Amita and myself entered the exhibition yesterday morning through the 'exit door', hence not seeing the 'no photography' sign. Well well... Proving ignorance is indeed bliss darling! Explosive and exceptional exhibition!

Mucha's Belle Epoque jewellery shop at the Musée Carnavalet.

The interior and exterior of this jewellery shop were specifically designed in 1901 by the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha for the jeweler Georges Fouquet. It is a spectacular example of Belle Epoque (Art Nouveau) and certainly one of the most sophisticated spaces I have seen in my life. Check out the jewellery display cabinets! Nina...This one is for you...

Paris 70 years of liberation celebrations in full swing.

Parisians were out in full force yesterday to celebrate 70 years of liberation in a sunny Paris. The city had a palpable energy on every street! Her code was 'Rainer' and she had a gun called 'Oscar'. Not yet 20 a young female medical student on a bicycle took up a gun, aimed at a Nazi officer and shot him dead on a Paris bridge on a Sunday afternoon. That deed on July 23, 1944, was Madeleine Riffaud's summons to Parisians to rise up against the oppressor.

Henrique Oliveira at Palais de Tokyo.

Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira is currently exhibiting his exceptional 'Baitogogo' installation at Palais de Tokyo. This matrix of branches or roots unravels and twists from existing pillars and beams. The artist uses reclaimed wood consisting mainly of Tapume wood retrieved from the streets of São Paulo to create references of his Brazilian culture and identity. I just love the poetic interaction  between the architectural and organic/natural forms!

Art Deco room with silver leaf, Museum Carnavalet.

Another 'hidden gem' in Paris! In the free Museum Carnavalet there is one Art Deco ballroom completely covered with hand painted silver leaf. It was done by using 'transparent' oil glazes on top of the silver leaf. The whole space is lacquered and shiny. The painted subject matter definitely shows a penchant for exoticism. The clock is to die for... What I wouldn't give!

Museum Cluny ' s Medieval Collection. WOW!!!

Museum Cluny (also referred to as the "Moyen Age's collection" is one of the lesser visited museums in Paris, but a certain 'knock out'! I am beyond impressed!!! The museum has one of the largest and most important Medieval collections in the world. The museum is mostly known for it's "Lady of with the Unicorn" tapestries which consists of 6 large scaled tapestries done in the late 15th century and are valued for their harmonious colours, poetic elegance and are an allegory of the senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch). Amita was in heaven... Certainly worth another visit! Thank you Claudio D'Ogistini for your recommendation! 

Monet at L'Orangerie.

This is a close - up of one of Monet's famous water lilies curved panels in L'Orangerie! They are spectacular due to their physical size, ethereal quality and vibrant colours, but defenately need to be appreciated from a distance. Up close the surfaces get a little 'muddy' and 'chalky' at times. The rest of Museum L'Orangerie did not impress me that much. A lot of Renoir,  Cézanne, Derain and Guillaume. If you are in Paris for only a short stay and want to see the Impressionists, rather head for Museum D'Orsay instead!

William Bougerough, "The Virgin with angels".

William Bougerough is my favourite French academic painter! This work is on permanent display in Petit Palais, Paris.  It is impossible to convey the virtuosity of his brush marks in the illustration. It has the smoothness of Ingres, the radiance of Jacques-Louis David, and the sensuality of Caravaggio,  all at once! Superb! The 'kitsch value' also resonates with this 'closet Catholic' deep down... ;-)

"1900" Belle Epoque exhibition at Petit Palais, Paris.

Petit Palais in Paris is currently hosting the ORIGINAL 1900 Belle Epoque exhibition when Paris was at its height of 'artistic boom'! The divine Belle Epoque-style Petit Palais was originally built to host the 'Universal Exhibition' in 1900. Here are 2 installation views. The exhibition is filled with known gems by Rodin, Monet, Toulouse -Lautrec and the awesome (if somewhat underrated) William Bougerough.  There are also lesser known works on display which makes the exhibition even more fascinating! I kept on hearing the way actress Marion Cotillard pronounce the words "Belle Epoque" when describing her favorite period in the film 'Midnight in Paris' while walking through the exhibition space...

René Lalique facade at 40 Cours Albert, Paris.

This is truly 'Secret Paris'! Even most Parisians have never noticed the facade of '40 Cours Albert' close to the Grand Palace since the street is mainly used by motorists in a hurry and not pedestrians. The entrance to this building was designed by none other than René Lalique, the most well known glass maker of the Twentieth century!!! It was designed in 1911 to serve as his home, but then became a studio and showroom. What a find...

Adrian Ghenie in Museum Pompidou.

I had the incredible privilege to see the new Adrian Ghenie painting today in Museum Pompidou. I firmly believe that the young Romanian artist is the most virtuouso painter of his generation! His painting technique 'borrows' from diverse art historical forebears such as Rembrandt, Francis Bacon and Gerhard Richter. In his painting abstraction and representation seamlessly coexist. Utter respect!!!

'Adam apples'.

Words of wisdom... Don't ever enter the food section of Galeries Lafayette on an empty stomach!  I think I can safely say that I fully grasp how poor Adam must have felt in the garden of earthly delights. I think I might have 'downplayed' the issue somewhat... To be more clear, slow and painful self - mutation seems kinder to the 'self' than this buffet of ... (uhmn)... 'Adam apples'!  Magnifique!!!

The sacred and the profound.

Details of 'sacristy' stained glass windows.

I have had a few encounters with 'divinity' (as experienced through beauty) during my lifetime. The day I stood in front of Jan van Eyck 's "Ghent altarpiece" comes to mind. It is the moment when speech 'abandons' your body. Today was such a day... As I stood in the lesser known St-Etienne-du-Mont church admiring the Medieval stained glass inside the church from a distance, I suddenly became aware of a nun silently gesturing to me to follow her behind the closed door of the 'sacristy'. At first I thought she might be gesturing to someone behind me. Once I realised she was looking at me I followed her down a corridor without question. Without a single word being exchanged she let me into a space in the sacristy filled with several jaw dropping stained glass panels glowing like jewels against the light. The best part...I could view them up-close from less than a metre away!!! I spend the rest of the day contemplating over what just took place. Through her 'mundane act' she touched my life and made divinity tangible. It might well be her favorite 'party trick', but I choose to believe she sensed my soul.

Stumbled across this remarkable church today! Some parts of St-Etienne-du-Mont are in the Gothic style while others date from the Renaissance. This is certainly the most impressive rood screen I have ever seen... I suspect that the steps outside were the same ones in which Owen Wilson waited each night for the car to pick him up in Woody Allen ' s "Midnight in Paris". With my luck, I'll probably get pooped on by a sleeping pigeon or get an offer from a homeless person who thinks I am fantastic 'spooning' material...