Fashion Week is coming to an end and Paris is donning another of its many hats: that of capital of culture. For three days, from October 18 to 20, the Grand Palais reopens its doors to the general public to reveal the cream of contemporary art – even if access requires paying 44 euros! This major meeting of prestigious galleries also extends into the open air, in front of some of the capital’s most emblematic monuments. And good news: exterior access is completely free. Follow the leader !
The Snake Tree by Niki de Saint Phalle – Square of the Institut de France
We know her for her Pineapple voluptuous, but what is less known is that Niki de Saint Phalle, whose biopic has just been released in theaters, gave life to an enchanting bestiary in the 1960s. Marked by a childhood trauma, the Franco-American woman developed a panic fear of snakes. By covering them with colorful mosaics, is this a way for her to tame them? Coming from his Tuscan Tarot garden, this monumental sculpture brings together a dozen scintillating reptiles which divert the idea of original sin with almost amusing faces.
Pumpkin de Yayoi Kusama – Avenue Winston-Churchill
She’s one of the big regulars at FIAC (uh, sorry, “Art Basel Paris”). In 2019, Yayoi Kusama installed a polka dot pumpkin on Place Vendôme, and this year, the Japanese artist is back with a new XXL autumnal sculpture. Born in the squash fields of her childhood, this obsession with pumpkins quickly replaced self-portraiture in her work. Between a burlesque appearance and unfailing resilience, Kusama recognizes herself in this Halloween legume, which she presents today in a sparkling bronze version, a pea throw from the Museum of Modern Art.
Dismountable house 6×9 by Jean Prouvé – Avenue Winston-Churchill
Two steps from the Pumpkin of Kusama, Jean Prouvé takes us back to the era of post-war reconstruction by inviting us to cross the threshold of his Dismountable house 6×9. Conceived as a modular solution to the post-World War II housing crisis, this historic 54 square meter work takes on new meaning here, standing as a poetic reminder of today’s social and architectural challenges. While questions of housing and sustainable architecture are more relevant than ever, Prouvé’s demountable house resonates with particular relevance. Bonus: Prouvé’s iconic furniture – like his famous desk lamps – can be found inside.
Giant Triple Mushroom de Carsten Höller – Place Vendôme
After the Kusama pumpkin, we must believe that this edition of Art Basel offers an autumn salad on the public route. The proof with the Giant Triple Mushroom by Carsten Höller, an ultra-realistic monumental sculpture in the shape of mushrooms proudly enthroned on Place Vendôme. This surrealist ensemble combines three genetically modified species, sliced and then reconstituted. This ode to the New Age spiritual wave of the 1960s allows Höller to question our perception of reality while immersing us in a universe that is as playful as it is grotesque.
The Thumb of Caesar – Courtyard of the Palais-Royal
We finish this top with an icon of sculpture: The Thumb of Caesar. An emblematic figure of New Realism, César is as famous for his car compressions as for the small golden trophy awarded each year to cinema professionals. His finger casts have become a real signature. First made in small format of 40 centimeters in plastic in the 1960s, The Thumb took on a colossal dimension in the following decade, available in polyester glue, crystal, and even sugar. Here, we discover a flashy bronze version, certainly less imposing than that of La Défense (12 meters), but still impressive with its 3.5 meters high.
Paravent Girls by Ghada Amer – Jardin du Palais-Royal
In the garden of the Palais-Royal, Ghada Amer reveals her Paravent Girlsa series of filigree sculptures that question femininity, intimacy and sexuality. Between discretion and provocation, these translucent screens draw feminine silhouettes in dialogue with the surrounding nature. First designed in the form of cardboard boxes on which the Egyptian artist sketched faces, these works were then cast in bronze in clay molds, retaining the traces of the artist’s pencil. This process, which combines fragility and durability, skillfully questions the notion of feminine intimacy, visible and yet hidden.
Aeolian de Takis – courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine
In the courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine, Takis exhibits Aeoliana kinetic work inspired by Aeolus, the Greek god of wind. This minimalist pylon, with its metal rods dancing in the gusts, evokes Aeolian harps, these musical instruments that are propped up in a window to let the wind compose a light melody. Fascinated by science, Takis transforms theorems and physical principles into kinetic poetry.
A Real Boy by Jean-Charles de Quillacq – Chapelle des Petits-Augustins des Beaux-Arts de Paris
The resident of the Villa Médicis Jean-Charles de Quillacq questions capitalism, the body and identity with A Real Boy. Installed in the Petits-Augustins chapel, this work explores the relationship between bodily stories and materiality, inviting us to reflect on the constructions of gender and humanity. Pieces of bread, cigarette butts and coolant share space with fragments of bodies in polyurethane, jeans or naked, in a remarkable but not necessarily accessible ensemble. To facilitate the understanding of this complex work, a mediation system is provided every day by students from the École du Louvre, offering valuable explanations on this demanding work.
C’mon England by Jesse Darling – Petit Palais
Free exhibition alert! The Petit Palais, Parisian bastion of classicism, steps out of its comfort zone by welcoming the British troublemaker Jesse Darling. Winner of the prestigious Turner Prize 2023, the artist relies on humor and the absurd to criticize the post-Brexit collapse of his country. With his “non-macho sculptures” (he says so), Jesse Darling mishandles street furniture, a symbol of control, to reveal the flaws in power. A welcome wind of “fight the power” in an equally fragile French political context. A must-see for a breath of critical and playful air!
Related News :