THE VENICE BIENNALE 2019

You still have until november 24th to experience the Venice Biennale  2019 ! It’s so huge and the offer – regarding temporary exhibitions and events- besides the giardini’s pavilions and the Arsenal are so abundant  that it’s important to prepare your visit ahead.  Here is my selection for you :

1° My favorite pavilions :

Well this year in the Giardini only 4 retain my attention  :

• Switzerland : they could have won the Gold Lion ! Pauline Baudry and Renate Lorenz present a groovy installation, both sensorial and physical,   called ” Moving backwards” , which is actually a symbolic resistance to the regressive global political background we are living.
• Denmark : a mesmerizing installation with a sci-fi movie  and sculpture by Larisa Sensour-danish- palestinian artist-where history, identity and memory are threads leading us in a world where individual experience is meeting collective one.
• Brazil : more dance ! I feel like music and choreography are very present this year and I don’t complain. Here the wild rythms of the installation called ” Swinguerra “, mix of guerra ( war) and swing, takes you deeply. The artists Barbara Wagner and Benjamin de Burca filmed and photographed street dance battles performed by gifted young people. Freedom and individual differences blended in a cultural mix are the key words , becoming  even more precious now knowing the current political situation.
• Serbia  :  1 painting by Djordje Ozbolt retained my attention. a perfect mix of symbolism, figuration and abstraction.
• + pictures coming soon  😉 and more details as well for the following lists :

2° Italian pavilion in the giardini :

• Henry Taylor’s portraits
• Gabriel Rico ‘s installations

3) In the Arsenale I found many works filed with anxiety, evoking dark times, spreading a heavy energy but always extremely meaningful and well done. Among my favorite :

• Gabriel Rico
• Shilpa Gupta
• Arthur Jafa
• Tarek Atoui
• Christine and Margareth Wertheim
• Sun Yuan and Peng Yu

3° The golden lion has been awarded to Lithuanian pavilion and it’s must see ! Actually it’s an experience as the art piece is an operawork-performance.

4° My favorite temporary exhibitions in the Serenissima :

• Luc Tuymans in Palazzo Grassi
• Punta della dogana- Pinault collection
• Kounellis in Prada Foundation
•  Carpenters workshop at Ca’ d’oro
• Arp at Peggy Guggenheim’s collection
• Helen Frankenthaler at Palazzo Grimani
• Glass Stress in Murano

Bars :

After a long day of visit where to have delicious ciccheti ? Just in front of famous Frari church at lovely Café dei frari, the best place is oustside, standing by the canal.

If you prefer a more sophisticated and refined atmosphere, I do recommend  an historical palazzo transformed into a splendid luxury retreat : Aman Venice in Papadoppoli palace.The peace is breathtaking and cocktails are stunning ! Just memorable and fabulous.

Restaurants :

After the Arsenale visit Corte Sconta will be your heaven of peace ! The fishes are so delicious and you can relax in the lovely courtyard, dreaming about Corto Maltese adventures.

When in Murano book absolutely at Busa alla torre da Lele : the best venetian fry and my favorite vongole !

 

more to come at the end of september , thanks for you patience 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to see now and this spring 2019 in Paris ? Here is my top 4 worth seeing shows :

Among the must-see exhibitions this coming spring and already visible now, the fabulous show in Custodia Foundation is unmissable and the title says it all : 500 years of Master’s drawings from Pouchkine Museum. How exciting !

It is said that if you exhibit a drawing 3 months you have to storage it 3 years in order to protect the work against the damages of light. That’s why you can’t see permanently drawing’s collection from outstanding museum on display but only temporary shows. And usually you have to travel to see these marvels. Sometimes few drawings from the museum are lent for a temporary exhibition abroad but rarely a huge ensemble.

Then you realize how lucky we are in Paris to admire a wonderful bunch of 195 works coming from renowned Pouchkine museum in Moscow and representative of the history of drawing : from the German and Italian Renaissance to the European and Russian avant-garde of the twentieth century !

         

Parmigianino-Virgin and child in clouds – 1526 /  Picasso-Head of an old man in a tiara- 1905

Klee-Comet over Paris – 1918

https://www.fondationcustodia.fr/English

If you prefer postwar paintings Vasarely outstanding retrospective in Pompidou Center is for you ! It’s the first one ever organized in France showing all the facets of the father of Optical Art (called also Op’ art) through 300 works and documents  including paintings, sculptures, multiples, architectural integrations, advertising, studies, objects…

With the hungarian artist Abstract geometry can be fun and feels alive through selected forms and seductive colors. Art for all in everyday life was also is concern. Complete, clever and playful, it’s the ideal family show and a great opportunity to rediscover an artist inscribed in our visual heritage of the 70’s and 80’s.

Tribute to Malevitch(1954-58)

  Kiruna (1952-62)

 Vonal Zöld (1968)

 

The Courtauld collection from London at Louis Vuitton Foundation :

Thanks to the refurbishment of Sommerset House planned for the coming two years,   acclaimed impressionnist masterpieces such as Un Bar aux Folies Bergères by Manet and the somptuous Loge (the Theatre Box) by Renoir were able to leave London until mid-june. How lucky we are in Paris to admire them ! Even if I’m used to getting together everytime I travel to London- like visiting french friends established on the other side of the chanel- it’s always good to see artworks in a new context.

Hope the british people are grateful to Mr Samuel Courtauld, who had french roots, to have made impressionist and post-impressionist artists accepted and recognized in Great Britain, through his stunning personal collection first -actually lovely built with his wife Elizabeth in a record time : from 1923 to 1929- and then through the fund he created on purpose for the National Galleries in order to fill artistic gaps regarding “modern” french school.

It was not an easy task reminds us the catalogue of the exhibition as many british people, still very conservative regarding art, considered french impressionist and post impressionist artists not worthy to be exhibited in public collection ! By the way, the most horrible critics were addressed towards… Cézanne who was judged -even in the 20’s as a bad painter ! Well, his sense of space distorsion with daring points of view disrupted many british minds meanwhile Courtauld  himself  was immediately overwhelmed by the Master of Aix when he visited the famous exhibition at Burlington Fine Arts in 1922 showing a selection of artworks from french school of the last 100 years. 

The british industrial – who made fortune thanks to viscose- started then just the year after, in 1923, to collect paintings. Not at all to satisfy any socialite activity but rather to accomplish an artistic mission : give at least the right place Manet, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Seurat deserved in UK. His wish was supported by a great sense of sharing his vision with a large audience as Art brought his so much in his life he desired to offer to a large public the possibility to elevate themselves their spirits thanks to Art, in times of industrialisations and materialism. He even went further with the creation of the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1931, which was not only a place where visitors could admire an outstanding private collection gathering masterpieces of modernity, but also a university section to teach Art History, which not yet a real academic discipline. The aim was to spread then this knowledge through the country and to form future curators and directors of museum.

All I can say is mission accomplished Mr Courtauld as the Institute is today famous and renowned in Art world !

If you’re not familiar with this collection and its fabulous history,  I will be delighted to give you a private tour. Please contact me through my mail if you wish more informations (amuraro@sfr.fr).

Manet- Un Bar aux Folies Bergères

 

Monet- Antibes

 

Seurat- Horses in water

 

Picasso-Calder exhibition in Picasso museum :

Two sacred monsters of modern art who shared the same passion for creativity and innovations without losing their child soul, it was time to gather them ! Great dialogues between works displayed and surprises too when we come to abstraction with Picasso, like in this picture below where the spanish master’s finds his place in the middle 😉 …

A must see until august 25th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Venice Biennale 2017

 

You still have time to visit the Venice Biennale, until november 26 th exactly. We were there one month ago and I had few big crushes I wanted to share with you. Let’s start with the Giardini and my top 5 pavillions :

1°  Switzerland : the  pavilion is a tribute to Giacometti who actually never represented his country in the Biennale. The installation/ movie made Birchler and Hubbard moved us so deeply ! It’s about the forgotten love of the sculptor called Flora Mayo, which is also an edifying destiny of a woman artist coming from USA at the beginning of the century, thanks to the support of her family, until the crisis of 1929 ruined her artistic hopes and life… Nothing remains from her creations except a photograph of a wonderful bust she made of Giaco…I’m still haunted by her story.

2° Corea :  Glad to discover Cody Choi, an enfant terrible of contemporary art. Subversive,  transgressive, and meaningful.

3° France : The day we visited the Giardini was really  magical as Nigel Godrich the producer of Radio head came to the pavilion-studio for a string session recording and the artist Xavier Veilhan was there too. Creation in motion.

4° Austria : up to you to activate famous Erwin Wurm one minute sculpture.  Hilarious !

5° Belgium  : the somptuous dark and mysterious images by Dirk Braeckman mesmerized me. I admire greatly their pictorial quality.

The german pavilion is out of competition if I could say as the excellent artist Anne Imhof -who received the golden lion- choose to present an impressive live performance for the opening and ..nothing remains for it. Go and see it nevertheless.

 

In the Arsenale, my favorite works were :

1° Julian Charriere  

2°Michelle Stuart  

3°Ernesto Neto  

4°Leonor Antunes

5°Kader Attia 

6°Alicia Kwade 

Don’t miss  also these 2 pavilions in the Arsenale :

• China, especially with two artists whose artworks are displayed on the ceiling : Wangtianwen and Yaohuifen. 

• and the Georgian one  with Vajiko Chachkhiani . Everyone is talking about his outstanding installation : a  house where a non stoppable inside rain will ruin everything…

Big crush also for the nigeran pavilion,  located in  Scoletta dei Battioro e dei Tiraoro,  a building from early 18th century, that was once home to Venice’s gold thread and gold leaf guild. Moreover this is the first participation of this country for the Biennale. Peju Alatise ‘s installation, evoking a yoruba tale is a must see ! Formal perfection and moving background with an actual echo of african female condition.

The best exhibitions to see in Venice during this Biennale  :

1° Palazzo Fortuny and Axel Vervoordt choice. A must attend rendez-vous , the true spirit of  connoisseurs, but, alas , the last edition… so Enjoy !!

2° Dont miss, next to Santa Maria dei Miracoli the outstanding Palazzo Soranzo van Axel : 

In this place, just refurbished , you can see a group show curated by Pouchkine museum. I loved especially 2 excellent artworks :

• a magnetic video by David Claerbout about a strange wood.
• an impressive sound installation by Yri Kalendarev that you can activate

 

3° Prada Foundation : a complex exhibiton – very german-  with Thomas Demand, Alexander Kluge and Anna Viebrock, that turns to be a strange and disquieting experience for the visitor… but really worth doing !

 

I invite yo to go on my Insta and turn the clock back to mid- august to see my posts from Venice , including the Biennale @parisdeluxearty ! 

 

 

 

4 memorable days in Montecarlo, Monaco !

We just come back from Montecarlo and that was a memorable and  delicious stay ! We went there for the new Art Fair called ArtMontecarlo that took place in Grimaldi forum, very well located. 39 galleries participated,  the major part were french, belgium, german, italian, among the best ones like Galleria Continua, Almine Rech Gallery, Tornabuoni, Laurent Godin, Eva Meyer, Nathalie Seroussi,  In Situ…The selection was excellent, I invite you to see more pics on my Insta account : parisedeluxearty.

Dalinienne Empire – 1965

When I booked the hotel I didn’t hesitate : Hotel Metropole was my first and unique choice and I was so right ! The best atmosphere in Monaco thanks to Jacques Garcia signature : cosy, elegant, refined, stylish, arty without being too trendy, with an excellent good taste that unifies the ensemble. Actually you feel like living in a marvelous private mansion with a soul. A kind of  best kept secret in Monaco ! I loved the warm library-bar for a drink with friends. The spa is very pleasant, relaxing, and the pool side a dream, moreover  the lunch there was great with the best Pissaladiere I ever had ( french mediterranean specialty, kind of tart with glazed and roasted onions), without speaking of the  xxl tiramisu to share for dessert (see pic below) !

   

The chef of the 2 hotel stared- restaurants is the famous and celebrated french big boss of  haute cuisine : Joel Robuchon . His family name himself looks like a recipe or a french cheese 😉

We tried his amazing japanese restaurant called Yoshi , the first truly  japanese restaurant launched by a french chef. Actually we were very lucky to have a table as this is not huge and always over booked, and I do understand why : this was just beyond ! many people in travel and  luxury business are talking about experience but really, I can tell the difference between a promise and the reality and … you won’t be disappointed by the promise : this place is a true space and time capsule ! Everything was absolutely divine  : the sushis (see 3rd pic below) were perfect, the king crab california rolls were the best I’ve ever had , the lacquered chicken was great…The decor is just breathtaking, totally mingei ( japonese minimalist, very aesthetic and functional) with an amazing chandelier floating above the table ( second pic below) overlooking a contemporary japonese garden (cf just below) . You’re just eating in an artwork !

The first evening after the opening of the Art Fair we had a dinner with art dealers and curators at Nobu in Fairmont hotel that I do recommend also. The flavors , the textures are another tasty experience. Great place for happy dinner with friends. sorry I don’ t have pics…

Among the mythical place to party the Jimmy’s is on the top list and we went there ! The famous auctioneer Simon de Pury,  warmed up the house with his 80’s mix. 

Many people think Monaco is artificial, superficial, all centered on real estate, cars, casino and diamonds…nobody thinks immediately about …museums or contemporary art centers and that’s a big mistake ! I tell you : The Rock- as we say in France- is becoming a place of interest for art lovers, thanks to the great personality of Marie-Claude Beaud,  director of the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco ( NMNM), i.e the New National Museum of Monaco, including  Villa Sauber (pic 1 below) – a magnificent villa from Belle Epoque time- showing a global artistic project by Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli called Villa Marlene, tribute to the divine Marlene Dietrich (2nd pic) , meanwhile Villa Paloma from 1013, located on the heights and offering a breathtaking view on the sea, houses  hyper-realist sculptures by Duane Hanson- very freaky ones !- and Thomas Demand tricky images (4th pic). Do not miss also the video by Oscar Murillo called Meet me Mr Superman presented there.

   

 

   

So, no need to be a billionaire with a huge Yacht to enjoy Monaco as you can see.  Art lovers will be more than satisfied by their stay 😉 and I already want to come back in this very Deluxe&Arty place !

 

How to follow Paris ART WEEK until April 3rd ?

Just visit and like my Insta account : parisdeluxearty   😉

https://www.instagram.com/parisdeluxearty

You will find my personal selection for :

• Salon du dessin ( Old Master Drawing Fair) in Bourse (Stock Exchange building)
• Drawing Now (Contemporary Drawing Fair) in Carreau du Temple in Le Marais
• Art Paris Art Fair  in Grand Palais
• PAD (design and decorative art fair) in Tuileries gardens

See you on Insta !

Let’s set Art in life and life in Art …

Contemporary dance in the Louvre with Damien Jalet last friday : I was there !

I love when History meets Contemporary. I’m against partitioning systems in Art and  bridges between past and present have always existed. I do think Paris is the ideal place for this special meeting, especially the Louvre, still today ! Wim Delvoye showed it last summer brilliantly for instance. The Louvre has developped for some years now another  great idea besides temporary contemporary exhibitions :  an ephemeral experience  is offered to a choreographer , by performing one night in the museum’s rooms ! A first glance we could say Dance is the art of present in opposition to the eternity enbodied by work of art…That’s why the allince of both and the experience of attending a dance spectacle in the middle of the works and fabulous architecture of the Louvre is SO unique  !  After you lived it , you just wanted to say at loud : again ! I can tell you all the audience last friday had the feeling to participate to somethig very special and moving.

  

Moreover some dancers were accompanied by live musicians and singers. I particularly appreciated Winter Family performance and the singer in Khorsbad . The topics chosen echoed totally the sculptures in Richelieu wing in the splendid Marly and Puget courtyards  : mythologie with Acteon drama , frenzied wild nymphs , the primoridal couple… I attended a fantastic final in Khorsabad courtyard ( image on right), under the protection of Lamassu-winged genius with 5 legs, a bull body ad human’s head- from 8th century BC.

Thanks to Domoina, Art concierge in  Royal Monceau, who  recommended me this  magic night the Louvre !

 

Erik Nussbicker’s performance at Palais the Tokyo

I just come back from an amazing performance given tonight by my friend Erik Nussbicker who was invited to Palais the Tokyo, a famous center for contemporary art in Paris- I would say a laboratory for cutting edge art- for an odd recital …on a deer’s bones. It’s actually a sound piece also called “Le Cerf de Saint Eustache “( Saint Eustachius’ deer), in reference to a wonderful engraving by Durer where we can see the saint kneeling down in front of a deer on whose head a cross is shining between his antlers.In Erik Nussbicker installation we can observe first a carpet made of horse hair , on which is displayed an entire deer’s skeleton. All the bones, so thin and white, had been worked slighty to be “played” by th artist himself : using echoes, vibrations, percussions, from the smallest- like teeth vibrating on the jaw- to the most imposing : the head transformed into a lyre. We feel like being linked back with the forces of nature, paying a tribute to a lord-animal of the forest, making bridges between life/death/ and space even,  through vibes and sound. A great total experience for him as for the audience.

       

 

 

Le Louvre à cheval, a book by Jean Rochefort and Edwart Vignot

Hope you can read french because this marvellous book is the perfect Christmas gift !

Edwart Vignot, art historian and writer (and my fiancé !) had a brilliant idea one year ago : he proposed to famous french actor Jean Rochefort to write his first book about horses in art, from the Louvre museum collections. And the book has been released one week ago in any good bookstores in France, including in the Louvre of course where Edwart will sign it this friday december 2nd, from 6pm and I’ll be there !

Jean was very enthousiastic to share his legendary passion about these noble animals, as a horserider and horse-breeder ,through a selection of masterpieces from Antiquity to 19th century, including of course Gericault and Delacroix, but also famous sculptors or anonymous artists with a common subject : horses. The result is pure happiness : unexpected but clever comments, mixed with his personal sens of humor,  cast a new light on well known works…

I’m sure you’ll enjoy the book as much as Jean and Edwart had pleasure and fun to write it together.

 

 

Bêtes Off : contemporary art in Conciergerie until march 2012

Wednesday I was invited at the opening of a great contemporary art exhibition I do recommend you : “Bêtes Off” , in this fabulous men at arms room-dating back to Philippe the Fair- located in Conciergerie on city island, the craddle of Paris where french kings established first their royal residence and center of power before they moved in 14th century to the Louvre.

The City Palace became then a prison called Conciergerie from the name of high ranking character : the concierge who was in charge of order, police and registered prisoners.The Conciergerie prison became saddly famous with the Revolution for having hosted queen Marie-Antoinette during 70 days before she was condemned to the guillotine on Concorde Square in 1793.

Since wednesday a strange forest inhabited with no less strange animals established its winter quarters in this fantastic 14th century  Men at arms room ( a rare and outstanding ex of civil gothic architecture in Paris) for a temporary exhibition devoted to animal place in contemporary art.

Art Orienté Objet , Necking(le langage du cou) ,2007. A knitting trophy as impressive as a real one !

Nicolaï Polissky, the trophy room, 2011 (Royal Monceau collection)

Claire Morgan, Here is the end of all things, 2011

This young irish artist who was remarked very much on Karsten Greve booth during the last Art fair (FIAC) in Paris, constructs in her sculptures/installations a very  striking visual work, operating a fusion between life and death, the fragile beauty  and the horror in nature. Fascinating !

And last but not least my friend Erik Nussbiker (I support him for 15 years now !) with Le temps des mouches (the time of flees), 2011 :

A giant but elegant twisted silk strucure-evoking an hourglass- trembling gently with drafts,like breathing from time to time, filled with flees trying to fly toward the top and falling down inexorably…the passage of time, the allusion of vanity in 17th century dutch painting (the hourglass, the flees…) make that installation the peak of the exhibition, under the magnificent vaulted ceiling.

PARIS-PHOTO 2011 in Grand-Palais until nov 13th

Yesterday I was invited at the opening of this great event in worlwide photography circles : ParisPhoto, that takes place in Grand Palais until sunday nov 13th.

The manifestation celebrates its 15th birthday and gets bigger, that’s why the galleries are now in Grand Palais and not in Louvre Carrousel anymore. Success and recognition on the art market -photography as a prestigious medium-  explain this move and impressive growth. 117 galleries this year (French and international), + 15 publishers + a private collection (Arthur Walther’s), curated by Okwui Enwezor , called “Portraiture and social identity”, with J.D ‘Okhai Ojeikere below (untitled 1970-courtesy Walther collection), and  Bernd and Hilla Becher , Gas Tanks (spheric), 1963-1983,courtesy Walther Colletion).

            

African photographers, from Bamako to Cape town, are the honnor guests this year. You will admire  among other, the famous Malik Sidibé, Seydou Keita, JD Okhaï Ojeikere and David Goldblatt.

I’ve got the feeling that this year Paris Photo is more  focus on pure photography, with many portraits and lansdscape, and a great technical quality, rather than contemporary art using photography.

But you will find of course the hevy weight of contemporary art using this medium (sometimes linked with actions and performances) such as Marina Abramovic,Dieter Appelt (below) with Krone, aktion, 1976 (Françoise Paviot gallery) and Arnulf -Reiner, a tribute to french trans-gender and performer Pierre Molinier (Pierre Molinier Übermalung, 2008, gallery Christophe Gaillard)

         

A very intriguing series by Christian Tagliavini stroke very much the attention on the gallery Esther Woerdehoff booth, influenced by Nothern Renaissance portraits. Beauty, simplicity and strict geometrical construction through outfits and gesture, with a little bit of strangeness in proportions appeal the gaze. Here is a “Ritratto di giovane dona, 2010” :

I can’t resist to show you two jewels of perfection and esthetic : Sugimoto’s seascapes.They are in Armani ‘s exhibition devoted to water (Acqua). He’s an official sponsor on the fair and developped recently a project around the water as a social cause. He was given on loan works by the Tate Modern, Musée de l’Elysées (Switzerland), ICP.

To conclude this post, the  work of a young artist from Anne de Villepoix gallery : Marc Turlan, who had recently his first solo show  this fall in the gallery : image from the series “Exo star”2011 (magazine picture, chain, 31x27cm). A work based on our fascination for glamour, glossy perfect faces and bodies, turned already  into new icons, in a religious sense I could add : just think about the worship of “believers” for fashion models (or just fashionistas). I like this series with chains on picture magazine, evoking these miraculous icons, on which a madona would cry golden beads…