Month: January 2018

Paris flooding

Paris is currently experiencing a flooding of the river Seine. The high water is the result of higher than normal amounts of rainfall during this winter. It shows the importance of the Paris agreement on climate change. It also underscores the fact that all nations have a duty to participate in the agreement, not only for their own sake, but also for the sake of others!

This picture is from a few weeks ago, January 6 2018 - today theater in the Seine is even higher.
This picture is from a few weeks ago, January 6 2018 – today the water in the Seine is even higher.

It was already evident at the very beginning of the year that the river Seine was at higher water levels than normal, and since then it has only gotten higher. The Louvre museum has closed parts and have plans for evacuating some artworks should the threat become imminent.

The Seine with Ile Saint-Louis and Notre Dame in the background.
The Seine with Ile Saint-Louis and Notre Dame in the background.
A view of the swollen river Seine.
A view of the swollen river Seine.
Looking out over the river Seine with Ice St-louis in the background, notice the trees underwater in the foreground, that is normally a parklike area with a walkway.
Looking out over the river Seine with Ile Saint-Louis in the background, notice the trees underwater in the foreground, that is normally a parklike little area next to the river.
Flooded stairs leading down to a walkway by the Seine.
Flooded stairs leading down to a walkway by the Seine.
Another view of the river Seine towards Ice Saint-Louis.
Another view of the river Seine towards Ile Saint-Louis.
The birds love all the water...
The birds love all the water…

André Derain

Andre Derain at Center Pompidou Exhibit Poster.
Andre Derain at Centre Pompidou Exhibition Poster.

André Derain together with Henri Matisse started fauvism in 1905. They worked together during the summer of 1905 painting in a small mediterranean village named Collioure. When they later during the fall exhibited their works at the Salon d’Automne in Paris they were labelled “les fauves” (“the wild beasts”), by a critic because of their use of vivid – unnatural colors in the paintings and thus “fauvism” was born!

Go here  for more info and to buy tickets!

André Derain self - portrait from 1913-14.
André Derain self – portrait from 1913-14.

It is evident from the below painting by André Derain how different the use of bright and strong colors in the fauvism paintings were compared to most other artists of the time.

The drying of sails (of fishing boats) 1905.
The drying of sails (of fishing boats) 1905.

César – artiste extraordinaire

Centre Pompidou is currently having a great retrospect of the late French artist César (Baldaccini) whose most famous work is his thumb in different sizes and different materials. Once you have seen this exhibit you will however realize that even though le Pouce is his most famous work, it is only one of a multitude of works in different materials and techniques. He has crushed/compressed, expanded, welded, sculpted, and he has poured. César was born in Marseille in 1921 and he went to art school at first in Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Marseilles and later transferred to École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In Paris he met among others, Picasso and he lived in the same building as Giacometti which both influenced him strongly. César’s works were in the area of what was regarded as Nouveau Realisme and he sometimes fabricated from scraps and found things. César died in Paris in 1988 at the age of 77. Read more about Centre Pompidou and become a member here.

Le Pouce de César.
Le Pouce de César.
A César bird.
A César bird.
Compressed Renault.
Compressed Renault.
Flattened auto.
Flattened auto.
A pour of resin.
A pour of resin.
The 15 ft high Bronze of le pouce at La Defense.
The 15 ft high Bronze of le pouce at La Defense.