 |
The painting on the wall in this room of the Pompidou Center is "Three Figures in a Room" by Francis Bacon.
I captured a moment when the room echoed the painting. |
 |
Marcel Duchamp's work is for me one of the many highlights of the Pompidou.
These photos concern one of his "boxes" of artwork, named "Eau & Gaz A Tous Les Etages." |
 |
This is a real "Gaz A Tous Les Etages" sign on the apartment building where
one of our friends live. It warns the fire department that there is gas service
on every floor. Marcel Duchamp, in his wonderful way, used it as a motto.
I wrote more about "Gaz..." HERE. |
We spent most of the afternoon in the Pompidou, after an unfortunate long wait just after it opened this morning at 11:00. We love the museum's extraordinary collection of art made in Paris in the first decades of the twentieth century -- Picasso (especially early & cubist Picasso), Braque, Matisse, Juan Gris, Picabia, Man Ray, Duchamp, and many more -- I can't begin to show images of all that I enjoyed.
 |
| More Duchamp. |
 |
| "Why not sneeze?" is the name of this work by Duchamp. A family favorite. |
At the moment, several rooms in the museum are dedicated to understanding the relationship of famous collectors and critics to the artists they favored. They help one understand how these collectors helped create the reputations of the artists. Though these rooms aren't called out as special "expositions" they did include works borrowed from other museums and private collectors. I found them wonderfully informative and fascinating.
 |
Lipchitz's head of Gertrude Stein was in one of the special
rooms about collectors, with paintings and photos to
show the activities of Stein and her brothers. |
 |
| The terrace overlooking Paris. |
 |
| A view from the terrace -- the Eiffel Tower is visible everywhere. |
You know, when I was there we stayed very close (Rue du Temple, just a few doors past the Jewish Museum). And I never got to Pompidou. Part of this is that I'm less a modern art than a classical/impressionist person and there's only so much time. But I think I would find it fascinating -- especially the view! (I love the juxtaposition of the Stravinsky fountain in front and St. Merri behind it!) Weird, but kind of nice.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your visit today. I am a fan of Gertrude Stein – went to New York specially a couple of years ago to the Metropolitan Museum of Art because they had gathered the paintings she had collected. I did not know there was an exhibit about her and family in the Beaubourg (Centre Georges Pompidou.) I have not been there in a long while. After my father passed away my mother bought an apartment in the Marais, on rue des Archives. From there I used to walk to Beaubourg (that’s what we call this center) that was built by Pompidou. At first Paris thought it was an eyesore. I think it was opened by Valery Giscard d’Estaing in 1977 and the Parisians quickly called it “Notre Dame de la Tuyauterie” (Our Lady of Piping or Plumbing) !
ReplyDeleteLove your first photo…I think the artist would as well.
ReplyDelete