Paris Art is Always a Good Idea. Two Celebration’s – Spring into Summer.

Think late spring and try to avoid summer for these two exhibitions. The exhibition, Sheer: The diaphanous creations of Yves Saint Laurent will be on display at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris. Dates: February 9 to to 25 August 2024. It will be the second chapter of a story that began last summer at the Museum of Lace and Fashion in Calais.

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The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris invited the curator Anne Dressen to be its artistic advisor; she will focus on transparency as a chosen artistic expression of Yves Saint Laurent. The exhibition has been designed by the architect Pauline Marchetti, whose work explores the intersection of perception and space.

Few articles of clothing are entirely transparent. In theory, transparency is incompatible with the very function of clothing, which is to cover the body, conceal or protect it. Intrigued by this contradiction, and by the powerful role diaphanous fabrics could play in his work, Yves Saint Laurent began using materials such as chiffon, lace and tulle in the 1960s. Like a leitmotif, he regularly employed transparency during his forty creative years, at times alongside embroidered or opaque fabrics. He daringly reconciled these contradictions, allowing women to proudly and boldly assert their bodies. 1966 announced the start of the sexual revolution of 1968. The female body was gradually revealed. Rudi Gernreich designed the first monokini in 1964. In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent made the female chest visible with his first sheer look, which he subtly covered with see-through cigaline. The nude look was born. In 1968, Saint Laurent designed the most emblematic example of this: a completely transparent chiffon dress with a belt made of ostrich feathers.

March 26 to July 14, 2024. The Musée d’Orsay Celebrates 150 years of Impressionism. Paris 1874.
Inventing impressionism 150 years ago, on April 15, 1874, the first impressionist exhibition opened in Paris. “Hungry for independence”, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro, Sisley and Cézanne finally decided to free themselves from the rules by holding their own exhibition, outside official channels: impressionism was born. To celebrate this anniversary, Musée d’Orsay is presenting some 130 works and bringing a fresh eye to bear on this key date, regarded as the day that launched the avant-gardes.

Paris Art – Oh My! Blockbuster Extended

UPDATE – Due to the incredible success of the exhibition “Icons of Modern Art. The Shchukin Collection”, which has already welcomed 600,000 visitors, the Fondation is pleased to announce the extension of the exhibition through 5 March 2017.

Long before I departed to Paris, I had read about the extraordinary exhibit at the Fondation Louis Vuitton…I’ve been known to visit New York just for an art exhibit, but Paris is a jaunt for art’s sake. In this case, I would highly recommend considering a visit to Paris for the riveting and impressive exhibit from Russian collector Sergi Shchukin.

The blockbuster exhibit “Icons of Modern Art: The Shchukin Collection” recently opened in the esteemed Frank Gehry designed Fondation Louis Vuitton…a double treat, an astonishing collection in a truly astonishing building.

The collection of 127 works of French masters – van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Monet, Picasso and additional artists is a massive assembly of work that originally belonged to a Russian textile tycoon – Sergi Shchukin.img_6672

Shchukin collected mostly French Impressionist and Post Impressionist art, amassing his visionary collection in a brief 15-year period. His palatial palace in Moscow housed the paintings. During the Lenin days and the revolution, Shchukin fled to Paris in exile and his collection was dispersed.

There are several astonishing points in regard to this exhibition – one, the massive collection of Picasso’s, Gauguin’s, Monet’s and Cezanne’s is almost overwhelming – so many masterpieces assembled in one location and imagining the political feat of orchestrating the exhibit. The collection has resided in the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg and the Pushkin in Moscow. Travel bans were partly fueled by Shchukin heirs requesting for restitution of the paintings. Bernard Arnault, president of the Fondation Louis Vuitton was determined and personally funded the insurance and all expenses in bringing this treasure trove to Paris. Merci, Monsieur Arnault.

Portrait of Shchukin

Portrait of Shchukin

With our hotel team at La Reserve, we can offer skip the line passes – otherwise, purchase online and expect to stand outside for at least 15 minutes while patrons pass through security. The Museum itself is an entirely other art story if you haven’t visited the iconic building. Do include exploring the outdoor spaces as part of this visit.

I’ve never been so impressed with such a collection of art – the eleven Gauguin’s, alone are worth the visit! Clustered together as they were once exhibited in the Trubetskoy Palace, represent what was then thought of as risqué – the nudes and provocative poses were in questionable taste.

Matisse is represented in twenty-two works, the collector found Matisse during a difficult financial period, stood by him and seemed to have funded much of his major work.

Really, if you love art, escape to Paris!  This exhibit runs until February 20, 2017 and will leave you awestruck! We will help you with the Art of a Visit!

Henri Matisse - Nude. Black and Gold

Henri Matisse – Nude. Black and Gold

Matisse - The Goldfish

Henri Matisse – The Goldfish

Henri Matisse - Spanish Woman with Tambourine

Henri Matisse – Spanish Woman with Tambourine

Pablo Picasso - House in a Garden

Pablo Picasso – House in a Garden

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Paul Gauguin – Do Not Work. Tahitians in a Room

Claude Monet - Luncheon on the Grass

Claude Monet – Luncheon on the Grass

Paul Gauguin - What, Are You Jealous?

Paul Gauguin – What, Are You Jealous?

Morning Shchukin! From Monday 27 February to Sunday 5 March 2017
Early birds, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. recharge your batteries while visiting the exhibition.

We can arrange private visits without the crowds- absorb the art on your own!