Spring in Paris

~ My sojourns in France, 2010-2019

Spring in Paris

Tag Archives: Pow Martinez

Art in Paris: An Off Year for Palais de Tokyo

26 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by Robert Mack in Art, Experiences, Photos

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Aliens of Manila, Aliens of Manila: Balete Colony, Amir Kamand, Art, Balete Colony, Biquini Wax EPS, Border Patrol, Chelsea Culprit, contemporary art, Jackie, Leeroy New, Palais de Tokyo, Pow Martinez, Transfigurations in Ritual Time

Jared spent Monday with a French friend he has known since his college year here, so I headed over to the Palais de Tokyo to see their summer show. This was one of the three main reasons I stayed to the end of June this year, along with the fête de la musique and Paris Pride. In prior years the Palais de Tokyo has sometimes been absolutely stunning, and Jackie and I enjoyed the spring show. But while I found a few things to like in the summer show, overall I wouldn’t strongly encourage anyone to go. (Also, the air conditioning wasn’t that good.)

Most everything in the show was in the aesthetic category that I call “messy,” that is a lot of stuff jumbled together. Here are two examples of messy art in this show that I viscerally disliked.

But while I would have said that I don’t like “messy” art, some of the works in this show that I did like were equally “messy.” My aesthetic category may be incoherent as well as idiosyncratic!

This orca whale could hardly have been messier, but the assemblage had a certain appeal and the detail was interesting.

  • Biquini Wax EPS, “Sa La Na, A Yuum, Iassis, Laissez Faire, Laissez Passer,” 2019.
  • Biquini Wax EPS, “Sa La Na, A Yuum, Iassis, Laissez Faire, Laissez Passer,” 2019 (detail)

While these strippers were pretty messy they had a distinct appeal, especially when you noticed how the mirrors were being used.

  • Chelsea Culprit, Transfigurations in Ritual Time, 2019.
  • Chelsea Culprit, Transfigurations in Ritual Time, 2019 (details).

The stairway down to the lower level was, cartoony but striking.

Pow Martinez, Border Patrol, 2019.

One of my favorite rooms contained these witty “outsider art” sculptures. A pano didn’t work so I just caught a few of them in two shots. Each sculpture rewarded a closer look.

Amir Kamand, Untitled, 2019.
Amir Kamand, Untitled, 2019.

A pop-up café with wearable “alien” helmets was silly, and certainly messy, but in all honesty also fun.

Leeroy New, Aliens of Manila: Balete Colony, 2019.
Leeroy New, Aliens of Manila: Balete Colony, 2019. With guest Alien.

I had a juice drink at the café although the server didn’t have straws that would fit through my helmet.

As I finish this post I have to admit that I did enjoy several parts of the show. I think I’ve been spoiled a bit by past years when Palais de Tokyo was truly incredible.

Archives

  • October 2020 (1)
  • July 2019 (5)
  • June 2019 (31)
  • May 2019 (21)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • June 2018 (15)
  • May 2018 (14)
  • April 2018 (1)
  • June 2016 (21)
  • May 2016 (18)
  • April 2016 (1)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • July 2015 (1)
  • June 2015 (20)
  • May 2015 (10)
  • March 2015 (1)
  • July 2014 (2)
  • June 2014 (15)
  • May 2014 (17)
  • April 2014 (1)
  • July 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (16)
  • September 2012 (17)
  • June 2012 (1)
  • July 2011 (1)
  • June 2011 (19)
  • May 2011 (18)
  • April 2011 (1)
  • June 2010 (2)
  • May 2010 (29)
  • April 2010 (31)
  • March 2010 (4)

Categories

  • Art
  • Experiences
  • Musings
  • Photos
  • Practical Information

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Tags

Ali An Hour from Paris Antoine apartment apartments Arc de Triomphe Art Aya Balzac Bastille Belleville Belleville Open Studios Bouillon Chartier Brian Café de l'Industrie Canal Saint-Martin Chris contemporary art Eiffel Tower Elliot Eugène Experimental Cocktail Club flowers flâneur food porn France Fête de la musique Jackie Jacques Jaime Jardin de Luxembourg jardin des plantes Jared jour férié L'Absinthe Café L'Ejumeau l'Oasis d'Aboukir language Le Duplex Lisa Louvre Lézard Café Marais Marché aux Puces Mariage Frères Matt meals Metro Monet Montmartre Montorgueil Musee d'Orsay Musée des Arts et Métiers Nanashi Navigo neighborhoods Open Café Palais de Tokyo Palais Royal Parc des Buttes-Chaumont Parc Monceau Paris Place des Vosges Promenade plantée Rosa Bonheur rue Montorgueil Sacre Coeur Seine Sherard street art swimming temple de la Sibylle Vélib weather Zhizhong

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel