Today I had quite the museum experience...I was able to visit both le Petit et le Grand Palais!
At 10 am we had our Art History class at Petit Palais, to look at some Courbet paintings we had discussed in class on Monday. The Petit and Grand Palais was built in 1900 for the World Fair (not the same one for which the Eiffel Tower was built--that was about a decade earlier), and were turned into exhibition halls and city-owned museums. They are quite beautiful buildings, and constructed in the Baroque style that was very popular at the time. There is lots of glass, and therefore lots of light that shows off all the artwork beautifully
Children on a Field Trip...so cute
The Entrance Hall to the Petit Palais
I walked home after class, across the Seine and through the 7th (I'm becoming quite used to the walk past the Eiffel Tower now, I hardly look up anymore!), and did some work at home (and some exercises...I'm trying to ward off the cheese-induced-fat). Then this afternoon, I walked back to the Grand Palais, which is right across the street from the Petit Palais. There is an amazing exhibit there that ends tomorrow called, "Six Milliard D'Autres," or, "Six Billion Others." It is a video montage exhibition by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and the GoodPlanet association, in which 5,000 people from all areas of the world were interviewed the same series of questions.
View from my window today...such a gorgeous afternoon!
In the building there were several tents with themes such as Fears, Friendship, War, Women, Love, Childhood Memories, etc. In each tent was a viewing area with a screen that had a series of people talking about one specific subject. It was really incredible and gave so much perspective. I think the entire exhibit was the most amazing, eye-opening idea that I have ever heard of, and I hope the exhibit moves to the United States!
I only had time to see two of the video montages, those about Fear and Childhood Memories. It was so interesting because the fears of people in war-torn or impoverished countries are so different than those of people in the United States or Europe. For example, a woman in Uganda fears every day that the genocide will begin again, and a man in South Africa fears that he will get AIDS and not be able to take care of his family; a man in New York city said that his greatest fear is "to not be able to have kids...or, to not be successful." It really put into perspective the vast differences between the lives of people all over.
The Childhood Memories tent was a lot more uplifting, and focused more on the funnier anectdotes of the young child. One cute story was of a man from Canada, whose father was fighting in the Vietnam war when he was born. Every night until he was two, his mother told him to kiss a photo of his father and she'd say "Kiss Papa!" So, when the boy was two and finally met his father, he was very confused and didn't recognize him, as the father's hair had gone completely white, unlike the man in the photo's hair. So his childhood memory was of thinking for a long time that his father was the actual photograph, until one day his parents tricked him into kissing his real papa by putting the photo up to his face, and then taking it away quickly! Funny little stories like those were frequent, but there were also some interesting stories from people in provincial areas, such as the Hunan region of China, whose only childhood memories are coming home from school and tending to the animals, etc.
I'm really glad I made it to the exhibit before it closes tomorrow; in fact, I might try to squeeze in some time between classes to see it again, because I really feel like I did not see enough. I really hope it moves on to other venues.
If you want to see more information, click on the following link, then click again on the picture that comes up, and then on "English" on the next page that pops up!
http://www.6billionothers.org/index_en.php
Really worth checking out!
In the building there were several tents with themes such as Fears, Friendship, War, Women, Love, Childhood Memories, etc. In each tent was a viewing area with a screen that had a series of people talking about one specific subject. It was really incredible and gave so much perspective. I think the entire exhibit was the most amazing, eye-opening idea that I have ever heard of, and I hope the exhibit moves to the United States!
I only had time to see two of the video montages, those about Fear and Childhood Memories. It was so interesting because the fears of people in war-torn or impoverished countries are so different than those of people in the United States or Europe. For example, a woman in Uganda fears every day that the genocide will begin again, and a man in South Africa fears that he will get AIDS and not be able to take care of his family; a man in New York city said that his greatest fear is "to not be able to have kids...or, to not be successful." It really put into perspective the vast differences between the lives of people all over.
The Childhood Memories tent was a lot more uplifting, and focused more on the funnier anectdotes of the young child. One cute story was of a man from Canada, whose father was fighting in the Vietnam war when he was born. Every night until he was two, his mother told him to kiss a photo of his father and she'd say "Kiss Papa!" So, when the boy was two and finally met his father, he was very confused and didn't recognize him, as the father's hair had gone completely white, unlike the man in the photo's hair. So his childhood memory was of thinking for a long time that his father was the actual photograph, until one day his parents tricked him into kissing his real papa by putting the photo up to his face, and then taking it away quickly! Funny little stories like those were frequent, but there were also some interesting stories from people in provincial areas, such as the Hunan region of China, whose only childhood memories are coming home from school and tending to the animals, etc.
I'm really glad I made it to the exhibit before it closes tomorrow; in fact, I might try to squeeze in some time between classes to see it again, because I really feel like I did not see enough. I really hope it moves on to other venues.
If you want to see more information, click on the following link, then click again on the picture that comes up, and then on "English" on the next page that pops up!
http://www.6billionothers.org/index_en.php
Really worth checking out!
Interior of the Grand Palais Exhibition: In the Center is a Montage of the Video Montages:
2 comments:
I have walked by the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais, but have never been inside either one. I will look forward to doing so on our visit in April!
I hope you are enjoying the French countryside, ma petite!
Happy Valentine's Day!
xo, Mommy
Happy Valentine's Day Ashley,
I loved the Petit and Grand Palais. Thank you for taking us there. We did not get to go there when we were in Paris and now I really want to go back.
I'm going to look up the exhibit you saw. It really sounds compelling. I found the comments and perspectives on fear very interesting...especially the New Yorker. I think I used to commute with him :)
I can't wait to hear about your weekend voyage!
Is it getting easier to live in another language. I am curious about the "tipping point" when it will begin to flow as easily as breathing. Please take note as I would like to live vicariously through you. I am not sure that I will ever experience it myself.
My blog launched today (it's on the website). Hope you enjoy it as I enjoy yours!
Caitlin has safely made it to Orinda and is dining tonight at The Casa Orinda with my parents and Lou. She's really looking forward to the trip with your parents and Avery...especially the trip to your school!
I understand you saw Versailles in the snow? Hope you took pictures.
Love to you,
Heidi
Post a Comment