Affaires Étrangères

Metonymy is everywhere. When American news outlets report that the "White House" issued a press statement, you know what they mean - obviously the White House itself doesn't do stuff, the press means the people inside. In France, news organizations report on measures announced by "L'Elysée," the President's palace; by the "Hôtel Matignon," or Prime Minister's palace (everybody gets a palace!); and by the "Quai d'Orsay," which stands in for the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the equivalent of our State Department).

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the speech that launched the European Union, the building that houses the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères was opened to the public during the weekend of May 8-9, and we went to see what all this "Quai d'Orsay" business was really about. Talk about a sumptuous setting for government work

Only the first floor state rooms were open to visitors, but that was enough. So much gold! So many chandeliers! Unfortunately there wasn't a whole lot on the history of the EU outside of Robert Schumann's 1960 speech. Rather, the exhibition chose specific accomplishments of EU funding and support to explain its purpose.  There was something deliciously ironic in learning about the history of the euro during a major slide in its value ($1.23 as of today). Did this celebration of the foundation of the EU come at the very moment that will prove to be the beginning of the end for European monetary union, if not political union?

Overall, our impressions can be summarized by the following three, seemingly unrelated photos:

From left to right: 1) Sure, there's something a little bit ridiculous about this exposition - much like there's something ridiculous about this tricolor-ad-nauseum guard hut. It all smacked of patting yourself on the back for something that you maybe weren't entirely responsible for.

2) Then again, there's something beautiful about the sentiment - celebrating Europe, even if it's through a French historical lens. And you can't complain about the gorgeous setting, including little tiny details like chairs (you wonder whether the Foreign Affairs Minister sits in a chair like this one, or whether they have even better ones hidden away somewhere).

3) Finally, on your way out, you move past all the ridiculous pomp, the superficial beauty, and realize that ultimately, stuff is getting done. You notice that there's a contraption at the door for scraping your boots - and that someone installed a handle just above so you can balance while you're doing it. It may be old school - the streets don't turn to mud in the spring anymore - but it demonstrates a long history of pragmatism, as well as idealism. If something's dirty (whether it's your shoes or Europe's financial situation), you clean it up. Maybe Europe will be alright after all.

Photoquai

Yesterday, after taking advantage of the "free museum entrance the first Sunday of every month" to check out the Musée du Quai Branly (detailed post coming soon!), we walked through another free event called Photoquai.

A bi-annual, outdoor photography exposition, you'll find Photoquai along the left bank of the Seine between the Champ du Mars and the Pont d'Alma from September 22 through November 22. Its purpose is to showcase the work of photographers from all over the world, and this year the emphasis is on 165 years of Iranian photography. (You can see some of it here.)

In addition to its Seine-side "gallery," Photoquai has indoor outposts all over the city: at the Bibliothèque Nationale, at the Australian Embassy, at the Musée du Quai Branly (which is where you'll find the Iranian Photography exhibit), at the Musée d'Art Moderne, and elsewhere. But there's something special about viewing high-quality, high-resolution photography in an outdoor setting as unique as this quai along the Seine. (Even dreary weather can contrast provocatively with one shot, and emphasize the pathos of another.)

Inspired by what we'd seen, I attempted some clandestine, candid photography of my own during the métro-ride home . Maggie warned me that it was dangerous - what if someone realized what I was doing, and took issue? But true art is more important than worldy concerns, and so I forged boldly ahead en route to producing these masterpieces:

Ok, maybe I have some work to do. But I should be ready just in time for the next Photoquai in September 2011. Right?

Paris To Do List

Every once in a while, I'll hear about an event through a blog or see an ad for a temporary exhibition while riding the métro, and write it down in the hopes of checking it out. Here are a few of the things I've written down recently:

• Ever since a day trip to Nancy (Lorraine) two years ago, I've been an art nouveau nut. I hope to satisfy my craving for art nouveau glass work by checking out the Tiffany exhibition at the Musée du Luxembourg, just next to the Sénat and the Jardins du Luxembourg. The exhibition showcases the vitraux (stained glass windows) of Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933), son of the guy who started Tiffany & Co. Runs through January 10. 

• Graffiti - social expression, art, visual pollution, whatever you think about it, that's what you think. (True.) If you're interested in seeing a graffiti retrospective, head by the Cartier Foundation, 261 Boulevard Raspail in the 14th. It runs through November 29. If you don't feel like paying to get in, at least stop by to see the graffiti outside the building. 

The building itself is also really cool - one of those inside/outside sort of things. Also, don't miss the slickness of the exhibition website (here and here), which makes me want to go even more than the graffiti I've already seen there, and the recommendation from Invisible Paris.

•  "Islamic Arts: Masterworks of the Khalili Collection" is the title of an exhibition open through November 22 at the Institut du Monde Arabe, which is one of those awesome landmarks/tourist opportunities that very few people know about. (The building, at one end of Boulevard St. Germain in the 5th, has an incredible view of the city center.) The collection includes manuscripts, curtains and tapestries, ceramics and glass, metals and goldwork, jewelry and enamels, panels and stonework, but that's not what made me want to go. Rather, it was the poster that's all over the metro: 

So cool.

•  Last (for now) but definitely not least, there's a ton of great music happening at Opéra Bastille: Puccini's La Bohème (with Natalie Dessay!), Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore (with Anna Netrebko! (Tom, eat your heart out)), Korngold's Die Töte Stadt, Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and a concert of Korngold's chamber works (who knew??), and that's just this week! I'm hoping to pick up a "passe jeune" which allows youngsters/students to pick up rush tickets for super cheap.

Random Exhibitions at the Hotel de Ville

Twice during Robert's visit, we walked by the Hotel de Ville on our way to the métro, only to be distracted by various events taking place in the adjacent square.

The second time (for which I have no pictures), there was an exhibition of what the French call "handisports," or what we might call paralympic events: wheelchair tennis, fencing, bowling, and racing were just some of the activities going on. I think the idea was to get handisport athletes to show off their stuff, and also to give non-handisport athletes the opportunity to try something new - and maybe gain some empathy (however useless that may be for US Supreme Court nominees... sorry.) for differently-abled people.

The first time we walked by, there was a show of electric vehicles for Paris's "mobility" week. We saw some crazy thingamabobs:

I really, really, really hope this stuff takes off, despite how awkward it all looks.