Monday 24/1/11

After another hotel breakfast and another group meeting, we all walked down to the metro station to get to the Pompidou Center.  After we got lost in the mall (because of our Professor this time) where the metro station led us, we finally found our way out (by just going up another floor) then we went to the Pompidou. Its a huge building that was the first of its kind to be built with the inner supports and everything on the outside.  For example the escalator that runs up the side of it. (As shown in the picture)

The Pompidou Center is a museum filled with very very very interesting things.  It has a lot of the modern art work done by Kandinsky, Picasso, Klein, and others.  There is a lot of feminist artwork like the guerrilla girls which I found very strange.  There were movies of a woman holding a chicken upside down until it calmed down and apparently they killed it after, but I didn't watch that one for long. (someone told me the ending) I was too busy watching this lady maneuver around a room without touching the floor at all! She climbed on the shelves and then around the door, she put her toes on the hinges and moved that way, then she held put her feet on the base boards of the room and hung on to the door frame or something and then she walked around the room.  It was so weird in my opinion but apparently someone thinks that's art.  (Or else it wouldn't be in a museum!) So after that strange exhibit, we finished that floor and went upstairs.  These exhibits were a little better.  But probably still not what some people would consider 'art.' There is some Kandinsky, Picasso and Rothko. (all shown below) This was definitely not my favorite museum.  It was a little to modern for me.  It was good to see different kinds of art but this was a little too much in my opinion. 

Rothko

Kandinsky

Picasso

There was also some Brancusi which I wanted to see but he had his own exhibit off site-out of the museum.  Unfortunately, we were not able to go because it opened at 2:00pm and we had to leave to get to the Opera House! Which was absolutely gorgeous! It's where Phantom of the Opera took place!  I could not believe we were there!

This picture is of the hall that's in the front of the building.  The ceilings are beautiful and intricately painted and decorated.  There is so much gold in this room which is so overwhelming.  We could not go into the Opera hall itself because there were some people practicing for the upcoming ballet.  But we got to peek inside at them practicing.  Which was pretty cool because it felt like we were in the audience watching it! After the Opera house we were free for the rest of the day.  So Lisa, Danielle and I went back to the shopping center (were we came from on the subway) and went window shopping for a while.  There were a lot of good sales which are called "soldes" here- up to "-80%" off with a lot of cute clothes and shoes.  After shopping we came back to our hotel and ordered delivery pizza! Lisa and I navigated the complete French Pizza Hut web page and we were finally able to order.  Stuffed crust from Pizza Hut is different from NY's.  It was better than London's Pizza Hut but not as good as New York's Pizza Hut. After pizza we talked for a while and then I came back to my here.  I'm going to fall asleep soon though.  Tomorrow we are going to the Palace of Versailles! That should be fun! My camera is charged and ready to be used again!
But until then, I'm outta here!
Au Revoir!

Question of the Day: Approach a painting or sculpture and focus on one small area of it.  What is included in that area? Would it make a work of art in its own right?

 

I saw the sky cathedral by Louise Nevelson and focused on the bottom right area of it.  I think this piece separately is as interesting as the piece as a whole.  She uses objects and pieces of objects (from around the streets) and puts them in a square box, then puts many boxes full of objects together and paints the boxes all black or all white to show universality.  It's really quite interesting.  I think the corner I was focusing on would make a work of art by itself.  I mean it's just a smaller version of the whole thing. The title wouldn't work for just a small piece but I think people would get the point.