Art Week in Paris

Every October, there is a big art fair in Paris, called the FIAC, which happens at the Grand Palais, a beautiful old glass structure where many big exhibits, special events, and fashion shows take place. In this case, galleries from all over Europe, and I think some from the States, come to exhibit, and it’s always fun and exciting to go and see it. I look forward to it every year, and am lucky enough to get a pass to take a look the day before the opening. The art there tends to be on the ‘edgy’ side, which isn’t always my cup of tea, although I love contemporary art. But it’s fun to see who is doing what, and what the trends are in advanced contemporary art. And there is a little bit of everything at the show. (My favorite thing at the fair—or my two favorites actually—-were a bronze piece with a silver finish, which was an exact replica of an Hermes Kelly handbag, which was terrific, but too steep for my budget. And my other favorite was a life-sized, lifelike statue of a boy/young man, which seemed like it was in resin. He was fully dressed, with a totally lifelike expression, and it would have been fun to have. But I didn’t ask the price). I managed to enjoy the entire show, and didn’t buy anything. But it was a fun experience, as always, seeing the show.

The next day I attended the Art Elysees show, which happens in tents, and is also an assembly of galleries from other cities and countries, showing their wares. That show is more commercial, it’s a smaller fair, and the prices are more reasonable. And I was most tempted by a Damien Hirst litho (of multi colored polka dots), and a really great piece of a large motorized wheel, about 6 or 7 feet across, which moved slowly, and in it was bright red powdered pigment, and as the piece moved in a circle, the red powder shifted like sand. It was a great piece. And I wish I had the wall space for it. It really deserved a big uncluttered wall, and I have too much art I love and have collected from my art gallery days to do justice to a piece like that.

And to top it all off I went to see the exhibit for an auction at a beautiful old French home, the Hotel Salomon Rothschild, which belongs to the city now, and they rent it out for important art shows and auctions. The exhibit I saw had art/paintings, sculptures, taxidermy, antique furniture, and exceptional vintage clothing. It was fun wandering around. I might even bid on a collectible handbag I would love to have!!

So that’s the mischief I was up to….and now back to work on a book!!!

love, danielle