THANK YOU MR CHIRAC

Anne and I had been at an exhibition and the Quai Branly museum and had a fast walk through the Jacques Chirac exhibition. The few masks or paintings which I saw made me feel that this show was important - even very important, but on the spur of the moment, I couldn’t see why. I decided to come back but when mentioning the name of the exhibition to friends, no-one was interested. In actual fact, it was the political innuendo which probably put people off. Politically, you liked Jacques Chirac - or you didn’t. Isn’t that the same with all political figures? Chirac was elected President after Mitterand died in 1995. When his second mandate came up in 2002, it was against Jean-Marie Le Pen (far right and fascist). France definitely voted against J-MLP. I admired him for his stand against the Irak War. With the next elections, we were once again voting against a candidate. This time it was Segolene Royal or Nicolas Sarkozy …and after that we were voting against Sarkozy…do we ever vote for someone?




Enough about political events. This time I was to discover a man and not a politician. Having long kept his views low key, Jacques Chirac’s cultural stances bear witness to the revolution that led the 20th century Europe to shake off its ethnocentrism and to take a look at world cultures with open eyes and respect. He was passionate about non-western art and walking around the exhibition, l saw just how much « he had taught me ». In organizing so many exhibitions on different cultures, it was thanks to those that I discovered a lot more about countries which would not necessarily have appealed to me - art wise. I have a very clear memory of my Mother and I visiting the Inuit exhibition in 1999 (I think) and both of us amazed by the beauty of statues and the art in general. It had been the same thing with « Les Magiciens de la Terre »  in 1989. Mother had seen it and came home raving - l went a few weeks later.

We were able to take photos but frankly, most of the time it was useless as the reflections from their protective glass cases were virtually impossible to avoid. What I took though was what had really interested me. You will see for yourselves now, just how diversified the work was….

Jan Fabre (1958-) Skull : 2001

 Skeletons from Mexico






 Abdel Abdessemed (1971-) Pigeon

Paulsee Kuniliusee (1927) Cosmologie Inuit - 1982 : A whale's vertebra - Eskimo Art

Sumotori Maswashi  Belt from Japan :  20th  Century. 
It's coton and a present to Chirac and now in his museum in Coreze

A grave gardian from Northern China - the Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Mingqis, representing 8 naked men. Western Han period (206-9th Century BC)

Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) Palm Trees - 1948

Chhau Dance Mask : Ravana: India 1990-1991


Picasso (1881-1973) "Massacre in Korea" 18th January 1951

Adel Abdessemed - "The Cry" - 2015

Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) Metamecanique " Chasse d'eau" Flush

Saint Isadore with bundle and bushel - France 18thC

A skull from New Guinea
Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) "The Burnous in the Wind" - 1948

Supiaq Mask with mobile elements from Alaska : Quite beautiful

Different masks

Jesus as a child. The world's saviour - India: Goa : XVllC

Saint Luc and the Virgin. Colonial Mexico XVlll C. (?)Mosaic and feathers: Quite astounding on her dress

Well you know who that is ....Giacometti

Anthropormporphic Figure : bembe male. Congo before 1930

Gelede Mask around 1920

Yoruba Virgin from Benin: Beginning of the 20th Century

Amidou Dossu (1965-) Anthropomorphic Gelede Mask from Benin : 1988-89

Wilfred Lam (1902-1982) Young girl on grey background - 1940

Torque Necklaces in silver frpm China end 19th and beginning 20th C.

Leon Wailly : Hottentot Venus : 1805

Considered to be degenerate art by Enst Ludwig Kirchner."Young girl standing" 1913-14

"Magic Protector" End 19th C.  From the Congo

Ceremonial anthropomorphic spoon from the Ivory Coast

I'm sure that l'm not to be the first person saying this mask looks a little like Chirac: A Japonese mask for the Kyôgen Theatre - 18th C.

Niki de Saint Phalle around 1965: "Nana Boule sans tête"



The Museum Quai Branly which Chirac inaugurated in 2006 was very much his own project.



Not to mention the Arab Institute (1987), when he was Prime Minister with Mitterand…we can add to that something else which is so important too, the Department of Islamic Art at the Louvre, which he started « working on » in 2003. Each site has temporary exhibitions and keeps us (if we want it) up to date with the different art tendencies  in countries outside of Europe.


Thank you Mr. Chirac…

And as I was walking toward the exit.....


I think the little duck sitting wasn't in a very good state

Mother tried to get him up - but he flopped

Commentaires

Michael Keane a dit…
I found the most poignant and meaningful image was the sick little duckling. What a hideous image is Abdessemed's 'The Cry' recreating that terrible photo of the Napalm Girl in Vietnam. Still love Niki de Saint Phale's work.
2/9/16 00:54
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