SHARING WITH ME

At the Welcome conference, there was some talk of art in La Roche Posay. I had already looked at two art galleries from the outside. The third was on a second floor of a 13th century building. A poster on the window showed that it could be interesting. Like the first two it was closed when I went by on Tuesday. On Wednesday I came back early enough from my walk to discover what was going on. 
 In the first gallery, I would define the work as «nice». Water colours of the region and without any doubt there is a market for such art. It was not for me but I certainly did take my time as I like aquarelle . After peering through the window of the second gallery, I skipped it. Then I walked into the old town - all of three minutes from where the other two galleries were and went into what I found to be a very forbidding antique shop which seemed to be full of asiatic, buddha and exotic sculptures. The lighting was poor and the entrance somewhat daunting. A charming woman came to meet me....

Michel is off to the desert and wanted to take these babouches,  but his wife insisted on hime taking another pair as well.... And this evening they will be leaving ....as we say, à suivre or I am waiting for the next adventures.....

La Roche Posay, where I am at the moment is in the Vienne department in the western part of France.  A medieval town with some 2000 habitants. In the summer months there are I gather around 5000.  It’s water source is renowned for its dermatological benefits. People come here as curistes for three weeks. Usually such people are sent by their Doctors and the Medical Insurance takes this in charge. Many them come back regularly every year. Looking at them I wonder why ? But I stay away as much as I can. My solitude is more important that listening to people talking about their illness - past or present - To get here it is a hassle. It is stuck in the middle of no-where; 25 kilometres from one station and 40 kilometres from another. The bus transport is virtually non existant between the township and the first station and non existant to and from the second town which has an airport.  Poitiers is an important centre in France. You need a car. I do not have one and will...

Presently, and for the next couple of weeks, I am in a very isolated area in France. «Traveling» with Michel and his drawings will be a regular excursion and perhaps keep me sane. First let’s go to Assyria. I have no intention of writing down the history. That can be looked up on Internet. Just to say or what comes to mind  is that it was an Arabic speaking kingdom going back to the 25th century BC (or earlier?) on the Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia which of course is the northern part of Iraq today. So perhaps it will be a good idea if I stay where I am. If you visit the Assyrian antiquities in the Louvre, discovering their art depicting gory battle scenes is enough for me to really stay in a quiet place. Michel was in the Louvre close to that section and this is what he drew - not looking at his paper but gazing into the distance.... Not in the least bit gory...   His eyes are not closed but looking elsewhere, and his pencil traces what he sees in his head....

Thank you Michel Dheurle When painting and a visitor become one

It was a mixed lot today and cetainly not what I was expecting. Firstly Marielle and I went to see Berthe Morisot (1841-1895) at the Marmotton museum which is dedicated very much to Claude Monet. In fact the museum owns the largest collection in the world. 

Once again, this is not my period unless looking at the end of Monet’s life work which becomes modern, less realistic and a beginning of a new era. This exhibition was a first. If I wanted to see it, it was because Berthe was a rare woman for her period. Model for Edoudard Manet and that certainly meant her life changed. Through him she met some of the most important artists of that period who had a very obvious influence on her work. The cherry Tree Lady with a fan Berthe Morisot For that reason  I cannot say that I was overwhelmed or excited with what I saw. There were so many paintings which ressembled work of artists we know. However, toward the end of her life she did some beautiful and modern waterco...

I am to be away for three weeks but apparently the place where I am going is so small that I should be able «to walk around it in ten minutes». No museums? No galleries?  But thank goodness my computer will be with me. As so many friends say «my lover» but then there are three, Computer, Ipad and Iphone....what did I do before these «loves» came into my life? Which made me reflect on a close friend’s work. Michel is very present on Internet. http://www.micheldheurle.com/ . He came into our lives in a strange way. I was in Korea with his daughter, an old student of mine. She asked me a lot about my mother. It was the Paul Strand period. I talked about a photographer that Kate had met in Amsterdam during one of her presentations on Strand. Sophie started telling me about her father who is also an artist and photographer. Michel knew the Dutch photographer in question. He met Kate and a new and lasting friendship began. In the early years he gave a drawing to Kate which I admired ...

Friday and Saturday when I had gone past the Beaubourg, there had been no queues for the Matisse exhibition which opened last week. So I thought on Monday there would be no-one. Exhibitions  are rather like the traffic today. One never knows when there are going to be jams even if the hour is chosen carefully. With my card I left the long line outside and went up to the 6th floor. At least from there, the view of Paris is always an exhibition in itself. Outiside the Beaubourg   197 people were inside but it was not overcrowded. Also I tend to go «my way» rather than following a chronological order.   I am not a great Matisse fan but this exhibition was of interest to me as it was based on «Pairs and Series». Perhaps forgettable that themes were the very heart of his work from the beginning to the end. (1869-1954). It’s not often that you see this repetition placed together and the way he explored his work. Looking at the different themes I found that he was...

«Ah Sweet Love» (see chapter of March 1st) I walked over the Pont de l'Archevêché and made mention of the «Pont des Arts». Today I crossed the Pont des Arts on my way to my matinée. Practically «passage obligé» when crossing the Seine from Saint Germain if you are heading for the Louvre. It’s a pedestrian bridge and once upon a time was not cluttered with plastic waste bags hanging on the rails (a must I would think today), peddlers and when the crowds are really thick, pickpockets. The locks of love have returned after having literally disappeared in 2010 and then again in 2011. As the bridge had actually been cut to steal the locks we had wooden protections up for some time. I assure you, on both occasions the authorities had nothing to with these thefts and to this day we do not know how they happened. But love in back! Somehow though, I prefer the Pont de l'Archevêché. As not on the  tourist beat, it doesn’t attract the same crowds and there is an intimacy of love in th...

Musically, it was a mixed bag this week. I am hoping that «Le Nez» (The Nose) - a filmed satirical opera composed by Dimitri Shostakovich this afternoon will live up to expectations.  At least it should be fun.  Soloists EIC - Auditorium du Louvre Friday 9th March Friday Gianni and I went to hear 4 of the soloists from the Ensemble Intercontemporain. Pierre Bouliez founded the group in 1976. My Mother started following it  at once and pulled me in some ten years later. Not without difficulty I might add. It took me some 5 years or more to adjust my ear to contemporary music. When Mother died I discovered that I had my own tastes in modern and contemporary works and the years of discovery with her had paid off. 
 Without knowing it, the concert on Friday evening was to set off memories. Béla Bartok and Olivier Messaien. Bartok can I suppose still be considered as modern. I knew the work «Contrasts» for piano, violin and clarinet (1938). I enjoyed listened to it ag...

After having seen «Danser Sa Vie» again last week and taken the time to relax in front of the Nijinski’s rendition of «Afternoon of a Faun», it is not surprising that I opted for an exhibition which has just come out. «Debussy Music and the Arts» at the Orangerie in the Tuilerie gardens. «I love pictures almost as much as I love music» (Claude Debussy: 1911).  So I don’t forget. He was born in 1862 and died in 1918. Young as only 56. Crossing that marvelous period of the Impressionists, Fauvism, Cubism and the beginning of Modern and Abstract art...yet he said himself that at the end of his life he was not so inspired by the modern painters of that period. Difficult to believe this. However, his music still influences the ideas of composers right up to the present day. From what I saw, Klimt, Kandisky and Kupka were influenced by his music so I am sure that he too must have «seen notes» in their work. Although small, it’s a dizzy exhibition and shows without any doubt that his ...

On Tuesday evening I was invited to a recital with Grace Bumbry. I took Nicky along with me. I knew absolutely nothing about this mezzo-soprano. My friends didn’t either. From her photo, she was black and very beautiful - an undefinable age. We learn that she has a very rich background as an opera singer. Was asked by Frank Sinatra to sing at the inauguration of Ronald Reagan and in some ways this changes her repertory. Some of her favorite singers are Shirley Bassey, Gladys Knight, Barbara Streisand et Dionne Warwick and this is what the concert is to be all about. A beauty appears on the stage. 75 years. Moving slowly but oh what a voice. Memory lane jerks Nicky into tears and I was close. An interval yes, but the spectators don’t let her go at the end of the concert  and she comes back for three encores. A man calls out «And what are you doing for the rest of your life?» Her answer -  «Why? Are you a candidate?» USA Photo At the Chatelet theatre on Tuesday 6...

Reims yesterday. The last time I had visited that town it was cold and dreary too but at least there was some activity. Provincial townships on a Sunday are deadly. I had never visited the centre but gone directly to Champagne country to see a client. Thank goodness Jerome and Laurent were with me. We travel at least once a year together and also if their work load permits, see exhibitions. Our tastes in art are more or less the same. In music, the answer is no and I will not induce them to come with me to contemporary or modern music concerts.... There was the famous Reims Cathedral to visit. A small service was on when we arrived and the choir was singing its heart out. I would think to stay warm as the three of us were very quickly chilled to the bone. We looked at the Chagall window (I preferred the modern windows) and after perhaps 20 minutes inside - left.  Reims Catherdral at 10 am on Sunday The Chagall window in the centre A modern approach ...