traveling
Christmas getaway to artsy Paris
and why Eiffel tower was not in my top-3
When you hear from all the corners of the universe about how fascinating Paris is, you are not surprised when you see it in person. I was embracing its liveliness with what I thought was an analytical approach, as some kind of a case study: reasoning about the best project to restore Notre-Dame, analyzing centre Pompidou or reading about gothic architecture.
Right after leaving Paris I realized I fell in love with it. It was calling me back even before crossing the French border — no no no please let me stay. Paris bewitched me, it is still not letting me go even when travelling further. Something has changed within me and I do not exactly know what, but I feel it so deep that it amazes me. It was two days and they are never enough, but it seems that for visiting Paris even two years would mean the lack of time to grasp it.
After my previous visit to Berlin I could not stop intuitively comparing these two capitals. It looks as if brutalist Berlin was crumbled into pieces and meticulously detailed; as if straight lines of Berlin were cut and transformed into flowers for Paris. Parisian grandiosity contrasts with compact spaces or tiny elevators of the hotel; but you do not feel trapped in those.
After my previous visit to Berlin I could not stop intuitively comparing these two capitals. It looks as if brutalist Berlin was crumbled into pieces and meticulously detailed; as if straight lines of Berlin were cut and transformed into flowers for Paris. Parisian grandiosity contrasts with compact spaces or tiny elevators of the hotel; but you do not feel trapped in those.
Everything seems to be on a roll in Paris. It has rich history, wonderful architecture, beautiful language, delicious food and delightful art. It looks as if the whole city is so tremendous that it almost says 'we are awesome and we know that', it is looking at you from above and you comply with its majesty.
We spent Christmas at Sacre Coeur and the service in the basilica. Sounds were absorbed by every cell of my skin and body, the voices of the basilica, its round roof with iridescent light and the Christmas prayer. It filled my eyes with tears and made me realize once again how much I love my life. We are all surrounded by love, it is within us and even when we do forget about it for a moment, this is what we always subconsciously need – whether it is love for ourselves, others or all the things we do.
There, at Sacre Coeur, we met with Charlie, who approached us and offered a pancake. Turned out that Charlie was studying animation art in Paris; with us Charlie shared the struggles he was dealing with, and such an openness made me listen carefully and dive into the conversation. It was Christmas which made us meet at one of the most beautiful spots of Paris, it was art which made us encounter each other and have meaningful conversations. I admire Charlie for his brave character and ability to approach people, I loved his frequent laughter which demonstrated huge self-growth and acceptance. For me Charlie will stay a wonderful associative memory of Paris who shows how alive and creative the city is, representing its artistic nature.
Centre Pompidou became one of the main sources for inspiration from our trip to Paris. Whether after Pompidou with my beloved fauvism or Paris in general I returned and got back to painting.
At first, center Pompidou interested me from a merely architectural point of view: such a controversial project in the city center (imagine this high-tech contemporary building in one of the oldest city districts) made me excited to see it in real life. Designed by Piano & Rogers for a contest in 1977, it shows a brave example and, as regarded by Renzo Piano, 'exercise in freedom not guided by any desire to win or compromise'. After visiting Potsdamer platz in Berlin, Piano's contribution seems to be apparent in this building; expressive structural, inside-out and high-tech architecture looks as a construction site left right in the city center and being open for a visit.
Almost scaffolding feeling achieved through the circulation paths on the outer layer of the building, placing services, corridors and structural members on the exterior make it truly special and a great building to study as an architect. It did not come as a surprise for me that Parisians hated this building at first; in his interview Rogers mentioned that a passerby once hit him with an umbrella when found out that he was an architect of Pompidou.
The view from the center shows the Parisian openwork and opens a view to its versatile architecture. I could not stop thinking that the whole Paris seems to exist as a line drawing, which brings specialties in one place and barely accentuates anything or rather everything at the same time. Once you get to the top level of the center Pompidou ang come to the edge, the Saint-Merry church is in front of you; next to it is Salvador Dali, shushing, and it enhances your conversation with the city.
It is surrounded by the sculptural art work of Jean Tinguely (a Swiss architect) and Niki de Saint Phalle (his wife, a French artist), Fountain Stravinsky, which represents the music of a composer Igor Stravinsky. Initially only metal sculptures and machines were planned, however later on the pop-art sculptures were added to make the area more colorful. It is pleasantly combined with the street art walls and graffiti next to the fountain, and strongly resonates with the center Pompidou structural and simultaneously colorful approach. The fountain itself has light weight due to the IRCAM spaces placed below.
Emmy enlightened me about Niki de Saint Phalle and made me wonder about her biography in more detail. Not only the education of her mother was dictated by strict catholic rules and created harsh home environment, but also was Niki subject to the sexual abuse by her father since the age of 11. This confession was made decades later and the healing process took no less than 58 years to forgive her father. Being internationally renowned as one of the most influential contemporary monumental female sculptors, her artworks illustrate strong feminist aspects. Some of the most famous examples include Nana Statues, manifesting motherhood and femininity through voluminous and cheerful sculptures, debating the habitual way of depicting women. Brightness and visual primitivism of the sculptures were remarkable in the Stravinsky fountain, too, and allowed to conceive a coherent story in the district of Pompidou.
Architectural view went to the background compared to all the inspiration I got from the artworks of the museum.
As the largest museum of Contemporary Art in Europe, it displays the works of time when radical change happened in art with its avant-garde movements. Works of cubism, fauvism, expressionism, abstractionism and much more are arranged by time periods and styles. I stayed there for several hours watching Kandinsky, Derain, Mondrian and Pollock, it also brought me back to the memories of my love to Matisse and fauvism. This visit made me notice once again how much I resonate with fauvism, its distorted and emotional view of reality, it has always been close to me and my perception of art.
Some of the rooms were dedicated to architects and showed its powerful combination with art; seeing how simple sketches could become powerful buildings in the end, alligned with my views on architectural practice, therefore made me twice as inspired to it.
Almost making me bloom from the inside, center Pompidou was the most influential experience from Paris, in line with the Sacre Coeur.
Almost making me bloom from the inside, center Pompidou was the most influential experience from Paris, in line with the Sacre Coeur.
I have no doubts I will be back to Paris one day; probably as the architectural or artistic review, or maybe with the-love-of-my-love for a cliché romantic journey; but this amazing Christmas getaway with one of my closest friends Emmy (who is also a wonderful artist) will stay in my memories as the time I first visited Paris and completely fell in love with it. It is still calling me back like an addictive lover: you know you are not the one but keep coming back to always have a bit more.
Whoever is that meticulous planner to create such a fantastic sophistication of Paris, I will always be grateful for all the feelings I have for it. And for my life in general.
Whoever is that meticulous planner to create such a fantastic sophistication of Paris, I will always be grateful for all the feelings I have for it. And for my life in general.
Some of the sketches made in Paris; perplexed lines and their ornamentality, the whole Paris felt as a line drawing affected by architectural and sculptural blooming. At times you might get lost in the surroundings because everything seems to be special; what are the highlights around you when all of it feels amazing?
Still under the influence of Paris and full of love,
Julia.
Still under the influence of Paris and full of love,
Julia.
