Paris: new/old

The girls were so excited about Paris... recognising icons and linking in with 
history lessons made it such an informed part of the trip for them. Basically, 
it was all about the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa and the Palace of Versailles 
for them.

For us, it was seeing things anew through their eyes... I kept thinking how Paris 
is the ultimate postmodern city - the new sits so well amongst the old, and both 
are everywhere interacting in different ways.





As it happens, this very concept was being played out at the Palace of Versailles 
where they had an exhibition on 18th century fashion, showing original pieces 
juxtaposed with modern interpretations by the likes of Vivienne Westwood, 
Alexander McQueen, Comme des Garcons etc. 








It was heavenly. My fingers were itching to see how pieces had been constructed. 
I would have loved some displays showing how the patterns crossed over, but 
unfortunately, even lingering was a difficult exercise in these rooms... the long 
walk to the Grand Trianon where the exhibition was hosted meant that only the 
diehard fans attended... they were many and they were ferocious in their elbowing 
to get the best view! ;) This was the other exhibition where no photos were allowed, 
so the pictures above are borrowed from here.


We took plenty of photos around the rest of Versailles though... ;)





We covered a lot of ground whilst in Paris, mostly walking from one site to the next... 
but Versailles took up an entire day. It was massive, especially the grounds which 
were so breathtaking.





As much as I loved visiting the 18th century (particularly the fashion exhibition) I 
have to admit that my heart belongs to the 'modern' era, ie. 1905 - 1960... Hardly 
surprising then that favourite place in Paris was for me the Pompidou Centre.





I love this place... I love the building... I love the art... it is perfection :)
Kupka, Sonia Delaunay... all my favourites were there...





There was also some fabulous street art out and about too. I know it's quite an 
unpopular form of art, but I love it. It's often so clever. Again I admire how it works 
by playing the old off against the new.





Okay, I'm sure anyone who is still reading these posts is heartily tired of it all.
Thanks for bearing with me. I guess this blog is as much a journal for me as well as 
a place where I can show things I think you might like... So, travel posts are over. ;)


I'll leave you with a YouTube clip about the Versailles exhibition, 18th Century Back 
in Fashion:

London + Powerful Making

Timber Wave Cromwell Rd installation by Amanda Levete Architects
Part of the London Design Festival.

There were two amazing exhibitions I saw whilst away where you were 
not allowed to take photos... and this was a great shame. One was in Paris 
and I'll come to that in a day or so. The other was in London at the V&A 
Museum entitled The Power of Making. It was breathtaking.

As you enter the V&A from the Cromwell Road entrance there's a large 
space to the left of the information desk where the bookshop used to be. 
Here, The Power of Making exhibition will be in situ until 2 January 2012 
– a free exhibition celebrating handmade and the presence of craft in 
modern life.





I'm sorry if this is text heavy but I just have to reproduce the exhibition's 
introduction:


Making is the most powerful way that we solve problems, express ideas 
and shape our world. What and how we make defines who we are, and 
communicates who we want to be. 
For many people, making is crucial for survival. For others, it is a chosen 
vocation: a way of thinking, inventing and innovating. And for some it is 
simply a delight to be able to shape a material and say 'I made that'. The 
power of making is that it fulfills each of these human needs and desires.
Those whose craft and ingenuity reach the very highest levels can create 
amazing things. But making is something everyone can do. The knowledge 
of how to make – both everyday objects and highly-skilled creations – is 
one of humanity's most precious resources.


Guest curator, Daniel Charny


Isn't that just fabulous? The exhibition leaflet listed a glossary of the skills 
and techniques employed in the pieces, including: 3D animation, 3D printing, 
airbrushing, annealing, baking, beading, blacksmithing, blocking, brazing, 
carving, cobbling, cordwaining, crocheting, cross stitch, drawing, drilling, 
dyeing, embroidery, etching, felting, glassblowing... and so many more.





It was so very inspiring. We were all blown away by the depth of imagination 
and ingenuity... and just when we started, reluctantly, to leave the space, we 
saw this lovely fella from one of our favourite movies. The handmade Mr Fox :)

photo credit 

There's a vimeo too for the exhibition. My favourite quote is from the 
flutemaker, Steven Wessel, when he says "Craft, or working with yours hands, 
is fundamental to being human". That just about sums it all up really :)




Power of Making from Victoria and Albert Museum on Vimeo.

1000 Poems

There's a lot going on around here at the moment and my mind has been spinning with ideas as well... I've had this post on file for a while now, but lately, I've found I keep having a peek at the photos. They are so calming. This is like a fairytale garden to me :) 

1000 Poems by Mail is an installation by Luzinterruptus, guerilla lighting artists extraordinaire. They filled one thousand envelopes with poems written by 17 poets and hung them from the leaves of the garden at the Madrid Poetry Festival venue last year.

On the last night of the festival, one hundred visitors were offered the chance to have a poem sent to their loved one with the light inside.

One of the things I really love about this installation is its aim to highlight days past when special words were sent by post.  

I have a computer-phobic friend in London with whom I correspond. We put together tomes of clippings and photos and pages and pages of news in our letters. We also take care to comment of every single inclusion in our replies... it's quite a task and takes forever. 

I only manage to send 3 or 4 letters a year but I love doing it :) Do you get many letters these days? Do you write letters?

p.s. 

In case you don't already know, the

 Queensland Poetry Festival is on 26 - 28 August.

via 

Loving Phat Knits

Thanks for all the great comments on the Postmodern Granny. I do see what you mean... it is still fabulous regardless of its 'fakery'. But for me, my kids actually summed it up by quoting Mighty Boosh "Elements from the past and the future, combining to form something not quite as good as either!"

Anyway.... a new find for you. Something I think is totally fantabulous... Phat Knits.

Now this is what I call innovative and exciting... I guess it's still 'elements from the past and the future' but I think it really works. Gigantic knittery... I want! :)

They were specially created by artist Bauke Knottnerus (I have a feeling there's a pun in there somewhere!) for the Unravel exhibition at the MoMu Fashion Museum in Antwerp, which runs until 14th August this year.

Can't you just see yourself lazing around on this?... oh and having the kids dive bomb you every five seconds of course... maybe I don't want it after all! ;)

Found via