France Magazine #105 - Spring 2013

the best of culture, tr avel & art de vivre

$5.95 U.S. / $6.95 Canada / francemagazine.org

Spr ing 2 013

Marseille-Provence 2013 Positively Brilliant!

Spring 2013 features 28 Raising the Curtain on the Ballets Russes Washington’s National Gallery of Art examines the legacy of this legendary company and its extraordinary impresario.

by Sara Romano

SPECIAL MARSEILLE-PROVENCE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2013

38

A (very cool) Year in Provence

With hundreds of shows and dozens of new and renovated cultural venues, Marseille-Provence is this year’s hot destination.

by Amy Serafin

48

Into the Light

Featuring masterworks inspired by the region’s famous luminosity, “Le Grand Atelier du Midi” is expected to be the blockbuster of 2013.

by Sara Romano

58

The Short List Where to go, what to see

by Sara Romano & Amy Serafin

60

Marseille Master Class Best bets for lodging and dining

by Julia Sammut & Amy Serafin

departments 5 The f: section Culture, books, travel, shopping, food & wine ©V & A T H E AT R E & P E R F O R M A N C E C O L L E C T I O N S

edited by Melissa Omerberg

62 Calendrier French Cultural Events in North America

by Tracy Kendrick

68 Temps Modernes A costume for •“L’Oiseau d’Or”

by Léon Bakst, one of the many great artistic talents behind the Ballets Russes.

Story page 28.

Funny Business

by Michel Faure

Dear Readers, It’s been nearly a quarter-century since Peter Mayle penned his wildly successful A Year in Provence. Translated into more than 20 languages and still going strong, the book has charmed readers throughout the world with its amusing tales of quirky locals, all cleverly sketched by a former British ad man who moved south with his wife to restore an old farmhouse.

The book raised Provence’s international profile in a way no ad campaign could have, boosting tourism and sales of vacation homes. Needless to say, those who had thought of Provence as their private playground were not always thrilled with the Mayle Effect. And many who knew the region well decried what they saw as its reductionist view of a scrappy people with a long and complex history, one that includes religious persecution, droughts, plagues….

“This is a tough terrain, a place where historically it’s been hard to eke out a living,” one longtime resident remarked. “It’s not some sort of pastoral Eden where sheep wander around with pink bows tied around their necks.”

Pink bows notwithstanding, it’s still a pretty nice little corner of the world. Last year, I visited during the summer for the first time in years—the outdoor markets, perched villages, lavender fields and plane trees were as enchanting as ever. And for pure pleasure, it’s still hard to beat those four-hour COVER Built in 1864, Notre•Dame de la Garde watches lunches on sun-dappled terraces, where everything over Marseille and has been from olives and goat cheese to white peaches and rosé immortalized by countless artists. Today the basilica offers wine still comes from local producers. grand views of the city’s rapidly What was new to me, however, was the region’s changing skyline. Story page 38.

Photo: ©Sami Sarkis. extraordinary range of cultural offerings. We have frequently written about Provence’s famous summer festivals in these pages, and for the first time I was able to experience the magic of opera under the stars in Aix, see Josef Koudelka’s searing photographs of gypsies in Arles, and marvel at a Georgian piano prodigy as she performed in the outdoor amphitheater in La Roque d’Anthéron—occasionally joined by a chorus of crickets. But what really amazed me was the way every little town and village was trying to get in on the act, hosting its own concerts, performances and exhibitions. In July and August, Provence’s culture per capita ratio is simply astounding.

This year promises to be all that and so much more. As European Capital of Culture, Marseille and nearby towns will add hundreds more events to this rich cultural bouillabaisse. As you will see in this issue, anyone who still looks to Peter Mayle for their image of Provence is in for quite a surprise.

KAREN TAYLOR

Editor 2

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

France magazine

Editor KAREN TAYLOR

Senior Editor/Web Editor MELISSA OMERBERG

Copy Editor LISA OLSON

Proofreader DEBORAH PARKER

Art Direction TODD ALBERTSON DESIGN

Production Manager Associate Art Director/Webmaster PATRICK NAZER

Social Media and Marketing Associate BENJAMIN SIGMAN

Contributors MICHEL FAURE, now

retired from L’Express, is pursuing a variety of journalistic ventures • DOROTHY J. GAITER is a New York-based writer and the co-author of four books • TRACY KENDRICK is a freelance journalist who often writes about French culture • SARA ROMANO covers cultural topics for a number of international publications • JULIA SAMMUT is a food writer and partner in TravelFood, which offers custom culinary tours • AMY SERAFIN, formerly editor of WHERE Paris, is a Parisbased freelance journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, National Public Radio, Departures and other media.

EDITORIAL OFFICE

4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007-2182; Tel. 202/944-6069; mail@ francemagazine.org. Submission of articles or other materials is done at the risk of the sender; France Magazine cannot accept liability for loss or damage.

Follow us on Facebook!

Facebook.com/OfficialFranceMagazine

France magazine

President LEONARD L. SILVERSTEIN

DEVELOPMENT

Associate Directors TRACY KENDRICK STEPHANIE RENOU

Bookkeeper JENNY VILLARREAL

Intern BENJIE JENKINS

France Magazine is published by the FRENCH-AMERICAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION,

a nonprofit organization that supports cultural events as well as educational initiatives and exchanges between France and the United States.

Tel. 202/944-6090/91/69 ADVERTISING

Tel. 202/944-6069 mail @ francemagazine.org SUBSCRIPTIONS

France Magazine is published four times a year. Yearly subscriptions are $23.80 ($28.79 for Canadian and other foreign orders, $24.78 for DC residents).

To subscribe, go to www.francemagazine.org or contact Subscription Services, France Magazine, PO Box 711, Selmer, TN 38375-9918. Tel. 800/324-8049 (U.S. orders), Tel. 856/380-4118 (foreign orders), Fax 856/380-4101.

POSTMASTER

Please send address changes to France Magazine, Circulation Department, PO Box 711, Selmer, TN 38375-9918. ISSN 0886-2478. Periodicals class postage held in Washington, DC, and at an additional mailing office.

www.francemagazine.org 4

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

© A S S O C I AT I O N W I L LY M AY WA L D

magazıne

f Atelier-Musée • LaduChapellerie Chapeau, a new museum housed in a hat factory, displays every manner of headgear, including designer pieces.

Shown here, a striking creation

by Jacques Fath (1950).

Edited by MELISSA OMERBERG

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

5

Culture

Paris & the provinces

• Javier Pérez’s “Carroña” (2011), depicting crows feasting on a Murano chandelier, is one of the more startling pieces in the Musée Maillol’s “Fragile.”

PARIS

Going Postal at the Espace culturel Louis Vuitton showcases Mail Art—art designed to travel by mail. The medium has generated some astonishing, often humorous and even provocative pieces, with artists forced to work around the strict rules and constraints of the Post Office. The form flourished in particular between the ’50s and ’70s: At the height of the Cold War, when borders were closed, Mail Art enabled artists to communicate and overcome ideological boundaries. The show features major practitioners of the genre, including Ray Johnson, Eleanor Antin, Alighiero Boetti and Jan Dibbets. Through May 5; louisvuitton-espaceculturel.com.

Correspondences

Eileen Gray The creator of such 20th-century classics as the Bibendum chair and the E1027 side table,

6

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

Eileen Gray was a pioneer of the Modern move-

ment. Bringing together for the first time pieces of furniture, photographs, scale models and documents, the Centre Pompidou’s retrospective on the Irish architect and designer showcases an artist who combined tremendous technical virtuosity with an inimitable poetic force. Through May 20; centrepompidou.fr.

Dark Shadows In the 1930s, Italian writer and art historian Mario Praz first alluded to the “dark side of Romanticism” in reference to art that exploited the shadows, excesses and irrational elements lurking behind the apparent triumph of enlightened Reason. The Musée d’Orsay’s L’ange du bizarre – Le romantisme noir de Goya

examines the various manifestations of Dark Romanticism, from Goya’s depictions of wartime atrocities and Füssli’s supernatural visions to Max Ernst’s unsettling Surrealist canvases and 1920s Expressionist cinema. The show comprises some 200 works, à Max Ernst

including paintings, engravings, sculptures and films. Through June 9; musee-orsay.fr.

Mathurin Méheut A painter, illustrator, sculptor, engraver and decorator, Mathurin Méheut (1882-1958) is considered Brittany’s most popular artist. The Musée national de la Marine is now hosting a major retrospective of his work; on view are his depictions of nature, rural and shipboard life, sea creatures (including his “La Mer” table service for Henriot, presented at the 1925 Universal Exposition), and the changing society of the first half of the 20th century.

Through June 30; musee-marine.fr.

Paris Haute Couture Nearly 100 designer outfits as well as sketches and photographs from the Musée Galliéra, Paris’s prestigious fashion museum, are displayed in Paris Haute Couture at the Hôtel de Ville. The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the world’s most famous

© FR A N CESCO A LLEG R E T TO, COUR T ESY O F V ENICE PRO JECTS

EXHIBITS

fashion houses, tracing each step in the creation of couture garments from conception to catwalk. Through July 6; paris.fr.

Napoleon and Europe The Musée de l’Armée’s Napoléon et l’Europe looks at the enduring consequences of Napoleon’s rise to power and his European conquests. Offering contrasting views on the subjects of war, politics, diplomacy, administration, currency, propaganda and culture, this ambitious exhibit unites 250 art works along with weaponry, uniforms, figurines, coins, medals and other objects from 50 European museums and institutions. Through July 14; musee-army.fr.

P R I VAT E C O L L E C T I O N / © A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D ; © C O L L E C T I O N C H A U M E T, PA R I S

Chagall Nearly 100 years old when he died in 1985, Chagall lived through a revolution, two wars and exile. He chronicled these hard times allegorically, in a dreamy, instantly recognizable style that drew on modernity without belonging to it. Boasting a hundred works from museums in France and abroad, the Musée du Luxembourg’s Chagall, entre guerre et paix focuses on four key periods of the artist’s life: Russia in wartime, Paris between the World Wars, exile in the United States and the postwar years in southern France. Through July 21; museeduluxembourg.fr.

Light and Motion Notions of space, vision, movement, light and perception pervade 20th-century abstract art and preoccupy such renowned contemporary artists as Anish Kapoor, Jeppe Hein and Xavier Veilhan. The Grand Palais is devoting an unprecedented 43,000 square feet to Dynamo:

known as I Macchiaioli sought to break with the academic conventions of the time; inspired by the plein air painting of the Barbizon school, they too did much of their work outdoors. Although still relatively unknown outside their own country, they reinvigorated painting on the peninsula and are considered the forerunners of modern art in Italy. The Musée de l’Orangerie’s I Macchiaioli (18501877) – Des impressionnistes

surveys their canvases, which had a major inf luence on such Italian filmmakers as Lucchino Visconti and Mauro Bolognini. April 10 through July 22; musee-orangerie.fr. italiens?

“Voiles • PauletSignac’s pins” (1896), on view at the Musée des Impressionnismes.

Eugène Boudin One of the first French artists to take his easel out of the studio and into nature, Eugène Boudin was dubbed “ le roi des ciels” by Corot for his masterful depiction of changing skies.

This eponymous exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André follows Boudin’s travels from Normandy and Brittany to the Côte d’Azur and Venice through 60 oils, watercolors and drawings that explore the interplay of light and water. Through July 22; musee-jacquemart-andre.com.

Delicate Masterpieces The Musée Maillol’s FRAGILE.

Murano –

Chefs-d’œuvre de verre de la Renaissance au

traces the history of glassmaking on the Venetian island of Murano (synonymous with the world’s finest glass) from the Un siècle de lumière et de mouvement dans l’art, mid-15th century to the present day. The 1913-2013, which examines these themes. show features 200 articles from pubDan Flavin, James Turrell, Yayoi lic and private collections, includKusama, Victor Vasarely, Jean ing objects created for Tinguely, A lexander the some of the most Calder, Yaakov Agam eminent Renaissance and Bridget R iley f a m i l ie s . A mon g a re but a fe w of t he highlights : the 200-plus artists in ornate Baroque and this wide-ranging show.

18th-century pieces; April 10 through July 22; Art Deco and Modern grandpalais.fr. works from the 1920s and 1950s; and a selection A period replica of Empress •Marie-Louise’s Italy’s Impressionists of contemporary studio diamond-andIn the 1850s, a group of glass. Through July 28 ; ruby crown (c. 1811) sparkles young Italian painters later museemaillol.com. in “Napoléon et l’Europe.”

XXI siècle

Water World This spring and summer, the FESTIVAL NORMANDIE IMPRESSIONNISTE offers more than 600 cultural events revolving around water (the festival’s subtitle is “L’Impressionnisme au fil de l’eau”).

Exhibits, performances, films and literary gatherings throughout the region explore the various permutations of this theme, with major museum exhibitions focusing on seascapes and ports, light and color.

Fashion shows, a regatta, a festival for amateur painters and Impressionist lighting effects at the Grand Hotel in Cabourg round out this five-month extravaganza. Two standouts: • Eblouissants reflets, 100 chefsd’œuvre impressionnistes at Rouen’s Musée des Beaux-Arts looks at how Impressionists such as Monet, Renoir and Sisley used constantly shifting reflections of light on water to convey the transitory nature of reality. April 27 through Sept. 29; rouen-musees.com.

• Signac, les couleurs de l’eau at Giverny’s Musée des Impressionnismes explores how the artist was spurred to chromatic experimentation by the fluctuating hues of water and sky. The show includes 120 works. Through July 2; museedesimpressionnismesgiverny.com.

Festival Normandie Impressionniste takes place April 27 through Sept. 29; normandie-impressionniste.fr.

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

7

Culture

Monde enchanté de Jacques

at the Cinémat hèque française presents clips and photographs as well as works by artists— Calder, Cocteau, Duf y, David Hockney, Ni k i d e S a i ntPhalle—who influenced the director.

It is accompanied by a complete retrospective of his films.

April 10 through Aug. 4; cinematheque.fr.

Demy

Keith Haring T he Mu s é e d ’A r t Moderne de la Ville de Paris is presenting a major retrospective on Keith Haring. Featuring more than 200 works, the show highlights not only the artistic importance of his work but also its political significance. Indeed, the Pop A rt icon deliberately Azzédine Alaïa’s figure•hugging bandage dress (1990) is a slinky highlight of Paris Haute Couture.

8

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

used the street and public spaces as an arena for fighting racism, capitalism, homophobia and all forms of violence, and his subway drawings, paintings and sculptures delivered messages of social justice and change. Keith Haring / The Political Line, a parallel exhibit at Le Centquatre, showcases the artist’s monumental works, with sculptures and oversized tarpaulins exhibited next to Haring’s recently reassembled and restored Tokyo Pop Shop. April 19 through Aug. 18; mam. paris.fr; 104.fr.

A French Passion The Musée d’Orsay’s Une passion française pays tribute to Spencer and Marlene Hays, American art lovers and Francophiles who, over a period of decades, assembled a remarkable collection of 19th- and early 20th-century works. Spanning a wide range of styles, the show includes Nabi and Symbolist painters Bonnard, Vuillard and Redon; Impressionists such as Fantin-Latour, Caillebotte and Berthe Morisot; and ends chronologically with Derain, Matisse and Modigliani. Through Aug. 18; musee-orsay.fr.

CALAIS

Lace Makers at Calais’s Cité internationale de la dentelle et de la mode is not a display of your grandmother’s lace. The gallery gave carte blanche to students and graduates of Brussels’s Académie des Beaux-Arts to create cutting-edge works of lace using non-traditional materials and freely interpreting the fabric’s characteristic patterns of looped thread and open holes. No doilies or tablecloths in sight.

Through June 2; cite-dentelle.fr.

Histoire de fils

DUNKERQUE

Object Lessons A century after Marcel Duchamp “created” his first Readymade (“Bicycle Wheel”), Poétique d’objets at Dunkerque’s LAAC contemporary art museum examines the poetic dimensions of artists’ relationships to manufactured objects. Works from the ’60s and ’70s form the backbone of the exhibit, which includes such artists as Duchamp, Man Ray, Kurt Schwitters, Dieter Roth, Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys, Yayoi Kusama and Niki de SaintPhalle. April 6 through Sept. 15; musenor.com/ Les-Musees/Dunkerque-Lieu-d-Art-et-ActionContemporaine-LAAC.

A sketch for Mathurin Méheut’s “La Mer” table •service (c. 1925), featured in a major show on the Breton artist.

EVIAN

Paul Eluard The Palais Lumière presents Paul Eluard – Poésie, amour et liberté, the first major exhibition devoted to the life and work of this major French literary figure. Both the man and his writing are explored through personal effects, photographs and drawings, manuscripts and original editions of his poetry, including the morale-boosting verse he penned while serving in the Resistance.

Also on view are pieces from Eluard’s collection of African, Pacific and Native American objects, as well as works of art by his friends—Arp, Dalí, Picasso, Cocteau, Giacometti, Max Ernst, Man Ray…. Through May 26; ville-evian.fr.

JOUY-EN-JOSAS

Prints Charming Painted and printed cottons from India and Persia were all the rage when they arrived in France in the 16th century; before long, they were reproduced locally, and Marseille became a leading source for these vibrant textiles. Nearly 200 of them are on view in Indiennes sublimes at the Musée de la Toile de Jouy; the highlight of the show is a series of charming traditional costumes dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Through June 23; museedelatoiledejouy.fr.

© P H O T O G R A P H I E D R O I T S R É S E R V É S / M A I R I E D E PA R I S ; C O L L E C T I O N D U M U S É E D E L A FA Ï E N C E , Q U I M P E R / © J . - N . V I N T E R / A D A G P, PA R I S , 2 0 12

Jacques Demy Considered one of the most accessible Nouvelle Vague filmmakers, Jacques Demy made Hollywoods t y le mu s i c a l s filmed in supersaturated color and featuring fairy-tale imagery and romantic intrigue; his bestknown movie remains Les parapluies de Cherbourg, which won h i m t h e Pa l m e d’Or in 1964. Le

LILLE

Old Masters Lille’s Palais des Beaux-Arts boasts a rich collection of drawings by such masters as Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Cranach, Dürer and Holbein, amassed by neoclassical painter Jean-Baptiste Wicar. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Wicar’s birth, these precious works—rarely displayed because of their fragility—are showcased in Traits de Génie; they are accompanied by oversized drawings by contemporary French artist Ernest Pignon-Ernest that examine the evolution of drawing by reinterpreting the graphic effects of the older pieces. April 12 through July 22; pba-lille.fr.

Gray’s iconic Bibendum chair (c. 1930) •andEileen a wood-and-aluminum dresser for her E 1027 villa (1926-29) are part of the Pompidou’s major retrospective on the Irish designer.

LYON

18th-century Lyon Lyon experienced an economic boom during the 18th century with the development of the faience, weapons and silk industries.

This prosperity, along with an openness to Enlightenment ideas, gave rise to important art collections, rich libraries, sumptuous interiors and a specifically Lyonnais lifestyle. The Musées Gadagne’s Lyon au 18e siècle: Un siècle surprenant! explores the city’s urban, political, financial and cultural development; the exhibit will be accompanied by concerts, lectures, plays and dance performances.

Through May 5; mairie-lyon. © C H R I S T I A N B A R A J A , S T U D I O S L B ; C E N T R E P O M P I D O U , M N A M - C C I / © D I S T. R M N - G P

REIMS

Art of Champagne The spotlight’s on bubbly at the Musée des

Honor Roll The MUSÉE D’ART CLASSIQUE DE MOUGINS, which showcases the enduring

influence of ancient art, has been nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award—the only French museum selected

Beaux-Arts de Reims, where

Les Arts de

explores the representation of the region’s signature beverage in the arts. This sparkling show includes 400 works—paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, decorative objects and classic posters by the likes of Mucha, Bonnard and Toulouse-Lautrec—spanning some 300 years, with particular emphasis on the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through May 26; ville-reims.fr. l’effervescence – Champagne !

SÈVRES

Ettore Sottsass A co-founder of the avant-garde Memphis movement in the ’80s, Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass collaborated with the Sèvres Manufactory and Marseille’s CIRVA (Centre international de recherché sur le verre et les arts plastiques) to create a series of objects in porcelain and glass. Sèvres – Cité de la céramique presents a retrospective of his work in Un Architecte dans l’atelier – Ettore Sottsass, featuring vases, goblets and objets in a variety of bright colors and mindboggling shapes. Feb. 20 through July 20; sevresciteceramique.fr.

by the European Museum Forum in Brussels.

Created in 1977, the award honors recently opened or revamped museums that offer a unique atmosphere, an imaginative presentation, and a creative approach to education and social responsibility. Winners will be announced in May. mouginsmusee. com; europeanmuseumforum.org

OPENINGS BLOIS

Harboring Doubt Best known for adages composed in a loopy handwritten script, single-name artist Ben inaugurates his Fondation du Doute this spring in the Loire Valley town of Blois. More than 300 works by some 40 artists associated

with the Fluxus movement (most active in the ’60s and ’70s) will be represented in this new collection, which also houses documents, archival materials and videos. Also on site: a theater, conference facilities, a bar, a library and workshops. Opening April 6; fondationdudoute.fr.

CHAZELLES-SUR-LYON

Hat Trick In the early 20th century, Chazelles-surLyon, north of Saint-Etienne, was the epicenter of high-end felt-hat production in France. Housed in the former Fléchet hat factory, La Chapellerie Atelier-Musée du Chapeau chronicles f ive centuries of hat-making history, tracing every step involved in the manufacture of felt headgear. Ecclesiastical head coverings, chefs’ toques and hats that once belonged to celebrities such as Grace Kelly are displayed alongside designer pieces by Paco Rabanne, Nina R icci, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermès and Jean-Paul Gaultier, among others. Opening April 7; museeduchapeau.com.

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

9

Culture

favorite design was said to be the park at Chantilly, seen here in a contemporaneous • André Le Nôtre’swork attributed to Lievin Cruyl. Below: A portrait of Le Nôtre by Carlo Maratta (c. 1680).

It’s hard to imagine what France’s most famous parks and gardens might look like today without André Le Nôtre. Born in March 1613, this multitalented landscape architect truly defined le jardin à la française.

A student of mathematics and architecture as well as classical art and perspective, Le Nôtre attracted notice early on; at age 24 he was appointed head gardener at the Tuileries, a position previously held by his father. But it was his work at the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte in 1655 that first won him renown—and royal patronage.

Entering the service of Louis XIV, he redesigned the gardens of Fontainebleau, Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Tuileries (in fact, his extension of the park’s western vista created the Champs-Elysées) before embarking on his magnum opus—the sprawling grounds of the Château de Versailles.

Today’s visitors may take Le Nôtre’s sweeping views, geometric parterres, gracious water features, shady groves and classical statues for granted, but in their day they were a triumph of both design and engineering,

10

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

requiring hundreds of workers and taking 33 years to complete. The Sun King was so pleased with the project that he ennobled Le Nôtre— by then his friend and confidant—in 1675.

The Château de Versailles is fêting the 400th anniversary of this seminal figure with L’ANNÉE LE NÔTRE, a yearlong celebration that includes garden restoration projects, outdoor exhibitions, concerts, plays, ballets and operas as well as fireworks displays and jeux d’eaux. Fall brings a special exhibit, “André Le Nôtre en perspective – 1612-2013,” that offers new and surprising insights into the man, his art and his influence (Oct. 22, 2013, through Feb. 24, 2014; chateauversailles.fr).

Garden lovers might also want to pay a visit to the exquisite park of the Château de Chantilly—of all his creations, this one is said to have been Le Nôtre’s personal favorite. The château pays tribute to him this spring with an exhibit of its own, “André Le Nôtre et les jardins de Chantilly aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles” (April 12 through July 7; chateaudechantilly.com).

C O U R T E S Y O F M U S É E C O N D É , C H A N T I L LY; © E P V, J M M A N A Ï

spotlight on... L’Année Le Nôtre

SPONSORING FOUNDATIONS

France Magazine and the French-American Cultural Foundation are honored to receive the support of these distinguished foundations.

For more than 35 years, the Florence Gould Foundation has been actively involved in a variety of projects that further Mrs. Gould’s desire to promote FrenchAmerican amity.

Recent efforts include a grant to World Monuments Fund for the planning and documentation of the cloister restoration at the Church of St Trophime in Arles; a grant to The Frick Collection in New York for “Renoir, Impressionism, and Full-Length Painting”; funding for several American Postdoctoral Fellows to study and work at Paris’s Institut Pasteur;

The Annenberg Foundation is a longtime supporter of L’Académie Américaine de Danse de Paris, which trains students from around the world.

and a partnership with the French Heritage Society to aid in repairing the Monumental Staircase of Auch, in Gascony.

On a smaller scale, a gift was made to Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo for the acquisition of two Baudets de Poitou, an endangered variety of French donkey. At last report, Samuel and Balthazar had completely settled in and were enjoying their new surroundings as they help educate the public about rare breeds of farm animals.

The Annenberg Foundation is a family foundation that supports nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally. Its mission is to advance the public well-being through improved communication; as the principle means of achieving this goal, it encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge. Since 1989, it has generously funded programs in education and youth development; arts, culture and humanities; civic and community life; health and human services; animal services and the environment.

The Foundation contributes to numerous programs that foster cultural exchange between the U.S. and France through its Paris-based initiative GRoW Annenberg.

GRoW supports innovative projects in the arts, education and humanitarian efforts.

Samuel and Balthazar, two rare Baudet de Poitou donkeys donated to Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo by The Florence Gould Foundation.

The Foundation’s French grantees include the Institut Curie, which has created a research lab to further the understanding of the origin of neuroblastoma, one of the most common forms of childhood cancer. It is also supporting the development of educational tools at the Louvre and the operations of L’Académie Américaine de Danse de Paris, which offers American-style dance instruction to students from around the world. In the humanitarian sector, GRoW funds a wide range of programs by CARE France and Médecins du Monde, which work to improve the health and well-being of individuals worldwide. The Foundation continues to be a vital presence abroad and remains among the most generous American contributors to France. annenbergfoundation.org

Livres YVES KLEIN Incandescence

by Frédéric Prot; afterword by Patti Smith

Perhaps most widely known for his signature Yves Klein Blue, the exuberant Niçois had a brief, meteoric career during which he pioneered the fields of performance art, body art, land art and conceptual art, and explored a wide variety of media including architecture and music. This intriguing new volume looks at all of his work but focuses particularly on his experiments with fire; an accompanying DVD contains archival footage of his “Mur de feu” and “Fontaine de feu.” Five Continents Editions; $75.

PARIS STREET STYLE A Guide to Effortless Chic

by Isabelle Thomas & Frédérique Veysset

In this fun new book, a pair of fashion bloggers promise to reveal the secrets of their compatriots’ mysterious and seemingly innate ability to look sophisticated under any circumstances. With the help of hand-drawn illustrations and photos of models, fashionistas and anonymous women met in the street, they dissect the essential elements of les Parisiennes’ deceptively casual, highly individualistic brand of urban chic and offer readers tips galore on creating their own personal style. Abrams Image, $24.95.

PARIS REBORN Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann,

and the Quest to Build a Modern City

by Stephane Kirkland

The Paris of tree-lined avenues, tranquil parks and broad, symmetrical boulevards is a relatively modern development. We owe it to the vision of Napoleon III and Paris Prefect Georges-Eugène Haussmann, who between 1848 and 1870 transformed the city from a notoriously dirty, congested, dangerous place to the elegant capital that is so beloved today. Kirkland chronicles that remarkable project in clear, vivid prose that brings this fascinating history to life. St. Martin’s Press, $29.99.

PARIS HAUTE COUTURE

edited by Olivier Saillard and Anne Zazzo

Lavishly illustrated with photographs of stunning garments created by some of the world’s most extraordinary designers, this sumptuous volume surveys a century of Paris haute couture. Saillard and Zazzo—respectively, director and curator of the Musée Galliera, Paris’s acclaimed fashion museum—examine such topics as the role of designers, the meticulous craftsmanship involved in creating couture items, the place of haute couture in Parisian culture and its influence in the wider fashion world. Flammarion, $75.

FRENCH NATURALIST PAINTERS (1890-1950)

by Emmanuel Van de Putte, Serge Lemoine, Bertrand Dumas & Philippe Clerc

This beautiful volume highlights eight early 20th-century landscape and still-life painters who all won acclaim in their own time yet whose work is virtually forgotten today. Born as Impressionism was just coming into its own, these Naturalist artists opted to perpetuate its principles and techniques while remaining attentive to the new ideas being introduced by contemporary art movements. Their canvases, amply represented here, are noteworthy for their color and vibrancy. Skira, $45.

PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY 1839-1914

by Dominique de Font-Réaulx

The emergence of the first daguerreotypes triggered a public debate about the nature of art that had a significant impact on the painters of the era. This new volume by the chief curator of the Louvre focuses on the early days and evolution of the new medium, when the camera became not just a recording device but an artist’s instrument. It examines a wide range of genres, from landscapes to portraiture, and sheds light on the complicated relationship that developed between the two art forms. Flammarion, $75.

12

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

Bon Voyage

Notes for the savvy traveler MAGIC BEANS

Chef Alain Ducasse’s empire has grown even bigger…and sweeter. In partnership with master chocolatier Nicolas Berger, the culinary superstar just opened La Manufacture de

GET A ROOM

• Le Grey Hôtel, recently

opened in Paris’s 9th arrondissement, features 33 elegant rooms, some with balconies or terraces. Per its name, its palette consists of various shades of gray punctuated by pops of color. Public areas are decorated with fun wire sculptures and cool contemporary furnishings. From E131 with free Wi-Fi; legrey-hotel.com.

• Two big names make the new 33-room Hôtel de Nell a destination: Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who designed the establishment’s spare, modern décor; and Bruno Doucet, of the much-lauded La Régalade, who serves up his trademark cuisine bistronomique at its restaurant. From E400 with free Wi-Fi; prix-fixe menu at E35; hoteldenell.com.

• Le Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal is housed in a magnificent 18th-century building just steps from the historic landmark of the same name. Featuring a fresh, understated décor that blends classic and modern influences, it has 68 rooms and suites as well as a spa and a restaurant. From E300 with free Wi-Fi; hotel-paris-palaisroyal.com.

• Opening this spring, the opulent Buddha-Bar Hotel Paris is lavishly decorated in an exotic Franco-Asian style. Guests receive a signature cocktail upon their arrival at this five-star establishment; they can also enjoy spa treatments, creative cuisine at Le Vraymonde restaurant and drinks at the sure-to-be-trendy Le Qu4tre Lounge Bar, which boasts its own DJ. From E380; buddhabarparis.com.

HAPPY TRAILS

(h)

From April to October, Active Journeys is offering self-guided hiking and cycling tours of Corsica. All trips begin in the capital city of Ajaccio; from there participants set out to explore the dramatic coastline, rugged mountains, charming villages and natural wonders of this stunning Mediterranean island known as l’Ile de Beauté. Eight-day, seven-night packages include accommodations, breakfasts and some dinners, and luggage transfers. From $1,495; activejourneys.com.

14

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

Chocolat, Paris’s first bean-to-bar operation.

Housed in a converted garage in the trendy Bastille neighborhood, the factory/shop features a glass wall through which shoppers can observe the chocolate-making process while they make their selections. Bars run about €6; boxed chocolates start at €25. lechocolatalainducasse.com

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y L A U R E N T G U YO T & C O ; © M AT T E I ; © P I E R R E M O N E T TA

•

The five-star BuddhaBar Hotel Paris boasts an exotic Franco-Asian décor.

(t)

Bon Voyage

Notes for the savvy traveler TABLE TALK

• “Neo-bistros” that keep the same long hours as their traditional forerunners but are smaller and serve more elaborate fare are all the rage right now, and the best of these is Le Richer. The eatery features a stripped-down décor with exposed stone walls, the obligatory bar, designer stools and mismatched vintage chairs. The terrine de foie de volaille is heavenly, the scallops and razor clams in a watercress jus are sublime, and the citrusy cheesecake Le Richer’s chef •Charles and speculoos make us very happy. About Compagnon.

E15 à la carte; open daily from 8 A.M. to 1 A.M.; no reservations and no phone number. 2 rue Richer, 9 e; facebook.com/Restaurant.Le.Richer.

• Bonjour le Marais is a fabulous find for those who like to grab

a bite to go. Not only does it sell gorgeously packaged sweet and savory delicacies, its deli counter is to die for, with bellota ham, top-of-the-line burrata and incredibly delicious small plates. Don’t miss the zucchini and cheese msemen (a kind of crispy Moroccan pancake), the unforgettable duck and lentil spring rolls, and the smoked fish and sour cream wraps. About E15; 7 rue Froissart, 3e; Tel. 33/9-80-57-96-26.

• Septime La Cave is the much anticipated wine bar and shop opened by the folks behind one of Paris’s hottest bistros. Bathed in soft light, this intimate spot barely has room for five or six barstools but offers quality bottles and world-class snacking: foie gras and smoked eel; mozzarella and anchovies; smoked duck breast; and pancetta served with crispy, aromatic bread. Small plates E4 to E14; wines by the glass E3 to E5; corkage fee E7.

3 rue Basfroi, 3e; Tel. 33/1-43-67-14-87.

pedal power The legendary Tour de France fêtes its 100th anniversary this year. Despite Lance Armstrong’s recent fall from grace, the race retains a mystique shared by no other cycling event.

Those brave (and very fit) souls who’d like to celebrate the centennial by experiencing part of the route themselves have a number of options.

•

Tour riders tackle the challenging Pau–Bagnères-deLuchon stage in the Pyrenees.

different types of Tour de France trips: Its “King of the Mountains” tours, designed to challenge the strongest riders, include the toughest and most iconic behind-the-scenes Pro Team Access and of the race’s climbs; “VIP Race Access” luxury accommodations. trektravel.com/ cycling trips combine moderate rides on race-france-bike-tour.php the Tour route with behind-the-scenes • Discover France offers the choice of access and race-viewing opportunities; either riding a complete stage of the Tour and “Spectator Trips” feature VIP access or cycling “best of ” segments in the Alps, to departure villages and viewing areas Pyrenees and other parts of France. VIP at the finish line. thomsonbiketours.com/ services such as finish line access, special trips/Tour-de-France.html seating and helicopter viewing are also • Trek Travel’s daily rides cover 40 to available. tour-de-france-tours.com 75 miles; riders can replicate “Le Grand • Sports Tours International, based Départ” in Corsica; tackle the famous in the U.K., caters to the truly hard cols of the Pyrenees, including Aubisque core with its “Ride le tour” adventure and Tourmalet; or take on Mont Ventoux covering the first three stages of this and Alpe d’Huez, two of the Tour’s most year’s Tour in Corsica. Other offerings legendary climbs. Participants enjoy include “L’Etape du Tour 2013,” which

16

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

follows stage 20 of the Tour from Annecy to Annecy Semnoz just two weeks before the pros go down the same road. sportingtours.co.uk • Outfitter Bicycle Tours begins its itinerary at the foot of Mont Ventoux; after pitting themselves against the “Giant of Provence,” participants have a chance to watch real Tour riders do the same. The group then heads over to the Alps for several challenging stages, including a double ascent of Alpe d’Huez and other famous climbs; the trip ends with a TGV ride to Paris to watch the final stage. outfittertours.com/tour/2013tour-de-france-bike-tours

C O U R T E S Y O F H I P PA R I S . C O M ; P R E S S E S P O R T S

• Thomson Bike Tours offers three

Bon Voyage ALL ABOARD

An alternative to large tour buses—and small enough to enter neighborhoods that buses can’t—Another Paris’s little blue train takes visitors off the beaten track. The company offers five itineraries illuminating various aspects of the FLIGHT PLANS

• Strasbourg’s La Petite France neighborhood.

• Air France has

just made it easier for travelers landing at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport to continue on to Strasbourg by train. They can now make TGV reservations through Air France and are issued a single ticket for both the air and rail segments of their journey. Passengers enjoy first-class rail service and can earn frequent flyer miles. In other news, the company is offering flights to Paris from the Twin Cities between May and September. airfrance/us • American Airlines is launching direct, nonstop Saturday service from Miami to Martinique and Guadeloupe this spring—the first direct flights from the continental U.S. since 2008. aa.com

city’s history, architecture and culture. Lasting from one-and-a-quarter to twoand-a-half hours, the tours include English-language narration and are wheelchair accessible. From €12 for one adult; special rates

• The Puces du Design (left) showcases the best design and décor from the 1950s to the end of the century, with plenty of treasures to be found. About 100 antiquaires are participating in this four-day event. May 23 through 26; pucesdudesign.com.

• The Esplanade of La Défense will become one big pop-up mall for two weeks this summer. Organizers promise consumers a unique experience, with previews of coming collections, product launches and innovative items. July 1 through 14.

• Luxe for All has opened its first Paris boutique, in the 13th-arrondissement Paris Rive Gauche neighborhood. The store offers fashionable brands such as Dior, Gucci and YSL for men, women and children at markdowns of 30 to 70 percent; the focus changes monthly. luxeforall.com • The Paris Tourism Office has issued the 2013 edition of its Paris Shopping Book, a bilingual French-English guide featuring 235 boutiques in six categories that run the gamut from fashion and fragrances to books and housewares. Free at the Tourism Office or online at parisinfo.com.

Julia Sammut contributed to this section.

18

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

for children and families are also available; another-paris.com.

© 2 0 12 H D C I T Y WA L L PA P E R S ; © G A L E R I E U T O P I E ; © T H I E R R Y P R AT

RETAIL THERAPY

Nouveautés

What’s in store

FLOOR SHOW With his award-winning TRESSE RUG COLLECTION

for Chevalier Edition, Samuel Accoceberry was truly thinking outside the box. Handknotted in wool and silk, these stunning graphic pieces (tresse is the French word for “braid”) come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. chevalieredition.com

GEM SESSION

DIVINE DESIGN OA 1710’s D-VIN RÖBE WINE COOLER was inspired by the high-collared outfits of the Incroyables and Merveilleuses—the partyhearty dandies and divas of France’s Directoire period. It’s a sure way to make your table as cool as your wine. $250; oa1710.com.

20

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

SHARPER IMAGE Inspired by Ridley Scott’s dystopian classic, Philippe Starck’s limited-edition “Blade Runner” design for LaCie lends the EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE a sci-fi edge. It has a USB 3.0 connection, 4TB of storage and is certified replicant-free. $299; lacie.com.

C H E VA L I E R E D I T I O N ; O A1710 ; R O C H E B O B O I S ; L A C I E

French furniture maker Roche Bobois gave designer Cédric Ragot free rein to develop a capsule collection for its Les Contemporains line. Evoking cut gemstones, his PRECIOUS COFFEE AND SIDE TABLES are among the highlights of this multifaceted ensemble.

Price $1,375; roche-bobois.com.

MAKING TIME Dar en Art’s Zel clock looks both forward and backward.

Its geometric motifs are reminiscent of Morocco’s traditional ceramic zellige tiles, but its lacquered lasercut steel housing is very 21st century. Available in multiple hues as well as black, white and metallic. From $690; darenart.com.

DRESS SENSE Vertbaudet’s adorable SUMMER DRESSES

for the elementaryschool set feature pretty patterns from Atelier LZC. Made of cotton poplin, they come in four different designs. $22.95; vertbaudet.fr/shop/ collection_LZC.htm.

TOP SPOT Committed to sustainable development, Ekobo weds good design with eco-friendly materials and fair-trade practices. Its BRIO SPOTLIGHT, made of lacquered bamboo and resting on a cork base, is a shining example of the company’s aesthetic. Available in three sizes, from $90 to $140; ekobohome.com.

D A R E N A R T; V E R B A U D E T/ AT E L I E R L Z C ; E KO B O H O M E ; S O F T ’ I N ; C A U D A L I E

WALKING SOFTLY Colorful and lightweight, these recyclable felt slippers by Soft’in strive to have the smallest possible environmental footprint.

The soles and uppers are bound together using an ultrasound system to avoid the use of glue and PVC. $45; soft-in.fr.

Good Seeds CAUDALIE, the Bordeaux-based brand that was the first to develop organic

grapeseed-based skincare products, now boasts two boutiques in the Big Apple: a flagship in the West Village (315 Bleecker Street) and a smaller location on the Upper East Side (1031 Lexington Avenue). The décor at both locations harks back to the company’s origins, with a wine-barrel-shaped oak “beauty bar” for testing products, potted grapevines and wall-size images of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte vineyard where it all began. us.caudalie.com

à la carte

French food & drink in America The storied vineyards of •Côtes du Rhône, a French Wine Society destination.

By DOROTHY J. GAITER

TIPPLING TRENDS This past January, Vinexpo, the organization that stages the world’s largest wine and spirits trade show, made its first U.S. presentation of the results of its biennial study of global trends. Addressing industry professionals and journalists gathered in Manhattan, Vinexpo CEO Robert Beynat noted, “It’s surprising that consumption of wine increased worldwide despite the financial crisis. People may hold back when it comes to housing and carbuying, but wine, apparently, remains an affordable pleasure.” Among other findings: In 2011, the U.S. became the world’s leading

WINE BY THE CLASS Serious wine lovers take note: The French Wine Society is offering a rare opportunity to gain Master-level certification through Immersion Study Trips to Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley this fall. Guided by experts, these nearly all-inclusive packages feature intensive coursework, fabulous meals starring local specialties and great wines, winery tours and tastings, lodging and local transportation. Trips are limited to 18 people. From $3,495; frenchwinesociety.org.

wine-consuming nation in terms of volume and value. Yet it has slipped to fourth position when it comes to red wine consumption (by volume), behind France, Italy and China.

The wine and spirits business has undergone major changes in recent decades, yet there are still a number of families that have managed to remain in business for a century—or five.

Catherine Corbeau Mellot, President of Loire Valley vintner Joseph Mellot, descends from a winemaking dynasty that dates back to 1513, when César Mellot was wine advisor to Louis XIV. Today the family makes wines from six of the 69 Loire Valley appellations, and is especially known for its Sancerre and Pouilly fumé. In 1882, the Mellots opened a still-popular restaurant in Sancerre and more recently launched a wine bar there and another in Paris. A special cuvée will be released for the quincentennial, packaged in a collector’s bottle designed by local students, who are currently competing for the honor. josephmellot.com Further south, the Négrel family has owned the picturesque Mas de

22

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

Cadenet in Côtes de Provence for 200 years. They were not the first to grow grapes here—amphora shards found on the site indicate that wine has been made in this area since Roman times.

Mas de Cadenet’s premium wines bear the appellation Sainte Victoire, a choice sliver of the Côtes that nestles up against the mountain made famous by Cézanne.

The wine you’re most likely to see at U.S. retailers is Mas de Cadenet Sainte Victoire rosé, a Syrah-Grenache-Cinsault blend ($20, or $43 in magnum). The 2012 is rolling out now. The sixth-generation winemaking family is celebrating its anniversary with a Cuvée Spéciale Bicentenaire, a 2010 Syrah-Grenache blend from two special parcels of land. Only

375 cases were made; bottles sell for $45. masdecadenet.fr Another 2013 milestone: Camus, the last independent, family-owned cognac house and the fifthlargest in the region, is fêting its 150th year in operation. In honor of the occasion, Camus has released Cuvée 5.150, a rare blend of five cognacs from its cellars, each representing the savoir-faire of a different generation and aged for a total of 150 years. It is now available in a limited edition of 1,492 numbered crystal decanters exquisitely crafted by Baccarat.

The first 150 also include the house’s “Ultimate Sample,” a 100 ml sample of the special cuvée taken by the cellar master before it was bottled in the presence of an official witness. Boxed sets of decanters with samples sell in fine wine stores for $13,500. camus.fr

T H E R H Ô N E D I A R Y; C A M U S ; M A S D E C A N E T

Bon Anniversaire!

à la carte

French food & drink in America

“

SPRING SURPRISE

A PROPOS...

Cook the way you like, with local, quality products.

This is very important.

”

Spring conjures up visions of tender shoots of asparagus, daffodils pushing through soil and, of course, that timeless symbol of birth: the egg. Bonnat Chocolatier celebrates the season with real brown eggshells lined in dark chocolate and filled with hazelnut praline—a dessert that’s sure to surprise and delight. For stores, contact crossingsfrenchfood.com.

— Paul Bocuse speaking to Culinary Institute of America students at the opening of the CIA’s new Bocuse Restaurant in Hyde Park, New York.

24

• French Wine Châteaux, Distinctive Vintages and Their Estates by Alain Stella. This beautiful book focuses on the exalted wines and spirits of the Moët Hennessy group: Château d’Yquem, Château Cheval Blanc, Dom Pérignon, Hennessy, Krug, Mercier, Moët & Chandon, Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot. Amid gorgeous pictures of châteaux are renowned chefs’ recipes conceived especially for these libations, cellar masters’ tasting notes and history galore.

The book underscores the reasons why UNESCO lists “the gastronomic meal of the French” as part of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” Flammarion, $85.

• Reine Sammut, Mediterranean Cuisine by Anne Garabedian. Hailed as the Queen of Provençal cooking (reine means queen), Sammut and her husband, Guy, have run the Auberge la Fenière, a gourmet restaurant and boutique hotel in the Luberon region, for more than three decades. The book is part of the “My Cookery Lessons” series by food journalist Garabedian, who seeks to demystify the secrets of famous chefs through accessible instructions.

She has hit the jackpot with Sammut, who learned from her mother-in-law and by studying cookbooks, and now teaches her own classes. Chêne, $40.

• How to Boil an Egg by Rose Carrarini.

This collection of 84 recipes from the popular Anglo-French Rose Bakery in Paris is a wonder to behold: There’s not a photograph in it. Instead, it’s illustrated with lovely paintings by botanical artist Fiona Strickland. Carrarini puts that simplest of ingredients, the egg, front and center: You’ll find classics such as Eggs Benedict as well as whimsical creations (Green Fried Eggs). Then there’s Tarragon Chicken (which requires a whopping eight yolks) and teatime treats such as Eton Mess, a concoction of crushed meringue, whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Eggsellent! Phaidon Press, $35.

• Bordeaux Legends by Jane Anson, photographs by Isabelle Rozenbaum. Wine writer and educator Anson takes a look at the 1855 first-growth wines of Haut-Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux and Mouton Rothschild in this beautifully illustrated new volume, which boasts a foreword by Francis Ford Coppola. The separate stories of these fabled properties are combined into a single saga full of lively anecdotes and intriguing historical details as well as fascinating firsthand accounts from the château owners themselves. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $55.

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

B O C U S E . F R ; B O N N AT C H O C O L AT I E R

mille feuilles

( ) Talking passion & pleasure with…

à la carte

French food & drink in America

Walter Rich

NOT YOUR TYPICAL WINE ENTHUSIAST, NOT YOUR TYPICAL MEMOIR

Walter Rich is a proud hedonist. At 84, he’s a wine connoisseur, local philanthropist, thriving entrepreneur, world traveler, generous friend and bon vivant. Sharp, fit and the author of a new, self-published book—First Growth Bordeaux, 1928-2005, Labels & Comments—his passion for life and its pleasures certainly seems to have served him well. He paused from his wining,

every vintage of Château Lafite Rothschild from 1928 (your birth year) on, and to keep the labels from all the bottles. What gave you that idea? I started keeping notes and labels when I realized that, without doing so on purpose, I had chosen the same Lafite vintage several times in a row—I remembered the distinctive aroma. It just seemed that keeping track would help me

dining and traveling (the Philadelphia resident still jets off to Paris every six weeks or so) to talk to us about the robust life he leads.

remember which wines I had tasted and which

The foreword to your book is certainly unusual: “I owe it all to Adolph Hitler and Dr. Sam Levit.” Well, it’s true. The former inspired me to adopt the attitude that “living well is the best revenge.” The latter taught me “better living through chemistry.” You see, I was interned in concentration camps during World War II. Afterward—never being sure what perils might arise in the future—I resolved to live every day as hedonistically as possible, as if it were my last. I’ve never, ever saved any money. It’s just by sheer accident that I have enough to live on.

You’re too modest. You told me about going to Paris with friends for a birthday marathon, enjoying “the best food and wine money can buy” and downing “torrents” of pink Champagne in magnums. I've also heard you're a very generous friend. Being able to afford all that is surely no accident. The only encouragement I’ve ever needed to accomplish anything is for someone to say, “You can’t do that.” I had a woodworking company that made harpsichords and sold many kits to Zuckermann Harpsichords International. Mr. Zuckermann did well enough to buy a nice château in France. I have built hundreds of store interiors—Ann Taylor, Villager, Polo. I have invented and patented a halfdozen low-tech items including those little plastic hangers inside each pair of new socks. I still own a few companies, including one that imports and sells useless food and wine-related utensils— marrow scoops are our best sellers at $46.

Your book resulted from your resolve to drink 26

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

the harvest meets their standards, so they sell their grapes to other winemakers. I think the only bottled vintage I haven’t tasted is the 1932 Haut Brion. Only a minuscule quantity was made.

Did you make any discoveries along the way?

I was surprised that all the serious “experts” tended to agree on which were “good” and “poor”

years, whereas my friends and I found many highly touted bottles to be barely drinkable and, conversely, wines from disdained periods to be very enjoyable. This may have been due to the group that was drinking, the food we ate, the quantity imbibed, the weather, whatever....

More likely it was Walter Rich set out to because we always had hone his palate in a most a good time, whereas original—and enviable— the critics were perhaps manner: by tasting all first growths from his birth not as fortunate.

•

year through 2005.

ones I still wanted to try. I settled on Lafite for this project because it seemed to suit me best—it has many nuances without being overpowering.

Once I had tasted all the Lafite vintages I could find, I decided to expand my label collection to include the other first growths as well. It took more than 30 years. At one point, I decided to put it all into a book. In a way, it’s my memoir.

Why did you stop with the 2005 vintage? It became too difficult to remove labels because vintners had started to use special glues to avoid their re-use on fake wines. I was glad to stop though, because it was becoming too much of an effort. But I haven’t stopped drinking wine—I still open a bottle at lunch and dinner every day.

But you did manage to drink every vintage of every first growth from 1928 to 2005?

I’ve tasted all but one of the wines. There are years—although this is increasingly rare—when first-growth châteaux don’t think the quality of

You’re the Regent of the Philadelphia chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux and its oldest active member.

The chapter is selling your book for $475 to fund its scholarship program. How did you arrive at that price? It’s based on the average cost of one of the bottles of wine I had to drink for research. And by the way, I will give a bottle of 1983 Lafite to the reader who finds the most typographical errors by the end of April 2013!

You obviously enjoy life’s pleasures. What is it about wine that is so special? Wine is a social thing. I never, ever drink alone. And wine is to be enjoyed with food. I never, ever eat alone. So there’s wine and there’s food, and that allows us to have conversations. Eating and drinking make for social intercourse and incidentally allow a little flirting, depending on whom you’re f with, of course.

Copies of First Growth Bordeaux, 1928-2005, Labels & Comments may be ordered directly from the author: rich2135@aol.com.

C O U R T E S Y O F WA LT E R R I C H

• Picasso’s exuberant stage curtain for “The Blue Train” (1924) is one of the showstoppers of “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes.”

RAISING THE CURTAIN ON THE BALL3TS RUSS3S A CE NTURY A GO , A RUSSI A N IMPR ES AR IO IN P ARI S RE VO L UTI O NI ZED DANCE. I N O NE O F THE SE ASON’S MOS T E NGA GI NG E X HI B ITIONS , THE NA TI O NAL GAL L ER Y OF AR T E X AMI NE S D I AGHI L E V’S E XTR AOR DINAR Y I NF L UE NCE AND LEG ACY.

B Y SAR A R OM A N O

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

29

On August 21, 1929, a funerary gondola set off on its melancholy journey from the Grand Hotel Des Bains in Venice to the cemetery island of San Michele. Two other gondolas followed, carrying an elite group of mourners including fashion designer Coco Chanel. The procession drifted silently across the lagoon, and after a short service, the greatest cultural impresario of modern times was laid to rest.

Eighty-four years later, the National Gallery of Art in Washington is paying homage to that impresario with “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music” (May 12 through Sept. 2). The exhibition is an adaptation of a 2010 show at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, which marked the company’s centenary.

“There’s not going to be another major event for a long time that will bring all of this work together,” explains Sarah • One of the greatKennel, associate curator of photograest impresarios phy at the NGA, who conceived the of all time, Sergei U.S. exhibition. “This is it for our genDiaghilev was the driving force behind eration. There was a chance to bring it to the Ballets Russes. the United States, so we jumped on it.”

Clockwise from Museumgoers are in for a treat. For top left: A photo of Diaghilev (c. 1924); starters, they’ll set eyes on the largest costume sketches for objects the Gallery has ever displayed: “Cleopatra” (1910) the stage backdrop for “The Firebird” and “Scheherazade” (1911) by Léon Bakst, (1926), designed by Natalia GonchaDiaghilev’s longtime rova (51 x 33 feet); and the front curtain artistic collaborator. for “The Blue Train” (1924), designed

by Pablo Picasso (38 x 34 feet).

Among the other gems are an oil painting entitled “Exit the Ballets Russes” (1914) by Fernand Léger; a Rodin bronze figure of Vaslav Nijinsky, one of the most celebrated male dancers in history; a Modigliani portrait of Ballets Russes artist Léon Bakst; earrings and a leotard covered with pink petals worn

by Nijinsky; Chanel’s ultra-modern costume designs; and sketches of Igor Stravinsky by Picasso and Jean Cocteau.

In contrast with the V&A exhibition, the NGA show “will focus more on visual artists, since that’s the brief of the gallery,” says Kennel. But both shows make the case that, a century on, the impact of the Ballets Russes remains astonishingly strong. “There are very few companies that, on an international scale, caused that kind of buzz, particularly over a period of 20 years,” says Jane Pritchard, who curated the V&A exhibition in London. “There was so much that was new and exciting, and that really stands the test of time. No student of art, music or dance today can overlook the company, and artistic directors who really think about their job will think about Diaghilev.”

• Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina in the debut performance of the sensual “Specter of the Rose” (1911), which redefined the role of the male dancer.

• Left to right: Léon Bakst creations for “The Firebird” (1910) and “Le Festin” (1909); folk-inspired tunics for “The Rite of Spring” (1913) by Russian painter and writer Nicholas Roerich; an ethereal gown from “Les Sylphides” (c. 1916) by legendary set and costume designer Alexandre Benois.

For Kennel, the Ballets Russes endures because it did much more than make dance a key part of modern culture; it also introduced internationalism in art, made the visual arts more porous and open to other disciplines, and contributed to “the emergence of a modern gay culture associated with theater.”

That rich legacy made the show a tough one to put on. “In a normal art exhibition, you deal with an artist and a movement,” says Kennel. “Here, we’re discussing visual arts, music, choreography, other personalities involved with writing the libretto and so on.

There’s so much to cover.”

SERGEI PAVLOVICH DIAGHILEV

was unquestionably one of the greatest sophisticates of his time. Yet he hailed from a cultural backwater, growing up in Perm, a town at the foot of the northern Urals some 1,000 miles from St. Petersburg. His father was an army officer who funded a grand lifestyle with income from the family vodka distillery. His artistic stepmother, Yelena, was such an ambitious cultural patron that locals dubbed the 20-room house “the Athens of Perm.”

Such were the family’s artistic connections that young Sergei referred to Tchaikovsky as “Uncle Petia.”

He received excellent home 32

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

schooling from a German tutor who taught him languages as well as piano. Reading music would later prove to be a highly useful skill.

By the time Diaghilev was 18, the family business went bust.

Paintings, grand pianos and carriages all went under the hammer. He was left to support his whole family with the money he had inherited from his birth mother, who had died when he was three months old.

That same year, Diaghilev moved to St. Petersburg to study law.

There, he made friends with artists Léon Bakst and Alexandre Benois, who would later join him in founding the Ballets Russes. Briefly dabbling in composition, he was discouraged by the great Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and decided to become an impresario.

In 1898, two years after “There was so much about graduating, Diaghilev cofounded Russia’s first art jourthe Ballets Russes that was nal, Mir iskusstva (World of new and exciting, and that really Art), pages of which are on display in the exhibition. Like stands the test of time.” the ballet company he would start a decade later, the maga• Dancers wait backstage for “The Rite of Spring” at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (1913). zine was a bridge between Russia and the West, and almost instantly influential.

His first career break came in 1905 when he organized a majestic exhibition at the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg. Fully aware that Imperial Russia would soon end, he nonetheless displayed more than 3,000 portraits of Russian aristocrats from Peter the Great on down. That

same year, the Japanese crushed the Tsar’s army and navy, and

by October, a general strike so crippled the country that the Tsar promised a constitutional government. The Russian Revolution was around the corner.

The following year, Diaghilev put on a dazzling exhibition of Russian art and music in Paris, and in 1908 staged a season of Russian opera. “Diaghilev had found his mission,” writes Jennifer Homans in Apollo’s Angels: A History of Ballet (Random House, 2011). “He set himself the task of showing Russia—the Russia that he felt sure was ending—to Europe.”

In 1909, the Tsar, who had other priorities, cut Diaghilev off financially. Opera being completely unaffordable, Diaghilev made what now seems a momentous decision: to switch to ballet. He borrowed dancers from the Imperial theaters, and in the spring of 1909 led a team of talents—including choreographer Michel Fokine, dancers Anna Pavlova and Nijinsky, and artists Benois and Bakst—to Paris. This group would form the nucleus of what he later called the Ballets Russes.

Diaghilev knew what Parisian audiences wanted, and he gave it to them. He staged fanciful visions of Russia and the Orient, catering to Parisian tastes for Russian literature and popular imagery. “The Firebird” (1910) was an amalgamation of Russian folk tales, scored by a young composer named Igor Stravinsky. “Scheherazade” (also 1910) was an Orientalist fantasy that depicted an orgy in a harem and starred Nijinsky as a half-naked slave.

The impresario treated his company like family and demanded unfailing dedication. Dancers were underpaid when paid at all.

Money for the next production was used to pay debts from the last; on one occasion, sets and costumes were sold to settle bills. Diaghilev’s only motivation was the love of great art, and he imposed his will in undemocratic ways.

“One of the paradoxes of the Ballets Russes is that it is founded, predicated upon and known for promoting this amazing collaboration between artists of different stripes—not just musicians, choreographers and dancers but also artists from different worlds and nationalities,” explains Kennel. “And yet Diaghilev was not a collaborative person. He really was autocratic. It is hard to separate the drive that made him successful from the drive that made him unbearable. So often, a person’s worst qualities are exaggerations of his or her best qualities.”

Desperate for funding, the man from Perm spent a good part of his time courting the rich. He schmoozed with diplomats, ministers, financiers and the classy Comtesse Greffulhe, who was a model for Proust’s Duchesse de Guermantes in Remembrance of Things Past.

“He was somebody who quite clearly could turn on great charm when it was to his advantage,” explains Pritchard. “But he certainly didn’t

tolerate fools or anyone who wasn’t going to be very useful to him.”

In 1911 he mounted a spectacle that clearly pushed boundaries, and not just those of dance. “Specter of the Rose”—the story of a debutante who dreams, after her first ball, of dancing with a rose— was choreographed by Fokine, designed by Bakst and performed suggestively by Nijinsky. “To the French, who had for so long ridiculed the idea of men dancing onstage, Nijinsky was a revelation,” writes dance historian Homans. “His moody blend of classicism and sex—

• Vaslav Nijinsky embodied the seductive Golden Slave in the Orientalist fantasy “Scheherazade” (1910).

not machismo but a fragrant androgyny—redefined male dancing and put the danseur back at the center of ballet.”

It also put homosexuality center stage. Diaghilev, who was openly gay from a young age, became Nijinsky’s lover from the time the dancer was 19. Their five-year affair proved instrumental to the fame and legacy of the Ballets Russes and a milestone in the history of performance. Art and sex became permanently entwined inside the company.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

33

• Natalia Goncharova’s stunning backcloth for the final coronation scene in “The Firebird” (1926); at 51 x 33 feet, it’s the largest piece the National Gallery has ever displayed.

As a troupe, the Ballets Russes clearly shattered societal taboos. circus. His childhood was beset with pain. His father walked out on “With the centrality of Nijinsky’s figure on the stage and the homo- the family, and his mother moved him and his sister, Bronislava, to sexual politics in general of the Ballets Russes, ballet really became St. Petersburg, signing them up at the Theater School. a welcoming place for gay culture,” explains NGA curator Kennel.

Instantly spotted as an outstanding talent, Nijinsky landed ma“The depiction of non-heterosexual sexuality became something that jor roles as soon as he graduated. Yet he was determined to chart an was controversial but also accepted.” independent course as a dancer. His meeting with Diaghilev—18 One critic of the day wrote that a Nijinsky performance “of- years his senior—would be the defining moment of his life. The fered something for both the men and the women in the audience.” impresario supported him financially, educated him and made him There was “an implicit aca global superstar. The obsessive Nijinceptance that there were sky, who did not speak either French or • Diaghilev enlisted the collaboration of rising stars from the worlds of art and a lot of gay men in the English, immersed himself in his art. fashion. Below: Henri Matisse’s Mandarin costume from “The Song of the Nightingale” (1920); Coco Chanel’s outfits for “The Blue Train” (1924). audience, and that they According to Homans, even after the had found an art form in curtains came down, he returned to the which it was acceptable studio to practice. and pleasurable to particiThe two works that cemented his pate,” says Kennel. trailblazing reputation were choreographies he completed just before the start of ALTHOUGH DIAGHILEV WAS World War I. The first was the 10-minute the Ballets Russes’ driving “Afternoon of a Faun” (1912)—based on force, Nijinsky fully shares a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé and set to in the credit for its endurmusic by Claude Debussy—about a faun ing myth. Born in Kiev who is aroused at the sight of a bathing in 1889 or 1990 (sources nymph and strokes her abandoned scarf. Bakst’s handsome Fauvist disagree), he was the son design for Nijinsky’s faun costume is a highlight of the exhibition. of itinerant Polish dancThe vision of Nijinsky caressing himself onstage scandalized ers and was seven when he Le Figaro. Its editor denounced “the lecherous faun, whose movefirst appeared on stage in a ments are filthy and bestial in their eroticism and whose gestures 34

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

After Nijinsky's departure, Diaghilev turned to a whole new set of creative talents: groundbreaking modern artists including Picasso, Matisse, Derain, Braque, De Chirico ... .

are as crude as they are indecent.” Yet “Faun”—the only one of Nijinsky’s four choreographies to have survived— revolutionized dance.

That controversy paled in comparison with the tumult surrounding the 1913 “Rite of Spring,” a masterpiece composed by Stravinsky and choreographed by Nijinsky. This primeval dance was set to music that was impossible to count. According to Homans, “hunched figures shuffled, stomped and turned their feet into awkward, pigeon-toed poses with arms curled and heads askew.”

The opening night made dance history. After the first few bars, laughter broke out in the Théâtre des ChampsElysées, and pandemonium ensued. A disgusted Stravinsky left the auditorium and joined Nijinsky in the wings, where the choreographer stood on a chair shouting “16, 17, 18” to mark the irregular time.

Yet by the end, Stravinsky and Nijinsky were taking repeated bows to feverish applause. According to Stravinsky, Diaghilev later remarked: “Exactly what I wanted.” The impresario enjoyed the turmoil and made sure it was covered. “Diaghilev would have played up the disturbances enormously; he recognized the importance of the media,” says V&A’s Pritchard. “It was very much the beginning of manipulation of the media for marketing purposes.”

“Le Sacre” was the last great collaboration between Nijinsky and the Ballets Russes. The dancer eloped the following year with a Hungarian ballerina he barely knew; furious, Diaghilev fired him. After a series of lackluster stage appearances in London and even a brief tour of America (masterminded by Diaghilev), Nijinsky developed mental illness and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Eventually confined to an asylum, he died in 1950. The exhibition includes an abstract face that’s one of a number of drawings he did in the hospital.

ENCORES

• The multitalented Bakst excelled as a costume and stage designer, graphic artist and portrait painter; his opulent sets for “Scheherazade” won high acclaim.

“They’re based on these circles and spirals and geometric forms,” says Kennel, “interesting, but mostly for their obsessiveness.”

The common view is that Nijinsky was crushed by the jealous Diaghilev. Not so, says Diaghilev biographer Sjeng Scheijen.

“He was crushed and destroyed by his disease,” says the Dutch scholar, who argues that Nijinsky’s tragic fate contributed a great deal to his legend. “His illness has overwhelmed his artistic legacy in a very profound way.”

Given the great visual appeal of this show, the National Gallery of Art’s accompanying catalogue is sure to be a bestseller. Published by Abrams, Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909–1929: When Art Danced with Music is an updated and expanded version of the book that coincided with the Victoria & Albert show in 2010. Edited by Jane Pritchard, it offers engaging essays by art historians who examine the origins, development and long-term influence of the Ballets Russes; photographs of costumes, sets and performances bring this fascinating saga to life. Abrams, $60; shop.nga.gov.

No less extravagant than Diaghilev himself is Assouline’s stunning Ballets Russes (2011) by André Tubeuf, who served as musical advisor to two French ministers of culture. A hand-bound limited edition in a linen clamshell case, this 14 x 17 inch tome offers a richly illustrated account of the 1911 to 1914 period, years when the Ballets Russes launched its now legendary collaborations with artists from other disciplines. $750; assouline.com.

shook the Ballets Russes, but the company’s real turning point came with World War I. It lost its permanent base in Paris and was obliged to go on tour. Many artists close to Diaghilev returned to Russia, including Fokine and countless dancers. Polish, Italian and English dancers—with Russified names—stepped in. Clearly, dance was no longer the company’s strong point. A new direction was needed.

Diaghilev decided to turn to a whole new set of creative talents: groundbreaking modern artists including Picasso, Matisse, Derain, Braque NIJINSKY’S SACKING

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

35

and De Chirico, among others. Picasso ended up with the most work, designing six ballets for Diaghilev, including “Parade.” Considered the first “Cubist” dance, it featured costumes that seemed to be walking canvases and music by Erik Satie that was punctuated by typewriter and gunshot sounds. (In a letter to her lover, a prominent stage designer, Isadora Duncan famously, and unkindly, described the dancers as “hopping madly about in Picasso pictures,” concluding, “If that is Art, I prefer Aviation.”)

Picasso eventually married one of the dancers, Olga Khokhlova. She’s the young woman in “Madame Picasso” (1923), one of the great treasures of the National Gallery of Art. He also captured another dancer, Léonide Massine, in “Harlequin” (1917).

At this point, the Ballets Russes had become an even more interdisciplinary movement, with art and design overtaking dance. Diaghilev brought to life the notion of the “whole spectacle,” explains Kennel. “He made it not just okay but actually compelling for the artists that we associate with the avant garde to work in theater.”

Yet even from a strictly dance perspective, the company would make waves for generations to come. Its galaxy of artists later fanned out across the Western world and founded its greatest ballet schools. Imagine where ballet would be without Fokine, Massine, Nijinski, Lifar and Balanchine.

In the mid-1920s, Diaghilev was diagnosed with diabetes. Having sworn that he would die in Venice, the most beautiful city in the world, he dragged himself to the Lido in the summer of 1929. After taking to his bed at the • A generation of artists Hotel Des Bains, he never rose again. drew inspiration from There, with past and present lovers the Ballets Russes.

Top, above: “Léon Bakst” gathered at his bedside, he died of (1917) by Modigliani; blood poisoning.

Picasso’s wife, ballerina “His vulnerability lay in the tragedy Olga Khokhlova, whom of his life,” says Scheijen. “This was he portrayed in “Madame Picasso” (1923). a man who was, in reality and on a symbolic level, living in exile: from his country, but especially, from family life. If you dip into his youth, you see how incredibly important this family life was for him. And yet having a family was not possible— because he was a homosexual, and a homosexual living in exile.”

Diaghilev nonetheless managed to leave an indelible mark on the art world. “It’s very difficult to define his legacy,” says Scheijen.

“He’s not a real artist, none of the pieces he produced bears his name.

Yet it is also obvious that without him, some truly great pieces of f collaborative, creative art never would have happened.”

36

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

WHEN ART DANC3D WITH MUSIC The National Gallery of Art’s “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music” is a lavish and colorful display of more than 130 original costumes, set designs, paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, photographs and posters. Virtually all of the performance-related items come from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London—the world’s biggest decorative-arts and design museum—which staged a 2010 exhibition on the subject. Most of the paintings belong to major U.S. museums, including the National Gallery of Art and New York’s Museum of Modern Art. No curator ever gets everything that he or she wants, and the NGA’s Sarah Kennel was no exception. She had dearly wanted to borrow the curtain that Pablo Picasso designed for “Parade” (1917) —his first work for the Ballets Russes and “a defining artistic moment.” For conservation reasons, however, the Pompidou Center will not let it travel.

Organized chronologically, the exhibit opens with the company’s glittering Paris debut, focusing on exotic ballets such as “Scheherazade” and “Petrushka.” It then spotlights Nijinsky, who mesmerized audiences and choreographed such epoch-making works as “Afternoon of a Faun” (1912) and “The Rite of Spring” (1913).

The next section shows how two exiled Russian avant-garde artists—Natalia Goncharova and Mikhail Larionov—shook up the look of the Ballets Russes by fusing it with Russian Constructivist and Futurist designs. Then comes the international avant garde, led by Picasso, who in 1917 designed sets, costumes and curtains for “Parade” (dubbed the first “Cubist” ballet). Matisse as well as Sonia and Robert Delaunay were also recruited.

The last section looks at Diaghilev’s final productions, particularly “The Blue Train” (1924)—choreographed by Nijinsky’s gifted sister, Bronislava Nijinska, with costumes

by Chanel and music by Darius Milhaud.

The final rooms also introduce George Bal• Composer Igor Stravinsky, Seranchine, the company’s last choreographer, gei Diaghilev and via his 1929 ballets “The Prodigal Son” and dancer/choreogra“The Ball,” the latter a Surrealist collaborapher Serge Lifar. tion with the artist Giorgio de Chirico.

Sadly, there are no moving images of Nijinsky. Yet the National Gallery will provide plenty of audio visual material, including a documentary produced in-house. As a standin for Nijinsky, visitors will see footage of the extraordinary Mikhail Baryshnikov, who received training from Balanchine.

Complementing the exhibition are ballet performances on the Gallery premises, lectures and concerts, a symposium and film screenings. And on hand to serve Russian delicacies—blinis, borscht, beef stroganoff and, for those who can afford it, caviar— is award-winning Washington chef Michel Richard, whose Café Ballets Russes in the West Building Garden Café will be open for the duration of the exhibition. —SR “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music” runs from May 12 through Sept. 2. The show is organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. nga.gov

• A dramatic performance by Michel Fokine and Vera Fokina in Nikolai RimskyKorsakov’s “Scheherazade,” at The Royal Opera in Stockholm (1914).

f

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

33

A

MARSEILLE

VER Y COOL

MuCEM

Rudy Ricciotti’s new Musée des civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée is an elegant ode to the region’s past and future, with a high-tech concrete skin referencing Arabian moucharaby screens.

YEAR

IN

PROVENCE

Throughout 2013, Marseille-Provence holds the title of European Capital of Culture,

hosting hundreds of events and showing off dozens of new and renovated cultural venues.

If all goes as planned, the year will pave the way for Marseille’s ultimate ambition:

to become the capital of the Mediterranean.

By Amy Serafin

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

39

Marseille-Provence 2013 A Year in Provence

O

MARSEILLE

Circus

The Swedish company Cirkus Cirkör in “Knitting Peace,” one of 30 circus performances featured in MP2013.

ne Thursday in early January, an amateur

video posted online showed four robbers running out of a Foot Locker store in central Marseille in broad daylight, carrying a gun and a bag of cash. It wasn’t the best advertisement for the glories of France’s second-largest city, coming just 48 hours before it kicked off its yearlong reign as cultural capital of Europe. Two days later, on January 12, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke at a press conference held in one of the city’s sparkling new museums to launch the event. “I know that Marseille feels the weight of inequality, endures too much violence and suffers from an unfair image,” he said. “But today, we are here to celebrate a Marseille that stands up for itself, a Marseille that will change and triumph!”

That evening, more than 400,000 people turned out for the open-air inaugural party, a citywide whoop of celebration with heart-shaped lanterns floating above the Old Port and fireworks exploding overhead. On its hilltop perch, Notre-Dame de la Garde Cathedral was bathed in blue light; below, the centre ville was packed with elderly couples, young parents with children on their shoulders and people of all colors and social classes—according to the daily La Provence, there hadn’t been so many Marseillais in the streets since Liberation. Spirits were high, and not a single incidence of violence was reported.

That culture can change a city in durable ways is an idea that’s taken hold from Doha to Singapore. France, of course, has always believed that culture can drive development. It was Jack Lang, France’s former culture minister, who helped launch the concept of European Capital of Culture (ECOC) in 1985, creating an annual event that would help unite the That culture can change a city is an idea that’s Continent while highlighting

taken hold from Doha to Singapore. France, its diversity. Since then, more than 40 cities have held the of course, has always believed that culture drives development. honor (this year, Košice, Slovakia, shares the title along with Marseille-Provence). poverty, unemployment, corruption, immigration, drug gangs, vioA European Commission study of the ECOC’s effects has found lence. But just talk to the locals and you’ll soon realize how attached that it can offer “unprecedented opportunities for acting as a catalyst they are to this place of undeniable beauty nestled between sea and for city change.” Indeed, when Lille was ECOC in 2004, Marseille’s mountains, where the sun shines in a cerulean sky more than 300 city hall took note of the phenomenally positive effects it was having days a year. The living is cheap and there is a vibrant arts comon that northern post-industrial city and decided to propose Mar- munity. Another asset: Some dramatic improvements have already seille as a candidate for 2013. Everyone knew, though, that winning taken place here thanks to Euroméditerranée, a €7 billion project would be a long shot. launched in 1995 to promote economic, social and cultural develMarseille is a southern port city, with everything that implies: opment. It is the biggest urban renewal program in Europe, with 40

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

PORT DE BOUC

developers renovating the business district of La Joliette and putting up striking new buildings, including a tower by Zaha Hadid that resembles the prow of a ship.

In the spring of 2008, I spoke with Bernard Latarjet, who piloted Marseille’s application. “More than the other candidate cities, Marseille needs to be supported, encouraged, helped and mentored in its cultural development efforts,” he said. He told the selection committee the same thing, and they listened: On September 16, 2008, they announced their selection of Marseille-Provence as cultural capital for 2013.

Marseille’s application had two big advantages. First, it included its

neighbors. The city knew it would increase its chances of success if it applied as MarseilleProvence, an area composed of 97 communes, or towns, AIX-EN-PROVENCE and 1.8 million inhabitants Music throughout the Bouches-duWorld-renowned Rhône department. Referred cellist Sonia Wieder to as “le territoire,” it covers Atherton performs the wealthy university city in “Odyssée pour Aix-en-Provence, the ancient violoncelle et chœur imaginaire.”

Roman settlement Arles and

Film

Bled Number One (2006) by director Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche, part of “Ecrans Voyageurs,” an eight-month film festival held in 11 different Provençal towns.

a constellation of small Provençal towns such as Istres and Aubagne, birthplace of novelist Marcel Pagnol. This was not a natural alliance, as each commune has its own politics and personality. Certain cities are even historically antagonistic, such as rough-and-tumble Marseille and bourgeois Aix. Some efforts failed—Toulon, for example, abruptly withdrew its participation (and its financial contribution) in 2010. Aix repeatedly threatened to do the same but ultimately played the game and honored its commitment.

Bertrand Collette, in charge of coordinating all the participants in Marseille-Provence 2013 (MP2013), says this experience will have an enduring impact on the entire region. “Before, we were all competitors,” he explains. “In fine arts, for example, Aix was way ahead of the game, producing major exhibitions on Cézanne and Picasso, while Marseille was putting on much more modest shows in the Vieille Charité [a former almshouse]. But now Marseille has the Musée des Beaux-Arts at Palais Longchamp, which is magnificent.” The fact that FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

41

Marseille-Provence 2013 A Year in Provence

This is the first time a European cultural capital is extending its focus beyond the Continent’s borders, and the Mediterranean is a leitmotif of the year’s programming.

ARLES

Sculpture

“Rodin, l’ombre de l’antique” juxtaposes ancient sculptures with Rodin’s works, which were heavily inspired by the Greek ideal.

the two cities are jointly hosting MP2013’s blockbuster exhibition, “Le Grand Atelier du Midi,” is a very good sign, he says, a blueprint for future collaborations. His colleague Julie Chenot, the international project manager for MP2013, believes this experience will lead to cooperation in other areas as well.

“This is the first time all these people have actually sat at one table and worked on a common project,” she MULTIPLE VENUES Performance Art says. “A lot of personal connections Marseille’s Théâtre du Centaure stages “TransHumance,” a three-country extravaganza have been made during the past six evoking the historic migrations of men and animals. years, and those sorts of relationships don’t just disappear, especially once people have seen the advantages of working together.” rest of the Mediterranean. The city has also been working hard to The other big selling point of Marseille’s application was that it position itself as the capital of the Mediterranean, the natural base for built upon the Barcelona Declaration of 1995, which aims to estab- international corporations doing business in the region. lish multilateral cooperation among the countries of the MediterraIndeed, this is the first time a European cultural capital is extendnean basin. Latarjet told the selection committee that Marseille was ing its focus beyond the Continent’s borders, and the Mediterranean on the front lines of high-stakes issues such as immigration and in- is a leitmotif of the year’s programming. The excellent group show tegration, and could serve as a cultural link between Europe and the “Ici, Ailleurs,” one of the opening exhibitions, brought together 39 42

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

international artists whose works tackle existential questions such as identity and exile. Meanwhile, the very different yet equally fine “Méditerranées” explores what it means to be Mediterranean, from the time of Ulysses to today.

A project called “L’Histoire Vraie de la Méditerranée” is a literary take on the theme, with French author François Beaune traveling to 12 countries around the region, talking to people and collecting true stories for his next novel. The public is invited to submit short tales from their own lives, a selection of which are posted online, several translated into English (mp2013.fr/histoiresvraies).

Connecting cultures is also the idea behind “TransHumance,” an extravaganza dreamed up by the Marseillebased equestrian company Théâtre du Centaure (check out their poetic video on theatreducentaure.com). Inspired by the twice-annual transfer of livestock between lowelevation pastures and alpine meadows, this production involves members of the troupe traveling by foot or on horseback and herding flocks of sheep. They will depart from the Camargue, Morocco or Italy, then converge on Marseille some 20 days later. Anyone may pre-register to join in all or part of the journeys, trekking through some of the region’s most spectacular scenery, camping out and enjoying al fresco meals. Aerial photographers will be on hand to capture the moving tableau created by the river of people moving through the Mediterranean landscapes.

A

‘‘

ccelerator” is the word most often used

to describe the effect of the cultural capital title on Marseille and its partners. The designation has produced a jackpot of some e700 million from the French State, the European Union, regional authorities and private corporations, a sum that will permanently change the area. “No other cultural capital has ever made such a big effort to invest in new buildings and cultural sites,” Latarjet told me last December. “We can already say we’ve physically transformed the territory.

That’s our first success.”

As Collette explains, the ECOC status was not a magic wand but rather a déclic, or trigger. Indeed, only e90 million of that e700 million is directly associated with the ECOC budget; the remainder is financing raised separately for construction and renovation projects. He shows me a list of some 50 cultural institutions that are being built or upgraded in time for this year’s festivities, including no fewer than four new museums in Marseille. Nobody can say how many would have gone up anyway, but it’s a safe bet that without MP2013, many would have idled indefinitely in the project stage.

You can see much of the new construction by taking a walk northward from the Old Port along the Mediterranean. The most spectacular building, the Musée des civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée, or MuCEM, was in the works for close to 15 years— so long it had become a bit of a joke. Suddenly, it’s here, local-boydone-good Rudy Ricciotti’s glass-and-concrete wonder, which he compares to a vertical kasbah. Black concrete columns like slender

tree trunks hold up the walls, and an envelope of concrete lace filters the light like the latticework in Arab architecture. Slated to open in June, it is a museum of art and ethnography but also an integral part of a new urban MARSEILLE promenade. A couple Installations Bernar Venet’s outsized steel of ramps encircle the “84 Arcs / Désordre 2013” plays off the building so that pedesclassic architecture of the Palais du trians can stroll around Pharo, which overlooks the Old Port. it and onto the roof, then take an elegant concrete walkway to the Fort Saint-Jean and Panier neighborhood.

Next to MuCEM and reflected in its glass wall is the Villa Méditerranée by Italian architect Stefano Boeri. Resembling an enormous freestanding white shelf, it houses a regional center for temporary exhibitions, meetings and conferences. Across the road, the new Musée Regards de Provence showcases Provençal art dating back to the 18th century. Built in 1948, the building was formerly a sanatorium

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Exhibits

“Le goût de l’Orient: Collectionneurs de Provence” showcases objects brought back from the Middle East and Asia by Provençal traders, artists, scientists and others, reflecting the Orientalism that reigned from the 16th to early 20th centuries.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

43

Marseille-Provence 2013 A Year in Provence

in glass, spent two years developing the material for it). And near the Saint-Charles train station, the Friche la Belle de Mai is wrapping up 12 years of renovations. The former cigarette factory has become a where immigrants arriving at the port of Marseille were inspected for popular center for art exhibits, performances and multimedia instaldisease; one room still holds four steel industrial washing machines lations spread out over several buildings and punctuated with graffiti, once used for disinfecting clothing. Pierre Dumon, president of the a skate park and a big funky café. The newest addition, designed to Regards de Provence foundation, says that when he first visited the host outsized art works, makes its debut during MP2013. site, it was covered in garbage 10 inches deep and old mattresses Even Marseille’s Modernist icon, the Cité Radieuse, has been left by squatters. But he immediately recognized its potential; soon spruced up. Le Corbusier completed the building in 1951, conceivafter, the foundation acquired the building and hired local architect ing it as a vertical city with apartments, a hotel, a nursery school and Guy Daher to make the best use of its elegant concrete façade and a rooftop gymnasium. Three years ago, the Marseille-born designer long rows of windows.

Ora-ïto bought the gym and engineered a e7 million project to restore the entire rooftop to its original state. The work included dismantling a 1950s addition to the gym and repurposing the original structure as a center for contemporary art called MAMO—a mash-up of Marseille and Le Corbusier’s Modulor theory (and a sly wink to MoMA). It will host one major solo show each summer; this June’s inaugural exhibition features French art star Xavier Veilhan. Walking across the freshly cleaned concrete terrace with its panoramic views of city and sea, Ora-ïto remarks, “What I like about this city is that you feel like you can participate in its changes. In Paris, everything is perfect. Here, with energy, passion, time and a bit of money, you can get things done.”

MP2013 also prompted extensive renovations at Château Borély (now a museum of decorative arts and fashion), Marseille’s history museum and the fine arts museum at Palais Longchamp, plus dozens of smaller or regional buildings, including the Musée Granet in Aix and a new site for the Vincent Van Gogh foundation in Arles. One of the most highly anticipated ARLES Festivals projects is La Ciotat’s Eden Theatre, the oldest cinema “Les Rencontres d’Arles,” the premier international in France (and possibly the world), where the Lumière photography show, is among several annual festivals Brothers held their first private film screening in 1895. with special programming linked to MP2013.

Fallen into disrepair, the cinema has been closed since 1995; it took the momentum of MP2013 for the town A few minutes up the coast, in the busy to finally raise €5 million for renovations. port area, the J1 shipping hangar juts out These official projects have created a ripple efinto the sea, offering spectacular views from fect that has extended to urban infrastructure, such windows on both sides. Here, a refurbished as Marseille’s Old Port. The city invested €40 mil65,000-square-foot upper level has been translion, hiring Sir Norman Foster and landscape archiformed into a bar-restaurant, a bookstore, tect Michel Desvigne to widen sidewalks and create MARSEILLE galleries, a photo studio and a large exhibition a promenade in an area formerly choked with traffic space (the aforementioned “Méditerranées” and cluttered with fishmongers’ stalls. Another major Cultural runs through May 18, followed by a Le change has taken place underground, where the méAnthropology Corbusier show this fall). tro will run until 1 A.M. throughout the year—quite “Méditerranées : Des grandes cités The reach of the city’s cultural makeover an improvement over the former weekday witching d’hier aux hommes d’aujourd’hui” extends to inland neighborhoods as well. hour of 9 P.M. blends historic artifacts with fictional films and other devices to probe the La Joliette, historically one of its poorest Mediterranean experience. quartiers but now gentrifying as the heart of In France, it’s something of a national pastime to deride the Euroméditerranée business district, was the corruption and inefficiency of the country’s secchosen as the location for the FRAC Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, a ond most populous city. As Marseille-Provence embarked upon the regional museum for contemporary art. Opened in March in a head- six years of preparation leading up to 2013, the French press took turning new building designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, distinct pleasure in reporting the bumps along the way. They wrote its pixilated façade consists of 2,500 white glass rectangles hung at dif- that the various construction sites were running late (admittedly, ferent angles (CIRVA, the Marseille-based center for experimentation very few were ready for the official opening on January 12), and that 44

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

MARSEILLE

Architecture

Along with several new museums, Marseille now boasts wider walkways around its Old Port, complete with Sir Norman Foster’s new “Ombrelle,” a sleek stainless-steel structure providing shelter from the sun and a place to rendezvous.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

45

Marseille-Provence 2013 A Year in Provence

ART IN STRANGE PLACES Iconoclastic collaborations are one of the hallmarks of MP2013, the objective being to explore new ways for artists to relate to audiences, especially those who rarely frequent traditional artistic venues. One of the more remarkable of these is Ateliers de l’EuroMéditerranée, a series of 60 artist-in-residence programs designed to bring art and artists into the local community. Launched in 2008, the project will continue through 2013, with exhibits of the finished works scheduled throughout the year.

The artists’ ateliers are set up in widely diverse locations. Some are in iconic Provençal businesses (a soapmaker, a bakery, a ceramics workshop), others in a shopping center, a hotel, an unemployment office…. A third of the participating artists hail from the Marseille area, another third from France or Europe and the remainder from other Mediterranean countries.

Their art is equally diverse, ranging from visual arts to literature to less definable categories.

Gilles Desplanques, for example, works at “the intersection of art and architecture,” so he seemed a logical choice for the residency at the Club Immobilier Marseille Provence, an association of companies involved in the construction industry.

Long fascinated with the yin and yang of construction and deconstruction, Desplanques once took Gilles Desplanques’s concept for a “Pop-up House” protruding from a building wall.

an Exacto knife to the sheetrock of a wall being built in his office, folding out sections to form a cube that protruded from the wall, like a piece of origami. For MP2013, he said, “Let’s be ambitious and try this out on a real building.”

His project involves “folding” part of the façade of a building into a three-dimensional structure, a “Pop-up House” that will be about 130 square feet in size. “In the beginning, the association thought I wanted to do a trompe-l’œil,” he recalls. “I said no, we’re going to do the real thing.”

His hosts agree that the experience has given them new perspectives on their profession, while Desplanques points out that he has benefited greatly from their priceless expertise. They helped locate a building for the project (it was still a secret at press time), lent engineers and walked him through bureaucratic intricacies.

Insurance was one of the biggest obstacles—for example, when changes are made to an existing building, who is liable if a piece of it falls off? “I didn’t expect that,” says Desplanques. “When I was in my little atelier folding walls, I didn’t have to think about insurance.”

Less predictable was the pairing of Ymane Fakhir, a Moroccan artist who now lives in Marseille, with a hospital that specializes in chronic pain. Fakhir, who uses art to explore social rituals, spent eight months observing daily routines as well as talking to patients and personnel. The result is “Taking Care,” a series of videos and photos based on the gestures she witnessed. In one, the camera focuses on two pairs of hands folding a starched white sheet, expertly turning it into a pillowcase.

The hospital has been without real pillowcases for the past nine years because of budget cuts, so the staff has learned to make do with what they have. The movements are hypnotic, a synchronized ballet of folding. When Fakhir played the video for the hospital workers, one responded, “I had no idea our gestures were so beautiful.” It took an artist to show them. —AS

LES BAUX-DE-PROVENCE

Multimedia

The old stone quarries known as the Carrières de Lumières are the striking venue for “Monet, Renoir... Chagall. Voyages en Méditerranée,” a multimedia show exploring the relationship between 16 artists and the Mediterranean.

nothing was being built in the city’s poor northern districts. They ran stories on the infighting among politicians from different cities and political parties, and the constant threat that Aix would pull out.

Programming too was attacked. In all, the curators considered some 2,300 projects, eventually selecting 300 events and 80 exhibitions. The national media disparaged the selection as weak and populist, saying it lacked artists of international stature. Local critics, meanwhile, railed that the program was too elitist, too “Parisian,” with too many famous names and not enough local talent.

Such diverse opinions are not surprising, says Alicia Adams, Vice President for International Programming at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Adams, who has curated more than a dozen international festivals, points out the difficulties inherent in catering to local, national and international audiences. “It’s never easy, but MP2013 seems to have done a great job engaging all those groups,” she says. “I think the curators had a

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Dance

Renowned choreographer Angelin Preljocaj, whose company is based in Aix’s Pavillon Noir, revisits “A Thousand and One Nights” for MP2013.

with and relate to the local community in ways that would have a positive and sustained impact.”

When reports came out barely a month before opening

weekend that the waterfront was still a giant construction zone, people throughout France scoffed that it would never be ready. As the Marseillais themselves admit, they are proud but can be insecure, too. When I asked some locals in shops and cafés what they expected from the upcoming event, many sounded skeptical of its chances for success. Yet as MuCEM and other new buildings slowly took shape, there was a growing sense of excitement that their city might just pull it off after all.

In the days leading up to January 12, MP2013’s launch was the talk of the nation, from TV and radio very good process, approaching their programming intelligently and shows to Facebook and Twitter. At the Gare de Lyon in Paris, elecwith great sensitivity. The result is some very creative collaborations.” tronic billboards invited people to “Descendez à la Capitale.” Those She cites the pairing of the venerable Comédie Française, founded who did witnessed an ambitious celebration that went off without in 1680, with Kuwaiti director Sulayman Al-Bassam to produce a Syr- a hitch, one that was meant first and foremost for local residents. ian play—the first time in its history that the French troupe has put A parade started in the oft-overlooked northern districts before making its way down through the city. A circus company per“They put a lot of thought into how artists could formed for free 150 feet up in the air, then dropped a ton of interact with and relate to the local community in ways white feathers on the delighted

that would have a positive and sustained impact.” crowd below.

In Aix-en-Provence, the trees of the Cours Mirabeau were on an Arab-language production. Another example: the Ateliers de wrapped in red-and-white polka dot fabric by Japanese artist Yayoi l’EuroMéditerranée, a series of 60 artist-in-residence programs that Kusama, part of a contemporary art walk that turned the city into matched creative talents—some famous, some not, some French, an outdoor museum. And to underscore the vast reach of the event, some not—with local offices and businesses. A choreographer who a territory-wide treasure hunt attracted 25,000 participants who explores weightlessness, for instance, teamed up with EVAA, the looked for clues along 112 different paths, discovering the riches of French Air Force’s aerobatic team based in Salon de Provence. Provence’s towns and countryside along the way. The lucky win“They didn’t just pick artists because they were good,” says Ad- ners received yearlong passes to attend the various cultural events of f ams. “They put a lot of thought into how artists could interact MP2013—and that seemed like precious treasure indeed.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

47

I N T O

THE

LIGHT

For decades, the titans of the art world were lured again and again to the Côte d’Azur, whose incomparable light offered

new artistic possibilities. The masterpieces they left behind are

celebrated in MP2013’s “Grand Atelier du Midi,”

expected to be the blockbuster show of the year.

By Sara Romano

Claude Monet Cap d’Antibes: coup de Mistral (1888) FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

49

Paul Cézanne

Marseille-Provence 2013 Le Grand Atelier du Midi

M

L’Estaque vue du golfe de Marseille (1878-1879)

ega-yachts and micro-bikinis are

the first things that spring to mind when you hear the words “South of France.” Perceived almost exclusively as a place for ogling starlets and playing on the beach, this sun-kissed region seems an improbable launch pad for some of the most ground-breaking art ever made.

Yet that is precisely what it was. For nearly a century, the South of France played host to a veritable pantheon of painters: Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso…. A two-part exhibition paying tribute to that remarkable legacy is one of the high points of Marseille-Provence 2013, a show with so much artistic wattage that it almost single-handedly justifies the area’s stint as European Capital of Culture.

The 200 works by nearly 50 artists in “Le Grand Atelier du Midi” will be divided between two separate venues: the Musée des BeauxArts de Marseille (also known as Palais Longchamp) and the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence. The title is an homage to Van Gogh, whose lifelong dream was to convene a community of artists in an atelier du Midi (studio of the South).

“We’re going to be evoking le Midi in the broadest sense, through an exhibition that extends from Collioure to Bordighera,” says cocurator Marie-Paule Vial, former director of the Marseille museum and now head of the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. “We want to demonstrate that the Midi was—and still is—a great open-air studio.”

The exhibition starts in the 1880s, when Cézanne was working in Aix, and ends in the 1950s, with the death of Matisse and Bonnard.

Rather than organize it into two chronological halves, the curators have made the Aix show all about form—of which Cézanne was the undisputed modern master—and Marseille all about color, for which Van Gogh was universally recognized. Explains co-curator Bruno Ely, who runs the Musée Granet, “Visitors can see the exhibits in whichever order they please without detracting from the overall experience.”

What the two-part show proves once and for all is the South of France’s unparalleled status as an artistic gold mine. “Never has there been—and never, no doubt, will there again be—a resort, a pure pleasure zone that contributes quite this degree and quite this quantity of remarkable artistic innovation,” says Kenneth E. Silver, a professor of art history at New York University and the author of Making Paradise: Art, Modernity and the Myth of the French Riviera. “There’s no question that some of the most beautiful, sensual and really delightful pleasure pictures were made in the south.”

50

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

The South of France wasn’t always a “pleasure zone.” For much of

the 19th century, before rail lines reached it, the area was decidedly unappealing. “The Côte d’Azur was impoverished and insalubrious, a swampland, in fact,” says Maurice Fréchuret, who runs the Musée Chagall in Nice, the Musée Fernand Léger in Biot and the Musée Picasso in Vallauris. “In the first half of the 19th century, there were all kinds of health risks, not least malaria, so few visitors went there.”

Aristocratic foreign travelers, the British in particular, were the first to put the Riviera on the map. After setting up a small community in Nice in the late 18th century (an era immortalized by the city’s Promenade des Anglais), they spread out along the coast, emulating former Lord Chancellor Henry Brougham, who built a villa in Cannes. Affluent Americans, Germans, Russians and Belgians followed. By the late 19th century, even Queen Victoria was among the winter vacationers. The Riviera got its biggest branding boost in 1887 when Stéphen Liégeard, in a bestselling guidebook published in Paris, dubbed it the Côte d’Azur. It became one of the most mythic sobriquets ever coined.

It wasn’t until the early 1920s that the Côte d’Azur became a summer destination, thanks in no small measure to Picasso. In the spring of 1923, the artist, a Riviera regular, teamed up with American expatriates Gerald and Sara Murphy to ask the owner of the famous Hôtel du Cap to keep rooms open from May to September.

Albert Marquet La Terrasse, l’Estaque (1918)

to the fishing village of L’Estaque, 20 miles away, where his mother owned a house. “L’Estaque: View of the Bay of Marseille” (1878-79) is one of many canvases he produced there, an important early image of the coast and a highlight of the Marseille exhibition.

When Cézanne’s family sold the estate in 1899—to the artist’s lasting regret—he moved to a variety of locations outside Aix. He obsessively painted the nearby Mont Sainte-Victoire, rendering it in at least two dozen oils and watercolors, which are among his most admired works. The Aix-en-Provence exhibition includes “Le Rocher Rouge” (c. 1895), which he painted from a house located on the mountain’s western flank.

The exhibition’s other pictorial poster boy, Vincent van Gogh, set

He obliged. By the following summer, just about every other hotel on the Riviera was doing the same.

The first great artist to depict the region was Cézanne. Born and raised in Aix-en-Provence, he had immense affection for his birthplace and represented it over and over throughout his life. His first subject was the family estate on Aix’s outskirts, the Jas de Bouffan, with its pond, orchards, vineyards and alley of chestnut trees leading up to the 18th-century manor house. He decorated the walls of the salon with murals, made portraits of family and friends, and painted the manor itself. Even the chestnut trees were recorded

“There’s no question that some of the for eternity: “Les Marronniers most beautiful, sensual and really delightful du Jas de Bouffan” (c. 1885) are part of the Aix show.

pleasure pictures were made in the south.”

Cézanne also famously invited the estate’s pipe-smoking staff—including le père Alexandre, a gardener, and Paulin Paulet, a his sights on the South of France in the late 1880s. Two years after arfarmhand—to pose for his famous “Card Players” series. While none riving in Paris, Van Gogh found himself itching to “get away from the of those pictures is in the exhibition, another masterpiece from the sight of so many painters who fill me with disgust as human beings.” period is. “La Femme à la Cafetière” (c. 1895), an angular blue por- With help from his loving art-dealer brother, Theo, Vincent escaped trait of a member of the household staff sitting next to a coffee pot, to Arles, where he rented a four-room yellow house on a square near returns to Aix for the first time in more than six decades. the old town hall. “At present I’m unhappy with myself and unhappy While living at the Jas de Bouffan, Cézanne made repeated visits with what I’m doing,” he wrote to Theo in May 1887, “but I can FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

51

Marseille-Provence 2013 Le Grand Atelier du Midi

glimpse some possibility of doing better in the future. And I hope that later on, other artists will come to this part of the country.”

One artist did arrive soon thereafter, thanks to the monthly stipend promised him by Theo van Gogh. Paul Gauguin spent nine turbulent weeks in the yellow house, and the pair worked furiously.

Gauguin left suddenly in December 1888 after Van Gogh threatened him with a knife and subsequently sliced off his own ear. The exhibition displays a string of masterpieces from that tempestuous period: Van Gogh’s “L’Arlésienne: Madame Ginoux” (1888), “La Chambre” (1888) and “La Méridienne” (1889-90), as well as Gauguin’s “Les Alyscamps” (1888), thought to be one of the first paintings he did in Arles. All are from the Musée d’Orsay, one of the most generous lenders to the exhibition.

Paul Cézanne Le Rocher rouge (1895-1900)

C

oastlines were not a new theme in French art. From the

mid-1800s, artists had taken advantage of rail links connecting Paris to the shores of Normandy and Brittany to paint en plein air. By the late 1800s, those northern shores were old hat. “Normandy is trodden by as many pedestrians as the Boulevard des Italiens,” moaned writer Guy de Maupassant.

So it was that in 1883, two monuments of Impressionism headed south for fresh visual thrills. Hopping on the new train lines connecting a string of Mediterranean resorts, Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir travelled from Marseille and Hyères to Monaco and Menton, crossing the border to Bordighera, Ventimiglia and other points along the Italian Riviera.

Monet was dazzled by what he saw yet had a hard time transferring it to the canvas. “How beautiful it is here, but how difficult to paint!” he wrote. He was profoundly challenged by the blinding light and the powerful northern wind known as the mistral. He returned in 1888 to try again, spending close to four months in Antibes. The result: 39 paintings, which he later showed in Paris, to lukewarm critical reception. Three works from the period are on view in Marseille, and a fourth is in Aix. “The light in the south is so intense that, if anything, it tends to blanch, to wipe out color,” says Professor Silver. “What Monet

Henri-Edmond Cross Cyprès à Cagnes (1900) 52

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

understood was that he needed to exaggerate the specific hues to con- curator Vial of the painting, which is included in the exhibition. vey the brilliance of that light. Perhaps that’s why the critics were “The big window opens onto a big black rectangle. There was origiangry at him; they thought there was something a little vulgar in his nally a landscape in the background, but Matisse covered it up with pinks and blues.” very dark color.”

Monet ultimately returned to northern France and his haven at Matisse sat out World War I in his comfortable homes in and Giverny, near Paris. Renoir, on the other hand, decided to settle on around Paris, yet the Riviera continued to beckon. In 1917, a bout of the Riviera and create a haven of his own. He spent the last 11 years bronchitis gave him a good reason to scurry south, leaving behind his of his life in a grand one-story villa in Cagnes-sur-Mer known as Les family, the international avant-garde and the Paris weather.

Collettes (now a wonderful museum), replete with olive groves, vineAfter staying in temporary accommodations (including the fouryards and noisy hens. In his large atelier, he painted the local girls star Hôtel Beau-Rivage, whose entrance can still be seen on rue Sainthired by his wife for olive- and grape-picking. Several examples of his François de Paule), he moved into a handsome yellow building at output from the period are on display in both exhibitions, including 1 place Charles-Félix, facing the sea. He joined the Club Nautique the 1908 “Les Collettes.” de Nice, where he became such an avid rower that he won a medal, Around the same time that Renoir was busy buying Les Collettes, and frequently took in the dizzying sights and smells of the outdoor another giant of modern art was sniffing around the coast. Henri market on Cours Saleya.

Matisse had spent a summer in Saint-Tropez with Paul Signac in But what Matisse loved most was the light. “When you’re in 1904 and, after briefly dabbling in Signac’s trademark Pointillism, he northern France, the sky is bright, then clouds appear all of a suddecided to plot his own artistic course. den. The light changes constantly,” says Marie-Thérèse Pulvenis de The following year, he made the tiny Catalan port of Collioure Suligny, chief curator at the Musée Matisse. “In Nice, the light gave his summer retreat—led there, no doubt, by his Toulouseborn wife—and returned year Monet was dazzled by what he saw yet after year. His “Porte-fenêtre

profoundly challenged by the blinding light and the à Collioure” (1914) is “almost a conceptual work,” says copowerful northern wind known as the mistral.

Auguste Renoir Rochers à l’Estaque (1882) FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

53

Marseille-Provence 2013 Le Grand Atelier du Midi

Vincent van Gogh >

L’Arlésienne: Madame Ginoux (1888) > La Méridienne (1889-90)

Matisse the impression of being in a theater. All he had to do was open and close the shutters to adjust it.”

Rather than park his easel along the coast and paint seascapes, Matisse spent days in hotel rooms and studios, bringing the outdoors in through “reflections, mirrors, open windows, horizons,” says Pulvenis de Suligny. His aim: to give “this impression of infinity—of foreground and background—not through perspective but through color.”

There are many outstanding Matisses in the show, not least of them “Le Marocain en vert” (1912-13), borrowed from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The canvases are filled with the exotic rugs, throws and cushions that gave his studios a Moorish touch and made his young models resemble Oriental odalisques.

(His favorite model, Henriette Darricarrère, was a musician with ballet training; she posed extensively for Matisse between 1920 and 1927 and became his companion.)

From 1938 to his death in 1954, Matisse occupied two floors of the former Hôtel Regina, where Queen Victoria had once stayed.

Though wheelchair-bound after an operation in January 1941, he never stopped creating and innovating. He devoted the rest of his life to decorating the lovely Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence with murals and stained glass, and to making paper cutouts that are a key component of his œuvre and duly represented in the show. Matisse is buried in Cimiez, near his final home and near the museum that now bears his name.

54

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

Today, Picasso and just about

every other major artist who ever graced the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur

region have at least one tourist destination to their name.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

55

Henri Matisse Intérieur à Nice, la sieste (1922)

W

orld War II spelled another break in the art-

historical trajectory of the Midi. Even though the South of France was an unoccupied zone libre, most artists stayed away, turning their attention to more somber themes.

One exception was Pierre Bonnard, who in 1939 escaped to the villa he had bought in Le Cannet, in the hills above Cannes, and never left. He had first visited the Côte d’Azur in 1909 and had been dazzled, describing it as “a taste of The Thousand and One Nights: the sea, the walls, the yellows, the colored light and its reflections...!”

Bonnard led even more of a shuttered existence than Matisse. He was confined to his home by his depressive wife, Marthe. So he retreated to his studio and painted the house’s interiors from memory— the dining room, the drawing room, the bathroom—and obsessively depicted his wife, not as she was then, but as the slender young woman he’d met years earlier. “Paysage du Midi et Deux Enfants” (1916-18) and “Vue du Cannet” (1920), both part of the Aix show, emphasize Bonnard’s connection to the Midi, while a permanent museum in Le Cannet pays tribute to his substantial legacy.

Picasso spent the war years in Paris but missed the Côte d’Azur terribly. He had made more or less annual visits to the region between 1919 and 1939, producing myriad beach paintings of his then-girlfriend Marie-Thérèse Walter. When the war ended, he returned to the coast with his new < Pierre Bonnard Le jardin à l'arbre rouge (1909) partner, Françoise Gilot, an aspiring

artist some 40 years his junior who would bear him two children.

In late 1946, he was invited to paint murals inspired by ancient Greece on the upper floor of the Château d’Antibes, an edifice that is today the Picasso Museum. He then rented a series of rooms in Golfe-Juan where, one fine day on the beach, someone suggested that he take up ceramics in the nearby town of Vallauris with Georges and Suzanne Ramie. Vallauris, in ancient times, had exported cooking vessels throughout the Roman Empire. It had become—in the words of Picasso’s biographer John Richardson— “the Sèvres of schlock.”

The first time that Picasso and Gilot visited the Ramies’ workshop, the artist decorated two or three clay plates. “He spent the afternoon there, just fooling around, and then we left,” writes Gilot in her autobiography, My Life With Picasso. “It was all very casual, almost like making a drawing on a tablecloth in a restaurant and then walking off and leaving it.”

The following year, Picasso was coaxed back by the potter couple and agreed to work if they would provide him with an assistant. Soon, the Iberian polymath was so taken with the discipline that he moved his family to Vallauris and produced thousands of ceramics, adorning them with men, women, animals and mythical figures. “He was working in a new medium, and for Picasso, working in a new medium was always tremendously vital,” says NYU’s Silver.

The pieces Silver rates the most highly are the ones that Picasso mass-produced, shortly after joining the French Communist Party. “He invented high-quality work that was accessible to everyone” he says. “Of course, collectors of unique ceramics don’t want to hear that.”

Ever eager to fill the shoes of the giants who came before him, Picasso bought the Château de Vauvenargues, a majestic 17thcentury edifice, in 1961. Exhibition co-curator Bruno Ely says the artist bought the secluded property to get away from his hilltop villa in Cannes, where he was “harassed by journalists and admirers who got in the way of his work.” Yet he also did it to “appropriate the force and the power of Cézanne. By purchasing the château, he possessed some 2,500 acres of the northern flank of the Mont SainteVictoire,” the very mountain that Cézanne so obsessively painted.

Though Picasso would spend his old age in more comfortable and better-heated homes, it was at Vauvenargues that his wife chose to bury him in 1973.

Today, Picasso and just about every other major artist who ever graced the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region have at least one tourist destination to their name. “A large number of museums have opened in the South of France since those artists settled here,” says Fréchuret, who runs three himself. “I can’t think of any other French region, besides Ile-de-France, that’s blessed with as many cultural and artistic institutions. It’s absolutely remarkable, and we owe that to these artists.”

“Le Grand Atelier du Midi” will richly illustrate that point. It will also serve to pique the public’s curiosity for each one of those artists, for the sun-drenched region where they spent their later years and for f the museums that lovingly preserve the traces of their stay.

“Le Grand Atelier du Midi” is a two-part exhibition: “De Van Gogh à Bonnard” at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Palais Longchamp, Marseille (musee-desbeaux-arts.marseille.fr); and “De Cézanne à Matisse” at the Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence (museegranet-aixenprovence.fr). Both shows run from June 13 through October 13.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

57

Marseille-Provence 2013 Practical Information

The Short List

MP2013 has scheduled hundreds of events grouped into three sequential “episodes,” with inaugurations of museums and other cultural sites staggered throughout the year. Here, our writers share a few best bets.

By Sara Romano and Amy Serafin CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Raoul Dufy’s “Paysage aux Martigues” (1903) at the Musée Ziem; Daniel Buren’s signature stripes, coming to Istres; Picasso’s “Masque de Faune” (1953), on view in Aubagne.

Exhibitions Since January, MP2013 art happenings have mushroomed in such improbable locations as dockyards and former cigarette factories. And the best is yet to come: • Picasso céramiste et la Méditerranée Aubagne’s Chapelle des Pénitents, whose classic façade was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, will pay tribute to Picasso the potter. Some 120 works—ceramics as well as assemblages, paintings and prints—will be on display, some for the first time. April 27 through Oct. 13.

• Raoul Dufy, de Martigues à l’Estaque Raoul Dufy’s creative trajectory will be the focus of an exhibition at the Musée Ziem in Martigues.

This was the first Riviera town the artist visited in 1903, an experience that sparked a lifelong love affair with the area. A post-Impressionist on arrival, he soon began to dabble in Cubism and became an admirer of Henri Matisse. His style evolved through the 1920s, when he became the Dufy we know today, producing postcard-like Mediterranean

views in bright and watery colors.

June 13 through Oct. 13.

• Le Corbusier et la question du brutalisme The architect will be remembered in a major exhibition inside the J1 hangar, a converted ferry terminal in the port of Marseille.

Le Corbusier may have been born in Switzerland but he was Marseillais by adoption. His Cité Radieuse apartment building, now an emblem of the city, was a milestone in the birth of Brutalist architecture. The show spans Le Corbusier’s career from 1933 to 1965 and includes paintings, sculptures, tapestries and prints. Oct. 11, 2013, through Jan. 12, 2014.

• Centre Pompidou Mobile The world’s first nomadic museum (it

LEFT, BELOW: The J1 hangar exam-

ines Le Corbusier’s legacy; MAMO, a new exhibition space atop the architect’s Cité Radieuse, will host Xavier Veilhan’s “Architectones.”

travels around France to give the Pompidou collections more visibility) heads to Provence this November.

The colorful contraption, designed by architect Patrick Bouchain and inspired by circus tents, will showcase works by Matisse, Braque, Picasso, Calder, Dubuffet and Léger.

Through Jan. 2014.

• Architectones Celebrated contemporary artist Xavier Veilhan has launched a series of site-specific shows called “Architectones,” each designed to spark dialogue between a Modernist building and its history. The first took place last year at Richard Neutra’s home in Los Angeles, the second at Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House No. 21 in the Hollywood Hills. For MP2013, Veilhan moves on to Le Corbusier’s Modernist icon, La Cité Radieuse in Marseille, with a show at MAMO, its new rooftop museum. May 1 through Sept. 30.

• Daniel Buren Fresh from his mega-success at last year’s “Monumenta” show at Paris’s Grand Palais, “stripe guy” Daniel Buren is planning an in situ project for downtown Istres, about 40 miles north-

west of Marseille. If past is prologue, expect an enchanting and thoughtprovoking display of color and light.

July 5 through Dec. 31.

• Atelier Van Lieshout Founded by Joep van Lieshout in 1995, the Dutch studio AVL produces works that blur the boundaries between art, architecture and design. For MP2013, AVL has been invited to set up residence at La Friche la Belle de Mai, orchestrating exhibits, debates, films, concerts and other events throughout this sprawling cultural complex. July through December.

Performing Arts & Special Events There’s something for everyone in MP2013’s eclectic programming, which ranges from highbrow offerings to street culture with pretty much everything in between. Among the standouts: • GR 2013 This new 225-mile Grande Randonnée walking trail officially opened in late March. Shaped like the infinity symbol, its center is the Aix-en-Provence TGV station; it winds through landscapes ranging from urban Marseille to coastal calanques to industrial suburbs. You can walk the entire trail in two weeks or just do a section of it. Throughout

Motionhouse’s “Machine Dance” is part of “The Amazing History of Street Art.”

the year, artists will propose “protocols,” or creative ways of experiencing the route.

• This is (not) Music This is the kind of event Marseille excels in, mixing street art and skate culture.

More than 40 days of contemporary art exhibits, concerts, performances and film projections along with a skate park. La Friche la Belle de Mai, April 25 through June 9.

• L’Art de la Performance An exploration of the history of performance art, from its development at the defunct Black Mountain College in North Carolina to its current popularity in the Balkans. Featuring guest artists from the U.S., Spain, Germany, France, Hungary, Croatia…. La Friche la Belle de Mai, June 10 through July 7 and Dec. 2 through 22.

• Le Vieux Port Entre Flammes et Flots On May 3 and 4, the worldrenowned Compagnie Carabosse will light up Marseille’s Old Port with a “fire display” involving thousands of its signature fire pots and flaming set pieces on land and water. A pontoon bridge installed for the occasion will allow people to cross over the mouth of the Old Port for the first time since the 1930s, when Marseille’s famous transbordeur—a type of ferry car suspended from cables hung between pylons—ceased transporting passengers from one side to the other. The event kicks off “The Amazing History of Street Art,” a series of some 50 shows in six

cities that runs May 3 through 20.

• TransHumance The Marseillebased Théâtre du Centaure, famous for its stage productions involving actors/centaurs, turns the migration of men and animals into performance art, with three separate troupes departing from the Camargue, Morocco and Italy, then meeting in La Crau before continuing together to Marseille.

May 18 through June 9.

• Ballet Preljocaj The internationally renowned Angelin Preljocaj brings

his edgy choreography to “Mille et Une Nuits,” inspired by The Arabian Nights. At the Grand Théâtre de Provence in Aix-en-Provence (April 29 and 30; Oct. 1 through 9) and La Criée theater in Marseille (July 10 through 13).

• The Trojans A concert version of Berlioz’s opera, produced by the Opéra de Marseille and featuring tenor Roberto Alagna and mezzosoprano Béatrice Uria-Monzon.

Opéra Municipal de Marseille, July 12 and 15.

• Maritime Parade Boats of all shapes and sizes will parade off the coast of Marseille, from the Old Port to L’Estaque. At the J4 waterfront (near MuCEM), visitors will find food trucks and displays of products and crafts linked to the sea. At nightfall, fireworks will light up the sky above the Château d’If (program still under development at press time).

Sept. 7 and 8.

• Cuisines en friche A festival exploring the relationship between art and food, featuring chefs, artists, farmers, scientists and intellectuals. There will be a food market with tastings

as well as cooking demonstrations, food-related concerts and chefs preparing meals in unusual locales for intimate groups of 15 to 20 (program still under development at press time). La Friche la Belle de Mai, Sept. 11 through 15.

• Métamorphoses, les artistes jouent avec la ville Artists from around Europe are invited to “play” with façades and public spaces in Marseille (the Canebière, SaintCharles train station, place Bargemon). Sept. 20 through Oct. 6.

• Summer Festivals Provence is famous for its world-class summer festivals celebrating music of all genres, photography, dance and other arts. This year, several have collaborated with MP2013 on their programming.

Compagnie Carabosse’s signature fire pots, coming to Marseille’s Old Port. ABOVE: Street art by Vhils (a.k.a. Alexandre Farto), featured in “This is (not) Music.”

Tickets A complete listing of the year’s events is available on Marseille-Provence 2013’s official Web site, mp2013.fr (in French and English). Americans planning to attend may buy tickets to individual events online, either through mp2013.fr or the Bouches-du-Rhône’s tourist office Web site, visitprovence.com.

Tickets are also available directly from participating theaters, museums and other venues.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

59

Marseille-Provence 2013 Events & Exhibits

Marseille Master Class

The events of Marseille-Provence 2013 will take place in dozens of towns, but Marseille will top everyone’s itinerary, if only because of the stunning new architecture along its dramatically renovated waterfront. Here’s a guide to help visitors make the most of their stay in this fast-changing city.

By Julia Sammut and Amy Serafin

The Radisson Blu features spectacular city views.

BELOW: Hôtel Le Corbusier, catering to architecture buffs.

Getting There, Getting Around • AIRLINES Air France, the official airline sponsor for MP2013, offers connecting flights to Aéroport Marseille Provence from all of its U.S. gateway cities (airfrance.us). And beginning May 31, XL Airways will offer nonstop flights from New York to Marseille (Tel. 877-496-9889).

• TGV High-speed trains connect all major European cities to Marseille (travel time between Paris’s Gare de Lyon and Marseille is three hours).

There are also TGV stations in Aixen-Provence, Avignon and Nîmes. raileurope.com • PASSTRANSPORT MP2013 This single ticket is valid on public transportation throughout the region (buses, métro, tram, intercity buses).

Individual passes are available for 24 60

F R A NCE • S P R I NG 2 0 1 3

hours (€13), 48 hours (€21) or 72 hours (€31), with the option of adding on TER regional trains and airport shuttles. Special rates are available for families and children. Sold at major Marseille métro stations, the Marseille tourist office and some bus stations. Available only in 2013.

Lodging • InterContinental MarseilleHôtel Dieu This impressive new five-star hotel occupies a refurbished 18th-century hospital. Located next to the historical district Le Panier and overlooking the Old Port, it offers 194 guest rooms, suites with private terraces, a spa, an indoor pool, a fitness center and two restaurants. ichotelsgroup.com • Casa Honoré A former printing plant near the Old Port has been

transformed into this “mini-hotel” built around a courtyard swimming pool. With only four guest rooms and an amusingly creative décor, it has the feel of a charming private home. casahonore.com • Hôtel Le Corbusier A rare chance to sleep in the landmark building conceived by Le Corbusier as a sort of vertical city. The hotel rooms (on the third and fourth floors) range from small studios to mini-suites for four people. Some have (non-working) kitchens designed by Charlotte Perriand. The Cité Radieuse also includes a restaurant, shops, a rooftop

running track, a wading pool for kids and a brand new contemporary arts center, the MAMO. It’s not exactly central, but it’s an incomparable experience for design and architecture buffs. hotellecorbusier.com • Radisson Blu Marseille Vieux Port This hotel boasts an unbeatable location right on the Old Port with fabulous panoramas and amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool (with view), a badminton court and table tennis, a fitness club, two restaurants, a bar-lounge and a Cinq Mondes spa steps away. Modern Provençal and African themes were chosen for the 189 guest rooms and suites. radissonblu.com/hotelmarseille • Sofitel Vieux Port A luxury hotel with dazzling views of the Old Port, Neo-Med décor in guest rooms, yacht-themed suites, a new spa and heated outdoor pool, a panoramic restaurant and a great lobby bar with live jazz. sofitel.com • Mama Shelter The Marseille cousin of the very cool Paris hotel designed by Philippe Starck is located in town, near the Cours Julien. Stylish contemporary rooms include pristine white bedding, a 27-inch iMac and free inroom movies on demand.

The Michelin-starred chef Alain Senderens oversees the restaurant. mamashelter.com • Just Provence Those preferring home rentals outside the city may want to check out Just Provence, an English-speaking agency offering a selection of stunning properties throughout the region. They assess and define each client’s wants and needs, then recommend the ideal home. Services include welcome baskets and catered meals as well as assistance with babysitters, guided tours and getting around the region. just-provence.com

Waterfront dining at Le Petit Nice, a three-star gourmet mecca.

TOP RIGHT: Sushi Qui’s innovative sugata mori; BELOW RIGHT: Le Petit Nice’s “Loup Lucie Passédat,” named after the chef’s grandmother.

Dining • Sushi Qui L.A.-trained Christian Qui serves only local line-caught fish at his pocket-sized restaurant (the bar seats four and a shared table d’hôte accommodates 10). A few favorites: red tuna sashimi and sea bream sugata mori (sliced, diced and entirely reconstituted—with the head!) Experimental and divine. €20 to €30, 31 rue Goudard, 5e; Tel. 33/6-80-92-98-65; sushiqui.com.

• La boîte à sardines Fabien Ruggi serves up witty banter along with some of the city’s best fried whiting, squid-ink pasta, razor clams en persillade and fried calamari. Urban and authentic, the place is a local favorite.

Ruggi’s food truck, Citroën Bleu Roy, will soon be selling Marseille-style fish & chips—sardines, panisses and aïoli—citywide. About €30; 7 bd de la Libération, 1er; Tel. 33/4-91-50-9595; laboiteasardines.com.

• Mina Kouk You can’t leave Marseille without having a great couscous. Mina’s are the best—both the barley and traditional versions, with stewed vegetables, lamb, chicken and merguez cooked to perfection in a wonderfully aromatic broth. Also yummy: the chicken tagine and the danseuse de poulet with preserved lemons, olives and little meatballs, not to mention the fresh warm bread, lemonade and perfect cakes. Eat in or get a “couscous box” to go.

Menu starting at €10.50; 21 rue Fontange, 6e. Tel. 33/4-91-53-54-55; minakouk.com.

• Chez Sauveur Founded in 1943, Chez Sauveur is one of the city’s oldest pizzerias. The restaurant remained in the same family until seven years ago, when it was bought by Fabrice Giacarone, who has carefully preserved the traditions of this Marseille institution. He garnishes

his fine crusty dough with the best toppings; the local favorite is the pizz’marseillaise moitié-moitié (half anchovies half mozzarella).

Pizzas from €13 to €16; 10 rue d’Aubagne, 1er; Tel. 33/4-91-54-3396; chezsauveur.fr.

• Restaurant Calypso If you’re looking for an authentic Marseille bouillabaisse, steer clear of the Old Port. Between the Plage des Catalans and the Cercle des Nageurs you’ll find Le Calypso; this whitetablecloth eatery overlooking the water is the place to go for traditional bouillabaisse and bourride. Unless, of course, you’re more interested The Sofitel Vieux Port, Marseille’s first five-star hotel, offers a luxurious neo-Mediterranean décor.

in the cuttlefish prepared with garlic and parsley and washed down with cassis blanc, followed by the Mediterranean sole…. Bouillabaisse and bourride €60 per person; 3 rue des Catalans, 7e; Tel. 33/4-91-52-40-60; restaurantcalypso.fr.

• Le Petit Nice Chef Gérald Passédat has it all: a historic restaurant, breathtaking Mediterranean views and three Michelin stars. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandmother, he works wonders with forgotten fish species; his sea anemone fritters, stuffed scorpionfish, shellfish carpaccio, sea urchins and sea bass “Lucie Passédat” are all to die for.

Lunch menu at €85 served during the week; 17 rue des Braves, 7 e; Tel. 33/4-91-59-25-92; passedat.fr.

• Les Buvards If you had to choose one great wine bar where you can enjoy tasty nibbles and fill your glass at the bar, Les Buvards would be it.

A tiny place in Le Panier, it has a few tables where you can sample more substantial appetizers, interesting bottles of wine, cheese and pork cold cuts. €11 to €18; 34 Grand Rue, 2e; Tel. 33/4-91-90-69-98; facebook. com/les.buvards.

• Panisses, navettes and more When in Marseille, do what the

locals do: Take a stroll at apéritif time and sample some panisses—fried chickpea dough served hot with salt—from the stands in the picturesque L’Estaque district. Or savor Payany’s homemade chips with olive oil. If it’s navettes you’re after— Provençal cookies flavored with orange blossom water and shaped like little rowboats—head straight over to the Boulangerie Aixoise and buy a quarter-pound bag. They are lovely with coffee. During the afternoon, sip a Tunisian lemonade at one of the tables outside Journo, or cool off with one of the city’s best sorbets at the Glacier du Roi. Panisses de l’Estaque, Promenade de la Plage à l’Estaque, 16 e / Boucherie Payany, 72 rue Breteuil, 6 e / Boulangerie Aixoise, 45 rue Francis Davso, 1er / Pâtisserie Orientale Roger Journo, 28 rue Pavillon, 1er / Le Glacier du Roi, 4 place de Lenche, 2 e.

Tourism Offices Both the regional (CRT) and municipal (OT) tourism offices are located downtown, near the Old Port. They offer a wealth of information on lodging, dining, transportation, sightseeing, shopping, excursions and more.

CRT 61 La Canebière, Tel. 33/4-9156-47-00, information@crt-paca.fr, tourismepaca.fr. / OT Marseille 4 La Canebière, Tel. 33/8-26-50-0500, info@marseille-tourisme.com, marseille-tourisme.com.

FRANC E • SP RI N G 2 0 1 3

61

Calendrier French Cultural Events in North America

April-June 2013

• Compagnie XY performs acrobatic feats without a safety net in “Le Grand C.”

The Lille-based nouveau cirque troupe Compagnie XY embraces not only gender equality (as suggested by its name) but true community—no mere philosophical concept for 17 acrobats who perform with no safety gear and must literally catch each other when they fall. Their intimate 70-minute show in the round titled L e G rand C—for le grand collectif, likely with a nod to le grand chapiteau (big top)—features a minimum of props and a maximum of physicality; the performers put in five hours of training every single day to accomplish the feats required of them, be it forming vertiginous human towers, flipping over one another or catapulting through the air. More than one reviewer has commented on the poignancy of catching a look of concern in the eyes of one of this daring group. Ages 7 and up. April 18 through 28 at The New Victory Theater in New York City, newvictory.org, and May 22 through June 1 at Memminger Auditorium during Charleston’s Spoleto Festival, spoletousa.org.

62

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

C H R I S T O P H E R AY N A U D D E L A G E

NOTA BENE

EXHIBITS Williamstown, MA ELECTRIC PARIS

The photographs and works on paper in Electric Paris capture the French capital around 1900, and more specifically how the transition from oil lamps to gas and electric light affected the city’s appearance and its inhabitants’ lives. At one end of the spectrum is the old-fashioned glow of a bourgeois interior; at the other, the white glare of a racetrack. ToulouseLautrec, Degas and Bonnard are just a few of the artists represented. Through April 21 at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute; clarkart.edu.

Saint Louis and Washington, DC GEORGES BRAQUE

Georges Braque and the Cubist Still Life, 1928-1945 presents 40 paintings from a little-known period of the artist’s career. The exhibition sheds light both on Braque’s artistic process, thanks to technical analyses of several pieces, and on the place of these ostensibly inward-looking works in the historical and political context of World War II and the years leading up to it. Through April 21 at the Kemper Art Museum, kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu, and June 8 through Sept. 1 at The Phillips Collection; phillipscollection.org.

Boston

© 2 0 13 A R T I S T S R I G H T S S O C I E T Y ( A R S ) , N E W Y O R K / A D A G P, PA R I S

CÉZANNE AND GAUGUIN

Visiting Masterpieces: Cézanne’s The Large Bathers offers Boston museumgoers an opportunity to view one of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s prized possessions alongside one of their own artistic jewels, Gauguin’s “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” Innovative takes on the classical theme of Arcadia, these two monumental canvases represent their respective creators at the peak of their powers and influenced a generation of Modern artists, notably Picasso and Matisse. Through May 12 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; mfa.org.

Washington, DC ANGELS, DEMONS, AND SAVAGES

Focusing on the postwar period when the center of the art world shifted from Europe to the United States, Angels, Demons, and Savages: Pollock, Ossorio, Dubuffet examines the transcontinental dialogue between three key figures in the development of American Abstract Expressionism, all of whom were classically trained but drawn to nontraditional techniques and materials. While viewers will likely be familiar with Jackson Pollock and Jean Dubuffet, Alfonso Ossorio—an artist in his own right as well as a friend and patron to his more famous

contemporaries—may well be a discovery. Fifty-three paintings and works on paper dating from 1945 to 1958 illuminate the artists’ mutual influence at crucial times in their careers. Through May 12 at The Phillips Collection; phillipscollection.org.

Georges •Braque’s “The Round Table” (1929) can be seen this spring and summer in Saint Louis and Washington, DC.

New Orleans FONTAINEBLEAU

Located about 40 miles southeast of Paris, the vast Forest of Fontainebleau became a hub of experimentation in landscape art during the first half of the 19th century, with an emphasis on plein air practices. Reinventing Nature: Art from the School of Fontainebleau examines the shift away from classical, idealized depictions to an embrace of things as they actually are—a change that arose in part from a new knowledge of the Earth’s great age and mankind’s relatively brief history. Through May 19 at the New Orleans Museum of Art; noma.org.

Washington, DC COLOR, LINE, LIGHT

Color, Line, Light: French Drawings, Watercolors, and Pastels from Delacroix to Signac presents 100 works from the collection of the Arkansas businessman James T. Dyke, a major donor to the National Gallery of Art. Covering the period from 1830 to 1930, these works on paper represent a wide range of subjects and artistic movements, surveying the evolution of modern draftsmanship in France from Romanticism through neoImpressionism. Through May 26 at the National Gallery of Art; nga.gov.

New York and Chicago IMPRESSIONISM, FASHION, AND MODERNITY

Exploring the dynamic between art and la mode from the 1860s to the 1890s, when Paris became the style capital of the world, Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity combines 80-odd figure paintings with period accessories, fashion plates, photographs, popular prints and clothing. Through May 27 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, metmuseum. org, and June 26 through Sept. 22 at the Art Institute of Chicago, artic.edu.

New York THE IMPRESSIONIST LINE

The Impressionist Line from Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec: Drawings and Prints from the Clark is the first loan exhibition devoted to the Williamstown, MA, museum’s fine collection of 19th-century French works on paper. Highly varied, the 58 pieces on view reflect the dynamism of the art scene at a time when notions of appropriate subject matter, materials and technique were all upended. Through June 16 at The Frick Collection; the frick.org.

New York HENRI LABROUSTE

Henri Labrouste: Structure Brought to Light is the first U.S. solo exhibition dedicated to the 19th-century architect, a pioneer in the use of exposed iron framework. Some 200 watercolor drawings, photographs, fragments and other items are organized into sections exploring his philosophy of design; his principal creations, most notably the Bibliothèque SainteGeneviève and Bibliothèque nationale in Paris; and the inheritors of his legacy, from his pupils and followers in France and abroad to later figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright. Through June 24 at the Museum of Modern Art; moma.org.

Memphis BIJOUX PARISIENS

Bijoux Parisiens: French Jewelry from the Petit Palais, Paris showcases exquisite works of haute joaillerie by Boucheron, Lalique and Cartier. Some 150 drawings, fashion prints and photographs trace the evolution of jewelrymaking in France from the age of Louis XIII through the Art Deco era. April 28 through July 21 at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens; dixon.org.

Los Angeles

Washington, DC LES BALLETS RUSSES

Perhaps best known for its commotioncausing premiere of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” 100 years ago, the Parisbased Ballets Russes revolutionized the dance world by combining the talents of contemporary choreographers, dancers, composers, artists and fashion designers now recognized as among the greatest of the day: Picasso, Matisse, De Chirico, Prokoviev, Satie, Nijinsky, Balanchine, Chanel…. Spanning the company’s brief history, Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music brings together some 135 original costumes, set designs, paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, photographs, posters and film clips (see article, p. 28). May 12 through Sept. 2 at the National Gallery of Art; nga.gov.

CECI N’EST PAS …

The months-long series of cultural events titled Ceci n’est pas … Art Between France and Los Angeles is set to conclude with a bang. Among the final events is the first edition of Paris Photo Los Angeles (April 25 through 28 at Paramount Pictures Studios). This stateside version of the French capital’s annual photography festival, first held in 1997, features 80 international exhibitors selected by a committee of gallerists and showcasing both still and moving images.

Also on the agenda is Hammer Projects: Cyprien Gaillard (April 20 through July 28), which presents new work produced during the Prix Duchamp-winning artist’s residence at UCLA’s Hammer Museum and inspired by remnants of California’s recent past. cnp-la.org

Chicago LASCAUX

Executed some 20,000 years ago and discovered by a group of teenagers in 1940, the Lascaux cave paintings in southwestern France are among the world’s finest examples of prehistoric art; after viewing them, Pablo Picasso reportedly said, “We have invented nothing.” Although the caves were closed to the public in 1963 for purposes of preservation, they have unfortunately been under assault by fungi for the past decade. Using the latest digital technology, the interactive multimedia exhibition Scenes from the Stone Age: The Cave Paintings of Lascaux offers a virtual tour of this fragile World Heritage Site, with highly accurate, full-size F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

63

The cave paintings of Lascaux • are showcased in Chicago’s interactive multimedia exhibit “Scenes from the Stone Age.”

Santa Fe WILLIAM CLIFT

For four decades, the American photographer William Clift returned again and again to the fortified tidal island of Mont St. Michel in Normandy and the volcanic rock formation Shiprock in the New Mexico desert. These two seemingly disparate subjects share not only a similar towering form, but also a spiritual dimension—the former for its venerable abbey and the latter as a site sacred to the Navajo. A selection of otherworldly black-and-white images from the two series are on view in Shiprock and Mont St. Michel: Photographs by William Clift. April 19 through Sept. 8 at the New Mexico Museum of Art; nmartmuseum.org.

New York LE CORBUSIER

Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes explores the role of locations both real and imagined in the vast and varied œuvre of the pioneering Swiss-born French architect. Holding that functional buildings and urban planning could improve people’s lives, he famously defined a house as a machine à habiter in his seminal 1923 book Vers une architecture. The show includes samples of his work as an architect, interior designer, artist, city planner, writer and photographer, ranging from early watercolors of Italy, Greece and Turkey to models of largescale projects. June 9 through Sept. 23 at the Museum of Modern Art; moma.org.

North Adams, MA GUILLAUME LEBLON

Running the gamut from site-specific installations and sculpture to videos and works on paper, the work of the Parisbased artist Guillaume Leblon is often described in terms of transformation, be it with regard to a particular space or to the enigmatic quality with which he endows such everyday objects as tables, ladders and lengths of rope. His first solo

64

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

museum exhibition in the United States, Guillaume Leblon features pieces from the last decade as well as two new works. May 26 through April 7, 2014, at MASS MoCA; massmoca.org.

18th-century Peruvian entertainer who was mistress to the head of state. April 21 through 27 at the New York City Center; nycopera.com.

New York AFTERNOON OF A FOEHN

PERFORMING ARTS North American Tour CHRISTOPHE ROUSSET

The renowned Baroque specialist Christophe Rousset, founder of the period music ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, plays a program of harpsichord music

by Couperin and Rameau in four North American cities this spring. April 4 at the Musée des Beaux-Arts Montréal; April 7 at Northbrae Community Church in Berkeley, CA; April 9 at The Auditorium at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA; April 12 at La Maison Française in Washington, DC; and April 13 at the Library of Congress’s Coolidge Auditorium; lestalenslyriques.com/en/ agenda?semester=4-2013.

Washington, DC PROUST THE MUSICIAN

In this centennial year of the publication of the first volume of Remembrance of Things Past, cellist Anthony Leroy and pianist Sandra Moubarak perform Marcel Proust le Musicien, a selection of works

by Franck, Fauré, Saint-Saëns, Debussy and others who influenced the writer. The award-winning French duo’s performance is complemented by excerpts of Proust’s work read by film stars Romane Bohringer and Michael Lonsdale and esteemed stage actor Didier Sandre. April 24 at La Maison Française; houseoffrancedc.org.

The French Institute Alliance Française presents Afternoon of a Foehn Version 1, a 20-minute, dialogue-free show directed and performed by the transgender artist Phia Ménard to Debussy’s music. Seated on stage, the audience admires the graceful moves of simple plastic bag puppets transformed into dancers by air currents (a “foehn” is a warm, dry wind on the downward slope of a mountain). April 27 at Florence Gould Hall; fiaf.org.

Washington, DC ACTÉON

The period music ensemble Opera Lafayette presents a semi-staged production of Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s Actéon conceived by the New York-based modern dancer and choreographer Seán Curran. Composed in 1684, the one-act opéra de chasse recounts the Greek myth of the hunter who was transformed into a stag and torn apart by his own hounds for the crime of seeing Artemis bathing. May 1 and 2 at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater; operalafayette.org.

New York LE CLAN DES SONGES

Toulouse-based puppeteers Le Clan des Songes perform FRAGILE, a pareddown production in which a lone traveler negotiates a constantly shifting road with resourcefulness and determination. Ages 4 and up. April 25 through May 12 at the New 42nd Street Studios; newvictory.org.

New York LA PÉRICHOLE

North American Tour

New York City Opera stages a new production of the operetta La Périchole,

by Jacques Offenbach. Penned by the composer’s frequent collaborators Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, its libretto is loosely based on the life of a popular

RODIN

Believing that audiences seek catharsis, choreographer Boris Eifman does not shy away from the theatrical in his works of “modern psychological ballet.” This spring, the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

visits four North American cities to dance Rodin, which explores the love triangle between the sculptor; his apprentice, mistress and muse, Camille Claudel; and his wife, Rose. Complete with live tableaux of such famous works as The Gates of Hell, the piece is set to music by Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Massenet, Debussy and Satie. May 3 through 5 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA; May 10 through 12 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall; May 17 through 19 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago; and May 23 through 25 at the Sony Centre in Toronto; ardani.com.

Sacramento FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

The 12th annual Sacramento French Film Festival screens an assortment of new, classic and short pictures, including two midnight movies followed by coffee and pastries. June 21 to 30 at the Crest Theatre; sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org.

Brooklyn MARS2BKLYN

This spring kicks off mars2bklyn / bklyn2mars, an open-ended series of exhibitions, performances and panel discussions linking the multicultural port cities of Brooklyn and Marseille. Like Brooklyn in relation to Manhattan, Marseille has attracted artists seeking an affordable alternative to Paris and thus become a vital center of creativity and innovation in its own right. One of the first events on the agenda is Hidden Stories, a “soundwalk” by Begat Theater, a French-American street theater company founded in New York in 1992 and now based in Provence (May 2 through 4 at the Irondale Center). Wearing headphones, audience members follow the performers through the streets, listening to their interior monologues and witnessing their chance encounters. mars2bklyn.org.

—Tracy Kendrick Visit us on Facebook for additional announcements of cultural events.

©LRMH

replicas of the ancient images. Through Sept. 8 at the Field Museum; field.org.

France Magazine gift subscriptions only $19.97

Formidable! www.francemagazine.org

PHOTO CREDITS

Raising the Curtain on the Ballets Russes pp. 28-29: ©peter macdiarmid / getty images ; pp. 30-31: © v & a theatre & performance collections ; léon bakst/public domain ; collection of the mcnay art museum, san antonio, gift of robert l. b. tobin ; © bibliothèque nationale de france ; pp. 32-33: léon bakst/ public domain, ©victoria and albert museum, london ; private collection /the stapleton collection /bridgeman giraudon ; © photograph by bert/v & a theatre & performance collections thm /165; pp. 34-35: ©victoria and albert museum, london ; collection of the mcnay art museum, san antonio, gift of robert l. b. tobin ; assouline ; pp. 36-37: national gallery of art, washington, chester dale collection ; ©2012 estate of pablo picasso /artists rights society ( ars ), new york ; © hulton archive /getty images.

A (very cool) Year in Provence pp. 38-39: © charles plumey faye / médiathèque lafarge , all rights reserved ; pp. 40-41: © johan stomberg / compagnie cirkus cirkör ; © films du losange /sarrazink productions ; © jeanbaptiste mondino ; pp. 42-43: © musée rodin, paris ; © philippe praliaud ; © studio bernar venet/©adagp, paris 2013; © patrick houdot, bibliothèque méjanes ; pp.

44-45: ©musée saint-raymond, musée des antiques de toulouse /p.nin ; ©nigel young /foster + partners ; pp. 46-47: © gilles desplanques ; © nuit de chine /g. iannuzzi, r. gatto, m. siccardi /culturespaces ; ©2009 michel bazerbes.

Into the Light pp. 48-49: © museum of fine arts , boston / all rights reserved ; pp. 50-51: © rmn - grand palais ( musée d’orsay )/ thierry le mage ; © smk photo / © adagp, paris 2013; pp. 52-53: © rmn - grand palais ( musée de l’orangerie )/ hervé lewandowski ; © rmn- grand palais ( musée d’orsay)/gérard blot ; © museum of fine arts , boston ; pp. 54-55: © rmn - grand palais ( musée d’orsay)/gérard blot; © rmn-grand palais ( musée d’orsay)/tonny querrec ; pp.

56-57: courtesy of artvera’s gallery geneva, switzerland ; cnac /mnam /dist. rmn-grand palais /art resource, ny/©artres.

The Short List

pp.

58-59: ©musée ziem, martigues ; ©maurice aeschimann / 2012; walker art center, minneapolis; ©marcel de renzis/fondation le corbusier /adagp paris; ©motionhouse; ©smart bastard; ©vincent muteau. succession picasso

Marseille Master Class pp. 60-61: courtesy of radisson blu hotels & resorts, hôtel le corbusier, le petit nice, sushi qui and sofitel luxury hotels.

ADVERTORIAL

Just Provence Founder TIMOTHY DUNN explains

that the key to a great vacation is a partner with local knowledge and experience.

Vacationing in a foreign country, especially one where locals don’t speak your language, doesn’t have to be daunting. Experiencing the beautiful and culturally rich region of Provence from a private luxury vacation villa allows you to live like the locals while enjoying the same level of service you would expect from a quality hotel—with the added bonus of a private garden and swimming pool.

Offering this sort of worry-free vacation is what Englishman Timothy Dunn had in mind when he founded Just Provence in 2008. Since its humble beginnings, Just Provence has developed an exclusive portfolio of luxury properties throughout Provence. Providing a service based on local knowledge and experience, the company reaches out to a discerning North American and British audience. We met up with Tim in Avignon: Q. Why did you choose to live and work in Provence?

A. Just come to Provence and you’ll understand why I gave up my career as a barrister in London to live and work here. In a word, it’s all about lifestyle. The culture, the weather and the pace of life are like the local wine—irresistible.

Q. What made you decide to create Just Provence?

A. When I first started searching for vacation rental properties as a visitor to the region in the early ’90s, I was surprised by the poor quality of ads, both in terms of images and descriptions. Several years later, having settled into Provence and renovated my own house, I decided to turn my attention to creating a portfolio of exceptional rental properties. It was very important to me to promote them through attractive and informative brochures that would help prospective clients make the best and most informed decisions.

Q. Are local knowledge and experience important in your business?

A. Very. We visit every property, photograph each one and describe all of them in a clear and engaging manner. This takes time, but I refuse to cut corners. What’s more, we get to know the areas where these properties are situated, becoming intimately familiar with all the local businesses and amenities. And of course, everyone at Just Provence is

bilingual. This is what “local knowledge and experience” means. We do more than simply promote luxury properties; we offer a luxury service that we believe is unique.

Q. What impact does this have on your clients’ experience?

A. A very positive one. At the end of the day, it’s all about quality and reassurance. We want our clients to spend their hard-earned vacation experiencing the best the region has to offer, and we want doing so to be effortless for them. Provence is a fantastic destination, thanks to its Mediterranean climate, renowned wines, famed restaurants, historical sites and impressive natural beauty. We ensure that our clients enjoy a truly memorable escape here by making everything as easy for them as possible; for example, by recommending English-speaking service providers that organize tours and events.

Q. Your portfolio does not include the French Riviera, why is this?

A. Provence and the Riviera are quite different, in location as well as character. Many visitors are surprised to learn that Avignon and Nice are more than three hours’ drive apart. Basing our business model on “local knowledge and experience,” our portfolio consists of properties within an hour’s drive of Avignon. Here you will find the authentic Provence, as featured in novels and movies such as Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence.

Q. Will 2013 be a good year in Provence?

A. Every year is a good year in Provence as far as I’m concerned!

However, in 2013, Marseille is the European Capital of Culture, and that is having a huge impact on the region in terms of culture, politics and the economy. Expect an amazing array of choices as every corner of Provence plays host to circuses, new galleries and venues, exhibitions, street entertainment, open-air concerts, food trucks and lots more.

Whether you’re eager to immerse yourself in the Marseille-Provence 2013 celebrations or just want to relax at one of Just Provence’s luxury vacation rental villas, visit www.just-provence.com to see their fine portfolio.

Temps Modernes

Funny Business

by MICHEL FAURE

your opinions on modern art and music, I advise you to use them as of a movie that still makes us laugh. It’s called Les Tontons Flingueurs, suppositories … and in children’s sizes too.”6 and if you love France you have to see it. It’ll give you a better sense of A lukewarm success when it came out in 1963, Tontons was who we are and what moves us, what gives us fits of hysteria or makes panned by critics, who along with most cinephiles of the time liked us nostalgic. You’ll probably laugh, too, at some of the movie’s cult only the French New Wave and American Westerns. They were expressions, which we recite at the slightest provocation. immune to the charms of Georges Lautner’s gangster parody, which Opening a bottle of exotic liquor with friends? You say: “Want to aspired only to entertain the broadest possible audience. “Les Tontons try a strange new taste sensation?”1 You down a glass and add, wiping Flingueurs aims low,” moaned one pained reviewer. And you can away your tears, “You gotta admit, it’s a man’s drink.”2 Your girlfriend see why it might have seemed a little tacky alongside Fellini’s 8 asks you to help her in the kitchen? You take her in your arms and 1/2 and Godard’s Le Mépris, which boasted Capri’s splendid Casa murmur in her ear, “We’re not here to butter sandwiches.”3 Then Malaparte and Brigitte Bardot’s splendid derrière. there’s this nugget of philosophiTontons may have been a lot cal truth we repeat a bit too often: less sexy but it was way funnier.

“Morons will try anything; that’s Over the years, it would air perihow you know they’re morons.”4 odically on TV and, little by litAll these pearls, and many more, tle, it became a cult classic. Those come from Tontons, whose diawho had haughtily ignored it the logue was penned by the great first time around were suddenly postwar screenwriter Michel proclaiming it to be a little jewel Audiard. And don’t think the of French cinema. It is in fact a only people who find it hilarious piece of Surrealist poetry, with its are living in retirement homes. suited-up hoodlums, cartoonish My kids adore the kitchen scene, villains, upper-class twits, harmfor example. less shoot-outs, easygoing humor Based on a dark, bloody crime and colorful slang. It’s basically novel by Albert Simonin, the the adult version of little boys movie is a light comedy that goes playing cops-and-robbers with easy on the hemoglobin. Fernand plastic pistols—a gangster film Lino Ventura, Bernard Blier, Francis Blanche and Robert Dalban downing Naudin, a former gangster who • for kids—which is probably vile beverages in Tontons’ famous kitchen scene. has “gone straight” and sells agriwhy two generations of French cultural machinery in Montauban, receives a telegram from a dying people love it so much. In today’s depressing economy, it’s wonderful friend, Louis le Mexicain. “America is fine if you want to rake in the feel-good fare. Those farcical crooks are the tender rebels we wish cash,” he tells Fernand, “but there’s only one place to croak: France.”5 we still were; they’re ready to defend their clear-cut interests and This amiable patriot wants to leave the management of his businesses— those of their friends out of a sense of duty, loyalty and friendship, a moonshine operation, a brothel and an illegal casino—to his old pal. and they’re nostalgic for a bygone world in which no one took any That enrages a pair of mobsters, the Volfoni brothers, and sparks a gang nonsense from anyone else. They’re overgrown kids whose timeless war involving punches in the nose and a bomb in a birthday cake. But first universe exists outside of norms, laws and reality. It may not be a there’s an unforgettable negotiating session in Le Mexicain’s kitchen— “serious” film, but it’s sentimental, innocent, anarchistic and good a classic scene that purportedly involved real alcoholic beverages. for a laugh. In short, it’s very French. f Some of our most beloved actors are featured in this unpreten- 1 “On se risque sur le bizarre?” tious little flick: Lino Ventura as Naudin, Francis Blanche as the 2 “C’est plutôt un boisson d’homme.” shady lawyer Maître Folasse, Bernard Blier and Jean Lefebvre as the 3 “On n’est quand même pas venus pour beurrer les sandwiches.”

Volfoni brothers. The French character actor Robert Dalban mangles 4 “Les cons ça ose tout, c’est même à ça qu’on les reconnait.”

5 “Les Amériques, c’est chouette pour prendre du carbure … mais pour laisser English as the mannered butler (a former safecracker), while a young ses os, y a que la France!”

Claude Rich plays the fiancé of Le Mexicain’s daughter. A composer 6 “Monsieur Naudin, vous faites sans doute autorité en matière de bulldozer, of unlistenable contemporary music, he tells Fernand: “Monsieur tracteur et caterpillar, mais vos opinions sur la musique moderne et l’art en général, Naudin, you may know all about bulldozers and tractors, but as for je vous conseille de les utiliser en suppositoires, voilà ! Et encore, pour enfants...”

68

F R A N C E • S PR I N G 2 013

© G A U M O N T I N T E R N AT I O N A L

This year, we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary

CORPORATE SPONSORS

France Magazine and the French-American Cultural Foundation thank the following businesses for their generous support.

PLATINUM LEVEL

GOLD LEVEL

SILVER LEVEL

For additional information on our sponsorship program and benefits, please contact: Tel. 202 944-6069; Email: stephanie.renou@gmail.com.