The Pompidou is a refreshing contemporary art museum. After spending 4 hours at the Louvre viewing classic, Renaissance, antiquities and XVII century art, we had to 'cleanse our palettes' with some modern art.
The Centre was founded by President Georges Pompidou and designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and British architect Richard Rogers. It's doors opened in 1977 to provide a cultural art center that coincided with theater, music, literature and fashion centers in the heart of Paris. The 'constraint-free' architecture enables one to view the interior of the museum from the outside, and color coded ducts and architectural elements flank the exterior windows. The interior was designed without rooms, but more of an open exhibition concept that allowed natural light in from all sides. The views from the Pompidou reach from the quaint neighborhoods, rooftops, and cathedrals to the far reaching Sacre Coeur in the hilltop of Montmartre.
They have 30 exhibitions per year. We saw an exhibit on Lucien Freud , one of our favorites, while we were there.
Some other artists of note were Lee Bontecou,
Kristin Baker,
Christina Iglesias,
Annette Messager,
Henry Moore,
Marc Chagall,
Yaacov Agam whose work was interactive and kinetic,
Max Ernst,
There was a model of sculptor Constantin Brancusi's (1876-1957) studio. I loved the rudimentary tools he used.
Viewing museums gives me a more worldly perspective of art. I can appreciate every style and genre, and see into the soul of an artist. The Pompidou is up there with my top five museums of all time. Do you have an art museum, an artist or a any museum for that matter that has made a lasting impression? Do tell.
Nancy
If you are looking for help with your home, we'd love to work with you! Contact us for a listing of our services and prices. Nancy and Bethany
