Today I was totally entertained and charmed by a very popular exhibit at the Centre Pompidou – it’s called “Alexander Calder: Les Années Parisiennes, 1926-1933” and it brings together about 300 sculptures, paintings, drawings, and toys from museums all over the world, works that Calder created while he lived in Paris from 1926 to 1933. It’s aaaaa-mazing! You may have heard of his “Circus” pieces, a huge set of figures and props made from wire, wood, leather, and fabric, complete with springs and wheels and strings that make acrobats jump, cowboys lasso a steer, trapeze artists fly, lion tamers crack their whip, etc. – they’re all here too. There is also a film from the 1950’s (long after he moved back to the U.S.) of Calder entertaining some children by playing with his circus. By this time he had played with it a lot, and all of the figures were pretty worn, but it was more entertaining than any video game! My favorite scene was with a very colorfully dressed lady figure standing on a high table in front of a screen while the spring-armed knife thrower tried to throw the knives around her. Of course, on about the fourth try the knife hit her and she fell over. Two medic characters carrying a stretcher appeared from behind the curtain, loaded her up, and took her backstage. What a hoot!
You must ask to borrow my exhibit catalog. You can also view some guides on the museum’s website – www.centrepompidou.fr
I picked a video of the circus – I hope that it’s as entertaining as the one I saw! My nieces are apparently already very bored this summer. They’re also both quite mechanical. Hmmm…maybe Auntie could interest them in a project like this…it might be worth a try!
The exterior escalators and the rooftop of Le Centre Pompidou offer some of the best views of the city. Check out my photos. The plaza in front of the museum is a magnetic gathering space for artists, musicians, tourists, and only a few panhandlers!
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