Autumn Art Exhibits and Events in Paris 2012

van cleef jewelry

Richard Nahem, an ex-New Yorker living in Paris, leads private insider tours showing visitors the Paris most of them never see on their own (www.eyepreferparistours.com), and also writes a popular insider's blog www.eyepreferparis.com.

Autumn is the premiere season for art exhibitions in Paris and 2012 promises to be a prolific parade of exhibits for every taste. We selected a handful of the not to be missed shows.

Van Cleef and Arpels L’Art de la Haute Joaillerie
Legendary jeweler Van Cleef and Arpels is having a dazzling show of their most iconic gems. Over four hundred exquisite jewels starting from 1906 are shown along with documents and drawings. Many of the designs are inspired by textiles, including lace, knots, tulle, and drapery. The signature piece is the famous Zip necklace made in 1951, inspired by the Duchess of Windsor. The exhibition also introduces some of Van Cleef’s more modern collections including the new Bals de Légende, influenced by the sumptuous society balls of the early 20th century.

Till February 10
Museé Les Arts Decoratifs
107 rue de Rivoli, 75001

audrey hepburnParis Vu Hollywood
American filmmakers have long had a fascination for Paris since the silent age of film. Hotel de Ville captures the love affair with a new exhibit Paris vu par Hollywood. Twenty screens show clips from 70 movies and one giant screen has a series of film excerpts, photos, and posters. Directors include George Cukor, Vincente Minnelli, Billy Wilder, Stanley Donen, Howard Hawks, Woody Allen, and Robert Altman. One special highlight is the costume collection worn by Audrey Hepburn designed by Hubert de Givenchy for the romantic comedy from 1963 Charade, with Cary Grant.

Till December 15
Hotel de Ville
Salle St. Jean
5 rue Lobau, 75004

impressionist paintingImpressionism and Fashion
Just in time for fashion week, the Impressionism and Fashion show at Museé d’Orsay explores the connection Impressionist artists had with daily life and fashion. Eighty paintings by Renoir, Monet, Manet, and Degas capture the fashion of the day between 1860 and 1880. Costumes, dresses, hats, and accessories are also on display to depict the correlation to the paintings. If you miss the show in Paris, it will be travelling to New York and Chicago in 2013.

September 25 till January 20
Museé d’Orsay
1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007

Nuit Blanche
Started in 2002, Nuit Blanche has become one of the most attended and anticipated art events in Paris. Nuit Blanche is an all night art fair on the first Saturday of October taking place at indoor and outdoor venues all over the city. For the 2012 edition, the theme is Between the Sky and the Seine and it will include paintings, installations, performances, dance, light shows, and outdoor projections. Museums such as the Louvre, Pompidou, d’Orsay, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais will be open all night and other more obscure buildings that are not usually accessible to the public will be open such as the hypostyle hall of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, the Lucien Gaudin Gymnasium, the garden level of the National Library of France, with works by Garouste and Louise Bourgeois.

October 6 & 7
http://goparis.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=goparis&cdn=travel&tm=20&f=21&su=p531.60.342.ip_&tt=11&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.paris.fr/english/english/nuit-blanche-between-the-sky-and-the-seine/rub_8118_actu_119760_port_19237

paris night