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.
Spring 2014 is shaping up to be a blockbuster for exhilarating museum exhibitions. Fashion, photography, videos, and old masters are well represented and below we have listed some of our top picks.
Robert Mapplethorpe
Controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe died of AIDS in 1989 but thanks to his foundation, his work has thrived in recent years with worldwide exhibitions. The Grand Palais is presenting over 200 works from the 1970s to 1989 including nudes, flowers, and portraits in the stark black and white style Mapplethorpe became famous for.
March 26 to July 13 4014
Grand Palais
3, avenue du Général Eisenhower 75008
Open every day except Tuesday
http://www.grandpalais.fr/en/event/robert-mapplethorpe
Bill Viola
One of the pioneers of the modern art video, Bill Viola, is having a retrospective of his groundbreaking videos and moving paintings, with works from 1977 till today. Themes express life, death, and transfiguration.
Till July 21, 2014
Grand Palais
3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008
Metro: Champs Elysees-Clemenceau
Open every day except Tuesday
http://www.grandpalais.fr/en/event/bill-viola
Van Gogh / Artaud: The Man Suicided by Society
In a more cerebral look at Van Gogh’s work, Van Gogh / Artaud The Man Driven to Suicide by Society is an eye opening commentary by the late avant garde theatre director and playwright Antonin Artaud. Based on the writings of Artaud from 1947, the exhibit analyzes Van Gogh’s descent into madness along with 55 of his paintings.
Till July 6 2014
Musee d’Orsay
1, rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007
Open 9:30AM to 6PM, except Tuesday, Thursday till 9PM
http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/events/exhibitions/in-the-musee-dorsay/exhibitions-in-the-musee-dorsay/article/van-gogh-artaud-37162.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=254&cHash=66af044067
Henri Cartier Bresson Retrospective
One of the founding fathers of photojournalism, Henri Cartier-Bresson was one of the most prolific and greatest photogrpahers of the 20th century. With over 500 works, the new Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit will be one of the largest ever mounted of the legendary photographer. Spanning over spans over 70 years of Bresson’s illustrious career, the exhibit includes his series from New York and work for Magnum plus his drawings, paintings and films.
February 12 to June 9
Centre Pompidou
19 rue de Beaubourg, 75004
Metro: Hotel de Ville or Rambuteau
Open daily 11AM to 9PM, except Tuesday, Thursday till 11PM
Dries Van Noten Inspirations
Dries Van Noten, the celebrated Belgian designer of over 25 years, is having his first museum show. More than a retrospective of past clothing collections, the exhibition reveals the inner world of his creative process showing the different inspirational components that lead to his designs. An assemblage of films, photos, paintings, memorabilia, and souvenirs having influenced Van Noten are along side the highlights of his collections and include names such as Bronzino, Kees Van Dongen, Yves Klein, Victor Vasarely, Francis Bacon, Elizabeth Peyton and Damien Hirst plus films like Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and Jane Campion’s The Piano.
Till August 31, 2014
Musée des Arts Decoratifs
107 rue de Rivoli, 75001
http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/francais/accueil-292/une-486/francais/mode-et-textile/expositions-70/prochainement-446/dries-van-noten-inspirations/
Papier Glace
The pages of fashion publications Vogue, Glamour, Vanity Fair and W show how Conde Nast magazines dictated fashion and style for the modern woman more than any other publications in the 20th century. A new show of 150 diverse and iconic images from legendary photographers include Edward Steichen, George Hoyningen-Huene, Horst P. Horst, Cecil Beaton, Erwin Blumenfeld, Avedon and Irving Penn followed by latter 20th century cult fashion photographers Guy Bourdin, William Klein, David Bailey, Helmut Newton, Bruce Weber, Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
Till May 25 2014
Palais Galliera
10 Ave. Pierre 1er Serbie, 75016
Metro: Alma-Marceau
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10AM to 6PM, Thursday till 9PM
http://palaisgalliera.paris.fr/en/exhibitions/papier-glace