•To make art accessible to all
•To use the urban landscape as a showcase for modern art
•To create a fun, shared experience
This event could also have been his last since, on the first "Nuit Blanche", he was stabbed in the stomach by a man whose explanation to the police was: “I don’t like politicians and I don’t like gays”. (M Delanoë is both.)
I remember this every year in the fall and am glad that both the Mayor and his creation continue to thrive.
What is the "Nuit Blanche"? Ephemeral works of modern art are installed in and around churches, gardens and public buildings for people to visit from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on the first Saturday in October. It’s edgy; it moves most of us out of our comfort zone; it’s a lot of fun.
This year we began at the St Roch Church -- not too far from Place de la Concorde. We were invited to stroll in the dimly lit church and listen. Thirteen loudspeakers picked up the ambient sound. When we were there, the evening Mass was being said in a chapel behind the main altar. The murmur of prayers and the priest’s voice was a gentle way to start our edgy evening.
Then, off to St Eustache, near the old Market area of Paris. We were welcomed by the parish priest – though in the dim light, my friend didn’t realize who he was and opened her bag for security inspection. I don’t know which of them was more startled! Inside, we were engulfed by the sound of a 17th century “Miserere”, while a giant screen over the altar projected, in slow motion, film of passengers coming out of the international arrivals area of a British airport. The work is called “Threshold to the Kingdom”. Our minds knew the situation was stressful; the slow motion and the music made it almost restful.
Dinner break and then off to City Hall. Outside, a giant screen, usually used to project sporting events to the masses, showed us film of Kimsooja, a Korean artist, standing immobile on the Champs Elysées while preoccupied people surged around her. You can see from my photos, not all the pre-occupied people were on film.
As we wove through the throng on the Pont Saint Louis, we had time to decide whether we preferred the Samsung-sponsored lighting experience
or the more traditional one.
Our destination was the Collège des Bernardins -- built in the 13th century as a university for monks and now a cultural center for all. Well, those who were willing to wait in line anyway.
Perhaps we’d have more luck about a mile away at the Saint Severin Church. It was fun wandering through the increasingly crowded streets. It was not fun seeing the “one-hour wait" sign for the "Forty Part Motet" inside. We contented ourselves with the enthusiasm of a friend we met coming out. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself.
“Time to go home,” I decided and said goodbye to my friends as they went off to seek other cultural adventures. As I strolled along by the Seine, I thought,”
•art accessible to all -- check
•using the urban landscape as a showcase for modern art -- check
•a fun, shared experience –- double-check!”
Thank you , Monsieur Delanoë, for a wonderful evening.
So Sandy, do some folks make it an all-night affair, staying up purposedly until the sun comes up? My 22nd birthday party ended up with a sunrise- watching at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean at Virginia Beach -- can't think of too many other occasions when the party lasted ALL night.
ReplyDeleteOh yes Jeanne they do, at least that's what I'm told because I've never been one of them. But there are lots of young people who go and, for them, the fun is to go after midnight. Even the other friend I went with usually stays out until 1 or 2. The métro runs all night whereas it usually closes down from 2 to 5:30. It's a fun event.
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