Henri Rousseau, Painter of Jungle…

Arsene Wargas
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Henri_Rousseau Self-portrait_of_the_Artist_with_a_Lamp

At Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland, there is one of the most astonishing exhibitions about Henri Rousseau artwork. It is the first time, for years, someone gathered so many master pieces from the “Douanier”. 39 paintings from the artist. The commissioners for the exhibition are Christopher Green and Philippe Buttner. This one wrote an article on Le Monde  last month about the incredible collection.

Henri Julien Félix Rousseau was born in May 21st 1844 and died in September 2nd 1910 in Paris. He is more than a Pionnier, Henri Rousseau could be considered as a Rebel with a cause! Being totally against the classical influence of the 18th Century, he considered himself as a Post-impressionist painter in a Naive or primitive manner. His speciality : painting incredible jungle landscapes and life scenes… It is an extraordinary work for someone who never went to a real jungle. Why this ? Some people say he did not have enough money for the travel. I would say he did not want to compare the jungle landscapes coming from his imagination to the real ones. He would be too afraid to be disappointed and then loose all inspiration.

He is worldwide known as “The Douanier’ because during his young days he worked as a customs officer.

Since his first public appearence, he always exhibited in the Salon des Indépendants. This Salon was created in Paris in 1884 (When Rousseau was born 🙂 ) and the main concept was : “No Jury, no awards”. Basically, art for art. All trends in art of the early 20th century were first displayed and widely discussed there.

During the exhibition I saw most of Rousseau Master pieces, here my prefered ones.

I need to start with the one which makes me dream and dream : The Snake Charmer, 1907.

Henri_Rousseau_SerpentCharmer
Rousseau, Serpent Charmer


Something totally hypnotic and almost narcotic. A luxurious beauty lost in a tremendous rich and nocturne landscape. I think the Snake charmer also charms the spectator… magic.

The Hungry Lion throws Itself on the Antelope, 1905

Rousseau, The Lion and the Antelope
Rousseau, The Lion and the Antelope

This painting was presented for the first time at Le Salon des Independents in 1905. Close by there was the work of the young Henri Matisse. Rousseau’s Lion may even has influenced the name “Fauve” among Fauvistes…

All of this and much more is at Fondation Beyeler in Basel until May 9th 2010.
LA

Pergola at Palais de Tokyo in Paris

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1916: Le Corbusier builds a « Villa Turque » (Turkish Villa), the Villa Schwob, flanked by a pergola, in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland). Some years later, he publishes photos of it in L’Esprit Nouveau. On the ground, in front of the villa, a white smear betrays retouching: the pergola has disappeared. Less than a century later, the Iraqi journalist Muntazer Al-Zaïdi throws his shoes at George W. Bush’s head.

Poltergeists are on the agenda at PERGOLA. Against the background of a haunted modernity, silhouettes of erased lives demand restitution: Swiss tavern lanterns cast a gloom over the museum space, the ventilation shafts bring back good memories of monumental architecture, the melancholy of the Renaissance seeps into this no man’s land, pneumatic dispatch breaches communication…. In the public spaces, the forsaken demand equal treatment in the art works by Charlotte Posenenske. This is the opportunity to discover for the first time the works of this important German artist, alongside the art objects of Valentin Carron, Raphael Zarka, Serge Spitzer, and the large shoe of the Iraqi Laith Al-Amiri.

Celestial Jets… need a 4 hour trip to the world ?

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Celestial Jets is the premier aviation charter broker in the industry today, delivering a new and unparalled way to experience private jet travel. It all begins with a personal Aviation Concierge which handles each and every aspect of your journey. We ensure that no detail is left unaddressed, no expectation left unmet, all at the most competitive pricing in the industry.
With access to over 5,700 aircraft worldwide, Celestial Jets easily coordinates private charter flights to and from any location with as little as 4 hours notice.

Who will have the Fragrance Oscar in France ?

José Amorim
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Each year, the mighty power Fragrance foundation gives the Oscar for the best perfumes of the year.

This year in France, it is the first time normal people will be able to vote for their best fragrance.
The Gala evening will take place in April and we look foward to seeing the results…
11 categories, 11 winners… who will get the trophee ? LA

Chanel chooses Gaspard Ulliel for its next fragrance for men

José Amorim
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Chanel has given carte blanche to Martin Scorsese, virtuoso and legendary director of some of the most famous masterpieces of world cinema, to create a commercial for its next fragrance for men. Gaspard Ulliel, one of the new faces in French cinema, whose beauty, energy and elegance captivated Chanel, will be the hero of this film and the ‘face’ of this perfume. The launch of the perfume is expected in autumn this year.

The video of the day : Telephone Gaga!

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Love it… So David Lachapelle….

The top 5 Hotel swimming pools in the world.

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The best thing I prefer in a hotel is not the room… I prefer the swimming pool!
Here is my top 5 hotel swimming pools in the world… Any better ?
LA

Intercontinental Hotel in Hong Kong

Burj Al Arab in Dubai

Golden Nugget in Las Vegas

San Alfonso del Mar in Chile

Hotel Elan in Dallas

Vivienne Westwood, crazy or genius?

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vivienne westwoodOver 300 illustrations convey the dynamism and impact of Viviane Westwood ideas from the early punk years to her more recent collections, presenting imaginative and stunning creations that have been a major influence on fashion, music and art since the 1970s. Outfits worn by the Sex Pistols contrast with more recent creations for Tracey Emin and Cameron Diaz, demonstrating why Westwood is the most talked-about designer in Britain. Her enormous cult following in Japan, Europe, Australia and the USA gives the book instant international appeal, while Claire Wilcox’s authoritative text sheds light on the sources of inspiration and working practices of this fascinating and dedicated designer.

LA

Philippe Starck and his Revolutionair Wind Turbines!

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philippe-starck

World-renowned super designer Philippe Starck has just revealed two highly-anticipated wind turbine designs for home use!

The “Revolutionair” turbines will be “revolutionary” in that they are designed for domestic use by homeowners. That means that ordinary individuals can put them in their yards, gardens or on roofs to generate power for their households. The clear quadrangular 400W WT model has a power output of 400W and the helicoidal 1KW WT one will be able to generate 1 KW of power.
The designer turbines will be produced by Italy’s Pramac and will sell for around 2,500 euros (quadrangular) and 3,500 euros (helicoidal).
“We have to help people to produce energy, to be part of the fight,” Starck said at the unveiling in Milan. “Energy should not be a punishment, we should create a desire (among people to produce it).”

Raumlabor-Berlin has created a mobile, bubble-shaped pavilion

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German architecture and artist collective Raumlabor-Berlin has created a mobile, bubble-shaped pavilion that will tour London’s parks this summer. Are we putting Nature in a bottle ?

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