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The Grand Palais newsletter |
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n°9, February 2009 |
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Front pageThe sale of the century Since the Grand Palais was built over a hundred years ago, it has been used for many things: in addition to art exhibitions, the Nave has been occupied by aircraft, automobiles, a circus and a military hospital… Never yet, however, has it hosted an auction; and because the Grand Palais rarely does things by halves, it will be staging the sale of the fantastic collection assembled over 50 years by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his business partner Pierre Bergé. From February 21 to 25 2009, more than seven hundred patiently gathered items will be on show to the public before going under the Christie's hammer. Though the collection spans many periods and genres, there is an overriding sense of unity: Grecian and 20th century art pieces line up alongside paintings by Cézanne, Picasso and Mondrian, Chinese statues, Limoges enamels and Art deco. Pierre Bergé has decided to keep just one piece, the one that inaugurated the collection: a bird sculpture from the Senufo region of West Africa. The proceeds from the sale will go to a medical research foundation devoted primarily to AIDS. Three questions for...Nathalie Crinière, scenographerQuadriges: Was the sheer scale of the Nave a challenge for you as a scenographer? Yes, but the real challenge was working on such a volume in such as short space of time. The problem would have been totally different if we had had 3 or 4 weeks to put the décor together. For the sale we have just 4 days to assemble the scenography and one day to put the works in place. So the issue really is time. As the project unfolded, the scenography changed a lot to meet this imperative. Every minute will count during the installation. Quadriges: Without giving anything away, can you tell us what gave you your guidelines for the scenography? Above all, the aim was to highlight the works on display. This is a sale, not a museum exhibition. So a compromise had to be found between establishing a safe distance between the works and the public for security reasons, while enabling sufficient proximity for potential buyers. The idea was also to recreate the mood of some of the rooms in Yves St Laurent's flat in rue de Babylone because the magic of the collection stemmed in part from the powerful juxtaposition of the works. Quadriges: How have you incorporated the security imperatives, given the expected size of the public? The scenography is organised along a point-to-point itinerary followed by the public. This will channel visitors and prevent them from getting lost in the immensity of the Grand Palais. It will also ensure security for the works, which also have to be protected from the light: the display areas will therefore be covered, recreating the proportions of the flat in rue de Babylone. FocusTuesdays in the Grand PalaisSix billion others: last days The main yurt at the Six billion others exhibition © Coll. Grand Palais, photo François Tomasi There are just a few days left to catch the Yann Arthus-Bertrand exhibition: Six billion others. 82,000 visitors have already visited the Grand Palais to see the video portraits shot by six reporters in 75 countries. From a Brazilian fisherman to an Australian lawyer, a German artist to an Afghan farmer, all were invited to answer the same set of questions: "What did you learn from your parents? What would you like to pass on to your children? What challenges have you had to face? What does love mean to you?" A journey into the heart of humanity, and an opportunity for you too to answer the questionnaire put together by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Looking forward to Tuesday! After the Xmas break, our Tuesday lecture-debates start again at the Grand Palais! After a successful launch in November and December last year, the series continues in the new projection room on February 10 at 6:30 p.m. This month's subject will be: "Architecture and heritage: reconciling history and modernity?", with Thomas Corbasson, architect, Chartier-Corbasson agency; Luc Liogier, director of public works projects at the Grand Palais; Alain-Charles Perrot, chief architect for France's historic monuments; Dominique Poulot, historian, author of Une histoire du patrimoine en occident (PUF). Moderator: Bertrand Lemoine, architect, director of research at the CNRS, director of the Ecole d'architecture de Paris – La Vilette. The debates are held every Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. except during school holidays, and have already become a regular feature on the Grand Palais calendar. In partnership with Presses universitaires de France. |
A word from the presidentThe Grand Palais has always gone for originality. For the first time in its history the Nave will be staging an auction, as the collection of art works put together by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé goes under the hammer. The seven hundred or so items will be on show to the general public, admission free, in an original scenography designed by Nathalie Crinière. What better setting could one have imagined than the Grand Palais, which since its inception for the 1900 Universal Exhibition has always been a temple to art? The sale of this fabulous collection, already being talked about as the sale of the century, proves yet again just what a wonderful stage the Grand Palais is for unique events. Yves Saint-Geours President, Établissement public du Grand Palais Out now… The book! Yves Saint-Geours' new book on the Grand Palais, has just been published in the prestigious Découvertes Gallimard collection and has been in the shops since February 5. From its inception, when architects submitted their competitive bids for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, through a hundred years of events that have attracted millions of visitors, and the trials and tribulations endured by the monument, to its recent renaissance… the history of the Grand Palais is illustrated by 140 documents including many that are being published for the first time, shedding a fresh light on the building. Le Grand Palais, monument-capitale by Yves Saint-Geours published by Découvertes Gallimard, n° 540 in its Culture and society series Don’t miss thisSix billion others till February 12 2009 Nave of the Grand Palais 5,000 people filmed all over the world talk about turning points in their lives, tell amusing or poignant anecdotes and share their beliefs. A universal project by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, celebrating fraternity. Exhibition and auction of the Yves Saint Laurent - Pierre Bergé collection February 21 – 23 2009 Nave of the Grand Palais A one-off: the fantastic collection of works of art assembled by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé will be on show to the public before going under the auctioneer's hammer. A première in the history of the Grand Palais! Admission free. Exhibition February 21-22, 9:00 a.m. – midnight and February 23 9:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m.. The sale starts on February 23 at 7:00 p.m. AgendaArt Paris March 19 – 23 Nave of the Grand Palais Over the last 10 years, Art Paris, a fair for modern and contemporary art, has become a highlight on the international art calendar and a major event on the Paris scene. This year's edition will be more contemporary and international than ever! T.A.G. at the Grand Palais March 27 to April 26 South-east gallery 150 graffiti artists from all over the world will be exhibiting in the south-east gallery of the Grand Palais. This avant-garde collection, a major testimony to more than three generations of street art, will be a world premiere put together by Alain-Dominique Gallizia. Practical informationRER : ligne C / station Invalides Bus : lignes 28, 42, 52, 72, 73, 80, 83, 93 Vélib : Station n° 8029, 1 av. Franklin-D.-Roosevelt / n° 8001, av. Dutuit Parkings : Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées, place de la Concorde, parc François-Ier, Alma Georges-V, Champs-Élysées Lincoln, Matignon. Personnes à mobilité réduite : accès avenue Winston-Churchill |
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Executive editor: Jean-Paul Cluzel, President La Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais Chief editor: Marie Senk © Grand Palais, 2011 |
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