I get invited to many art shows and try and go to as many as I could. Last month Thierry Breton, an artist who is a friend of mine, invited me to a show of his new works Portraits de Bouche. I couldn’t go to the opening by I finally made it over to the gallery the first week of January.
At first I didn’t know what to make of the odd, roughly textured sculptures. Taking the time to look at them closely, I could see the intricacy and beauty of them. Some of them had a porcelain finish to them and some had unfinished clay. I especially liked the glazed white sculptures of peppers and eggplants and the plate with eels with marvelous marble like detailing with shades of blue and green. The fish and shark head sculptures were more savage and a bit daunting. One of the surprises was some of the inside cavities of the fish sculptures were equally textured and layered as the outsides. All the sculptures were so tactile and Thierry encouraged me to run my hand over them, which is so rare as galleries always have a strict don’t touch policy.
The gallery is connected to a well-known restaurant Petrelle, and the owner is very dedicated to new artists. He frequently has artists create special pieces or murals for the restaurant and the gallery is a natural outgrowth of his passion for art.
Here is Thierry’s artist’s statement that illuminates more in depth what the show is about.
The artist uses ceramics, sometimes glazed, sometimes not, to stand on their head accepted ideas about the things we eat in a very unconventional and innovative way. Elements blown up out of context become revealing still-lives of the wonders hidden everywhere in our daily life and proclaim the necessary triumph of nature.
Working with this fascinating organic material not a single change is needed : nature’s mad inventiveness, the perfect abstract components of reality are self sufficient. We can only wonder about our place in the universe and the effects of our interference with it with quiet humility.
Nothing is beautiful or ugly, disgusting or delicious, clean or dirty. There is only the poetry inherent to life that transforms a “nature morte” into a “still-life”.
Portraits de Bouche
Till February 15
Galerie 28
28 rue de Petrelle, 75009
Metro: Anvers
Open Tuesday to Saturday 4PM till 9:30PM
http://thierrybreton.blogspot.fr
New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale
I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos. I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.
Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
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