Alain Cornu Photos at Galerie Thierry Bigaignon

A good friend of mine lives in the Hotel de Retz, one of the grandest 17th century hotel particuliers in the northern Marais (NORMA). She took me to an opening at a new gallery Galerie Thierry Bigaignon on the second floor of the front building. I probably would have never found the gallery had she not taken me, as it’s not on the ground floor.

The initial show I saw in September of Catherine Balet was an intriguing and whimsical show of photos paying homage to the great photographers of the 20th century. Her subject for the series, whom she discovered at the Les Recontres photo festival in Arles, is Ricardo Martinez Paz, a youthful dandy of 76 who bears a striking resemblance to Picasso. Paz was the muse for Balet for the next two and a half years and they intensely work together to produce a series of photos tracing the history of photography starting in 1839 and into the 20th century.

I went to visit my friend last week and passed by the gallery again to see the latest show. Alain Cornu has shot a wonderful series of Parisian rooftops, a subject matter close to my heart. The moody photos are beautifully lit and convey the complex layers and textures of Paris architecture in a special way.

Cornu spent 7 years photographing the series, climbing rooftops almost weekly with a large format camera. He purposely shot at night to create a more dramatic effect and at times had the moon be his guide.

Thierry Bigaignon, the owner of the gallery was smitten with the depth and beauty of Cornu’s photos and immediately scheduled him for a show. A very wise choice in my book.

Alain Cornu Photos at Galerie Thierry Bigaignon
Till December 24
9 rue Charlot, 75003
Metro: Saint Paul or Filles–Calvaire
Open 12PM-7PM Tuesday to Saturday
http://www.thierrybigaignon.com/

Many thanks to everyone who submitted comments on the blog post about new Paris books last week. Rowan Morrigan was the first person to comment, so he will receive a copy of the The Mistress of Paris.

 Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 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 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

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: 195 euros per person (about $210)
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.