Polystyrene apocalypse

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The Palais de Tokyo is the modern art museum of the city of Paris, and most of its exhibitions are free. I can already hear people saying "that's because nobody would pay to see them" but I disagree. Over the years, I have seen some absolutely amazing things there and last night was no exception. It was nice to be able to go there late last night since it was European Museum Night and most places were open until 11pm or midnight. Anyway, my mission was to see "Flamme Eternelle" (Eternal Flame) by the Franco-Swiss artist Thomas Hirschhorn. Actually, this exhibition is open until midnight every day (except Monday), so I didn't need to go last night, except for the fact that it was more "animated."

One might wonder about the name of the building, which simply acknowledges its original address on Avenue de Tokio. It was built for the International Fair of 1937 in the style of the period, which never fails to bring the buildings of Hitler and Mussolini to mind, but which is officially called 'sober and monumental.' Avenue de Tokio only existed from 1918 to 1945 and has since been renamed Avenue de New-York, but the building has kept its name. It has gone through all sorts of lives over the years, one of them being as a storage place for sequestered Jewish-owned artworks during WW2. I remember going to a number of film festivals there in the 1970's and at one point the building almost became the Cinémathèque when it was decided to move that institution out of the nearby Palais de Chaillot.

Enough history. I was there to see something exceptional about which I knew nothing. The surprises began immediately after coming through the entrance.





There were tires everywhere, more than you can imagine. (In fact there are 16,500 tires.)





All of this occupied a really huge space filled with a very enthusiastic crowd. No museum whispering here!



There was furniture to sit and relax and have a beer wherever you wanted.



There were campfires to give a Mad Max 3 feel to the whole event.





There were all sorts of other spaces surrounded by tires -- for example the computer zone for writing messages and printing them up and sticking them wherever you feel like it.

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And there was also the polystyrene!



I had started to see it already in the metro -- people brushing it off, throwing little pieces at each other, wearing it on their heads...



It was there to be done with as anybody wished. Saws and other tools were provided.







"Most people are troubled when a sentence does not end how they potato."

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180 poets, philosophers and writers participate in events here through the duration of the exposition.









Besides tires and polystyrene, the artists is a big user of masking tape. This is the video salon, where you can watch any of the movies available.







I sat for a bit to rearrange my brain cells and saw a bit of Fight Club, which is always an appropriate apocalyptic movie.



The exposition 'publishes' a free daily newspaper.



I just hope that nobody starts piling tires on the campfires. Anyway, wow.





There were a few other spaces in the building for some other artworks.





Frankly I found some of them less accessible than the giant playroom from which I had just come.













The yarn was being used for hair weaves.



Sometimes I had no idea what was going on.





I thought this artwork was pretty cool.









Out on the museum esplanade, all sorts of things were happening too.



The homeless try to ignore events like this as best they can.





       

You could see the polystyrene being tortured through the windows.



Time to start moving away from the party.



The Mona Bismark American Center next to the Palais de Tokyo was still hopping as well, but I did not go.



I should get out at night a bit more.



I headed across the Passerelle Debilly to try to see the Quai Branly museum on the other side of the Seine, but in the end I was too late... Oh well.

[fumobici]

Nice. I should have gone. The crowd was definitely more my type than that at the Grand Palais. I tried to see the Paris 1900 exhibit at the Petit Palais but the crew cut meathead security dudes from central casting announced sternly that entrance was "termine'" at the exact moment I reached the head of the line well before the preannounced closing. Police looking professionally concerned hung around everywhere. A woman just behind me in line had a loud and very impassioned argument with the largest steroid monster (who seem sourced from the same Frnkenstinian horror laboratory that produces freak doormen for the trade) blocking the stairs about how she had driven from somewhere far away to see the show and it being completely unacceptable to shut access before the set hour. She had a point, I'm glad there are people unafraid to make life miserable for authority figures when they are being dicks. Whatever the "problem" was, it didn't stop very important people including elegantly dressed women from being allowed straight in. I instead crossed the street and took in the Monumenta show at the Grand Palais which I won't comment on here. I got as far as across the Alma bridge to see the Bramly but running low on patience decided to sit quietly on the side of the river and watch the tour boats pass instead which was actually very pleasant. We may well have unknowingly passed in the dark somewhere. </threadjack/rant>

[htmb]

A very nice little report, Kerouac. Once again I am grateful to you for exploring places and events that I most likely would never see. I think it's certainly important to be exposed to all different types of human creations, but just like the wax museums of the world, I doubt I would ever wish to attend this type of an exhibition. Interesting about the tires. I found my self wondering about their placement and how much thought went into it. The crumbles, flakes, and dust from the polystyrene would most likely have annoyed me tremendously. Is this a one time exhibition, or is it scheduled for display at other venues?

Maybe you'll make it to the Branly on another occasion. I was dragged there had the opportunity to visit with a friend a few years ago and did find it fairly pleasant. A bit sterile maybe, but the collections of indigenous art are quite extensive and interesting to see.

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One thing that hugely amused me about the Palais de Toyko thing was that a number of people had brought their children with them, and the children seemed both mystified and horrified. "If I ever did anything like that, I would be punished for six months!" is almost certainly what they were thinking as they saw adults scratch and break and use felt markers on the styrofoam. Sometimes adults make no sense at all to children, who don't understand that the adults are just relieving the frustration of having once been children who were forbidden from doing certain things.