Post by kerouac2 on Apr 20, 2018 12:33:41 GMT
The Atelier des Lumières opened just last week in Paris, but so far it seems to be a considerable success, even though we are far from the height of tourist season. A huge number of Parisians (and others) immediately understood that it was an annex of the Carrières des Lumières in Les Baux de Provence. Many people consider it to be a must when they are vacationing in the south of France. I made my first report here about the original location in 2010 when it was still called the Cathédrale d'Images and have returned several times since. The reason for the name change is because the original operator lost its lease in some fishy business with the municipality of Les Baux. The new company belongs to energy giant Engie (actually it seems to be the largest energy company in the world due to the merge of Gaz de France with Suez and the British company International Power. Okay, that's besides the point, but it helps to explain how they were able to muscle in on this small tourist operator. The original company sued over the loss of their lease and after five years, the court ruled in their favour. For one thing, the new company was putting on a show that was identical to what the other operators had done, no new concept, no nothing. It is all now in the court of appeals and will probably take another ten years to settle. I am wondering if this new Atelier des Lumières in Paris might be a sort of insurance in case they lose the place in Les Baux, but of course the major advantage for them is to have found a venue in Paris rather than in the middle of nowhere like the other place, even if it is on the "tourist trail."
Although I support the original operators, I do not have sufficient moral outrage to boycott the new place, because, hey, it is just too cool. Both places use a technology called AMIEX © - "Art & Music Immersive Experience." In the old days we just used slide projectors if we wanted to show something on a wall, but this uses fiber optics and other fancy shit.
For some reason, I did not have the reflex to take any video during my visit, but I intend to correct that oversight when I return with one or more people from the Anyport meetup in June, so hold tight.
Unfortunately, in the centre of Paris, we do not have any amazing cathedral-like quarries, even though I have visited more than one that would be appropriate in the suburbs. But failing an underground quarry location, the company managed to find a huge abandoned foundry (built in 1835) smack in the middle of the city.
You would never know what is behind the façade of the building.
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The main part of the opening exhibition (until November) is Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. You pass through a series of severe black doors to enter space of the foundry.
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The magic of the original quarry with its ramps, meandering caverns and uneven floors is lost here, but the projections on the floor are much more impressive.
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There is a very cool balcony at the end of the building to get a great overview of the whole place.
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