Meeting & Greeting
Newsletter 10.21.2023
Bienvenue and welcome back to Musée Musings, your idiosyncratic guide to Paris and art. The week began well enough, after a museum-free week in the Dordogne. I went to see the Sophie Calle exhibition at the Musée Picasso. (Fig. 1) And I became obsessed. That first day, Friday, I was there for two hours. I went back the next day, another two hours. I knew I needed at least one more visit to write a review. I just didn’t know how long it would be. I finally got there yesterday. While you are waiting for the review, keep these two words in mind: Sight / Death. The week went along pleasantly enough. Sunday was a lovely day for a stroll and that’s what I did, in the Jardin des Plantes - beautifully maintained flower beds filled with late blooming flowers. (Figs. 2, 3)
Figure 1. Sophie Calle exhibition, Musée Picasso
Figure 2. Me at Jardin des Plantes, Paris on a warm October day
Figure 3. Arch, Jardin des Plantes, Paris
On Monday, I was back at my desk in front of the garden over which my apartment looks, musing about how to tell you about the Picasso - Stein exhibition at the Musée Luxembourg that I saw right before I left for the Dordogne. I decided that the best place to find a focus would be away from my books and notes. The Coulée Verte, seemed just the thing. Alas, it was surprisingly much less joyful than the Jardin des Plantes. A French friend explained that it’s because the Jardin des Plantes is run by l’État (the French government) and the maire’s (mayor) office pays for maintaining the Coulée Verte. (Fig. 4)
Figure 4. Bamboo tunnel, Coulée Verte, Paris
Just as I was about to tackle Gertrude Stein’s cubist writings and the modern and contemporary artists who were influenced by them. And just as I was about to get an answer to something I have always wondered about - how she and Alice managed to stay in France during the war (as Jewish lesbians). It slowly dawned on me that my early morning headache, for which I had taken an aspirin, was now a migraine, for which the aspirin was useless.
Right before I closed the computer for a week, I learned that I wasn’t alone. According to one medical site (can’t remember which), “seasonal migraine attacks (are) more common in adults during the autumn than other seasons.” But for the first time since forever, I caught it early enough and began taking pills from my arsenal of OTC migraine meds soon enough, that I didn’t have to call a visiting physician to give me a shot of morphine to put me out of my misery. But here’s the thing, although less painful, I was unable to do anything for a week. No writing, no reading, no listening to my favorite podcasts (Freakonomics, Fresh Air) As my friend Noreene reminded me, you just have to sit it out and let it pass.
Luckily, I was able to take walks, one of which I’ll tell you about soon - along rue des Franc-Bourgeois and rue Rambateau. (Figs. 5, 6)
Figure 5. Me buying pain de mie at a Japanese boulangerie,Carré Pain de Mie, rue Rambuteau
Figure 6. Manteigaria, rue Rambuteau - sells only Pastéls de Nata (Portuguese flan-like dessert)
Finally, I am mostly migraine/headache free. And I have made up for lost time, meeting a host of celebrities along the way. Starting with Elaine and Phil Emani who were in Paris for a few days and very kindly asked if we could meet up. Of course we could and did - at my office away from home, the Café Mulot at Maison Victor Hugo. (Fig. 7)
Figure 7. Elaine & Phil & me outside my office away from home, Café Mulot, Maison Victor Hugo
On Tuesday I was back at the Musée Picasso for round three of the Sophie Calle exhibition. There is a door on the 3rd floor that I hadn’t noticed before. With a sign that says to knock if you wish to speak with the artist, warning that she is not always there. A woman knocked on the door, Sophie Calle opened it. The other woman was too surprised to say a word. I wasn’t. So I chatted with her about non finito projects vs finito ones (you’ll understand when I write my review). And I asked if I could take her photo. Yes, of course. So I did. (Fig. 8)
Figure 8. Sophie Calle, the artist, opening the door to chat at Musée Picasso
On Wednesday I went with a group of press people to the Institute du Monde Arab. We had been invited before the Hamas massacre and the subsequent Israeli bombardment, before France was put on high terrorist alert and before the street on which the Jewish Museum here in Paris was blockaded, etc. etc. etc. I went anyhow. Stupid not to go and besides, I figured it was probably one of the safest places in Paris to be. We toured two exhibitions with an excellent guide. One of the exhibitions was about perfume. (Fig. 9) I knew I couldn’t go into that space without risking a relapse. As I stood outside wondering if I should just go home, the guide asked a colleague of hers to get me a professional mask. It was like the one my son wears at the glass studio. I couldn’t smell a thing and enjoyed the exhibition very much. More about that later. A real highlight was the chance to meet and speak with Jack Lang, one of my heroes, who as Cultural Minister was responsible for I.M. Pei’s getting the nod to enlarge the Louvre with the Pyramid, for Daniel Buren to decorate the cour of the Palais-Royal with what we now call the Colonnes de Buren. (Fig. 10) He initiated the Journées Patrimoine which allows us to enter buildings not normally open to the public, etc. etc. etc. Oh, and he’s always been quite a stylish dresser and shows up in lots of fashion exhibition photos. (Fig. 11) Would he take a photo with me? Of course he would! (Fig. 12) Where else but Paris!!!
Figure 9. Parfums d’Orient, Institut du Monde Arabe
Figure 10. Colonnes de Buren, Daniel Buren, Palais-Royal, Paris
Figure 11. Jack Lang wearing a suit designed by Thierry Mugler, 1985
Figure 12. Jack Lang and me at Institut du Monde Arab, October 18, 2023
Below are a few of the kind comments on the newsletter Ginevra wrote last week. I (I mean we) are alway grateful for your comments Merci. Bisous, Dr. B.
New Comments on Blue Grass to Blue Angels:
I enjoyed your son's (editor: daughter’s) article reminiscing on the San Francisco Summer of Love and the Blue Angels, as well as this Frank Horvat fashion review. I married my muse and mate during the SF 1967 Summer of Love. His photos of the be-ins in the park, peace marches and Beat poets, writers and musicians of the times illustrated national newspaper front page articles, as well as book and album covers, and many are now in the Smithsonian Collection. I went on to become a successful fashion photographer. But bringing women's history up to date is Amanda Lee. She is the first female Blue Angels pilot. It's easy to remember her name because she flies plane number 3. (They always take off and land in order and the plane numbers are highly visible on the tail wing.) Do a search to discover Dr. Lee's other accomplishments. And let's never stop singing and working together for PEACE ON EARTH. Elaine Keenan
Dr. B- Regret the news of your annual/Oct. session with migraine headaches. Assume you’ve checked the MAYO CLINIC and CLEVELAND CLIMIC sites for information on new drugs to regulate the pain.BTW, your daughter has inherited your remarkable skill/talent as a ‘word smith.’ Bill-Ohio
I hope you are over and done with your migraine. From what I understand there’s not much you can do other than wait it out and suffer. I hope it doesn’t last long and comes only once a year. At least we got to hear from Ginevra. She writes so well. What an amazing talented offspring. Noreene, Washington, D.C.