Paris - Centre Pompidou

I woke up grumpy Thursday morning. I was feeling quite tired of sight-seeing, and without a traveling mate to help keep me moving, it took a while to get out into the city. Eventually I decided that it was time I saw one of Paris’ art museums, and chose the Centre Pompidou. This gallery apparently picks up where the Musee d’Orsay leaves off.

As someone who is more often irritated than awed by modern art, perhaps this was not the ideal place to go in a crotchety mood. The permanent collection seemed quite small, but I think that much of the gallery space was closed for some reason and I wondered how the centre could survive with so little to offer. Wandering around the temporary exhibit called “The Movement of Images: Art and Film,” though, I slowly shook off my foul mood. I loved the videos by John Wood and Paul Harrison. They set up a video camera in front of a monochrome backdrop and make short films of them doing the absurd, or improbable, or simply strange. Click here for a much better description of their work. I was amused.

The building itself certainly stood out among the history-laden architecture of the rest of Paris. The building is ‘inside out’, with all of its plumbing and electrical systems on the outside. For a good view, see the centre’s website. I also liked the area around the centre, including the whimsical fountain and the courtyard (proof that one can create public space with only a small change – in this case, putting a slight slope on what would otherwise be a bare concrete pad).

Part of the fountain:


The courtyard:

A view of Paris from the external escalator: