Le Corbusier and the golden ratio

Villa Savoye

I first stumbled across Le Corbusier whilst reading about one of my obsessions - the golden ratio. Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect who influenced modern architecture, and incorporated the golden ratio into his "Modular" design concept. And many of his buildings can be found in and around Paris.

But firstly, a few words on the golden ratio. I won't go into all the detail because you can find plenty on the net, but in short it is a mathematical ratio related to the Fibonacci sequence. It pops up in nature, and it is linked to what humans perceive as aesthetically beautiful.

But it doesn't stop there. Put on your physicist hat, and you'll discover the ratio also results from objects repelling each other. Switch to your biologist hat, and you'll discover that the growing points of living creatures are driven by dividing cells moving away from each other in the most efficient way (explaining why the ratio can be seen in nature).

Guide to Frank Gehry buildings in Paris

Fondation Louis Vuitton

With the upcoming opening of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, it seems opportune to do a roundup of Frank Gehry's buildings in France. There are three in France, all of which can be found in or near Paris.

Fondation Louis Vuitton: 

The newest creation, based on the concept of sails rising above the trees of Bois de Boulogne. Once finished it will be devoted to contemporary art.

The building also scores some green points, as it has been used as the pilot project to develop a new HQE standard for cultural buildings. HQE = High Quality Environmental standard, a standard for green building in France.

The street art murals of the 13th arrondissement

One of my favourite things about Paris is its street art... And without question, 1st prize goes to the 13th arrondissement, where the local mayor and Galerie Itinerrance have been supporting the creation of large public murals by international artists.

So... for lovers of street art - below is a quick guide to the large murals and their locations (with artist names in brackets).

Allow 2-3 hrs to seek them all out, and keep an eye out for the countless smaller works along the way. The murals have been listed below in an order that follows an overall clockwise route...so following this order will be an efficient use of your walking / biking energy.

Auvers-sur-Oise: Van Gogh's final destination - a Paris day trip

The village of Auvers-sur-Oise was the final chapter in Van Gogh's life, and an easy day trip from Paris.

Van Gogh was particularly productive here, painting around 80 works over a 70 day period. This all ended however, when he suffered a gunshot to his chest. This is said to be a suicide attempt, although some contend that he was shot by someone else, by accident. In any case, he managed to return to his hotel and survived a further two days before passing.

What's there?

••  Large signposts featuring an image of the relevant Van Gogh painting, placed next to the building or vista which was the subject of the painting - This is the highlight of the trip, as it provides some insights into his works that you would never see from the paintings alone. It's also worth pointing out that there are only five or so signposts where this comparison can be made easily. The remaining signposts are less interesting, as they show locations where the scenery has significantly changed since 1890, or show the locations of portraits, or show the paintings of other artists.

Atelier Brancusi - Sculptor Constantin Brancusi's workshop

Atelier Brancusi is a reconstruction of Constantin Brancusi's studio workshop, and definitely a hidden gem worth visiting. It preserves his sculptures, drawings, tools and furniture in their original arrangement.

His studio originally existed in Montparnasse, at 11 Impasse Ronsin, now part of a hospital complex. When Brancusi passed away, he left his studio to the French government on the condition that the studio and its contents be preserved exactly as he left them. It was first reconstructed at the Palais de Tokyo, however this installation was considered inadequate by many. It was then reconstructed next to the Pompidou, however this replica was eventually closed due to construction and curatorial issues.

The Centre Georges Pompidou - a newbie's guide

The Centre Georges Pompidou is one of the top three museums in Paris, housing modern and contemporary art. In terms of art periods, roughly speaking, Pompidou takes over from where d'Orsay finishes.

There is a permanent collection spread over 2 large levels, and there are high standard temporary exhibitions on the 6th and/or 1st level.

Highlights:

••  Atelier Brancusi - A reconstruction of Constantin Brancusi's actual studio, complete with his workshop and tools, and display room of his sculptures. It's the highlight of the highlights. It's housed in a separate building, which can be found at the north end of the piazza area outside the Pompidou. Entry is free, but it is only open in the afternoons.

Musée du Louvre - a newbie's guide

Musée du Louvre is the biggest and deservedly well known art museum in Paris, and if you only have time for one museum, this is the one. It covers ancient civilisation art, Islamic art and Western art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

Highlights:

••  Mona Lisa - I recommend reading a little about the innovations that Leonardo achieved with this painting so that you can appreciate it more.

••  Venus de Milo sculpture.

••  Cupid and Psyche (Canova); Captive - The Dying Slave (Michelangelo); and the rest of the Italian sculpture section.

Love Lock Bridge - overburdened with love

The Pont des Arts (aka Love Lock Bridge) was recently in the news when a section collapsed under the weight of the locks. It's a pedestrian bridge that embodies an ancient tradition dating back to... err... 2008, where you symbolically seal your love into a lock, attach it to the bridge, and throw the key into the Seine.

The result - a bridge completely covered in locks...two bridges actually...

1.  Pont des Arts - between the Louvre and the Institut de France.

2.  Pont de l'Archevêché - near the south-east corner of the Notre Dame.

In true Paris style, the former is said to be for committed love, and the later for lovers.

Le Grand Palais - a newbie's guide

Another must see landmark in Paris - The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées. Originally built for the 1900 World Exposition, the building now houses a variety of exhibitions and events.

Accessing the building can be a little tricky, as there are several entry points. Each entry leads to different isolated sections of the building, as summarised below:

••  The main hall under the glass vault - this is the architectural highlight of the building. It houses the large temporary exhibitions and events. Entry is only possible during exhibitions and events, so it's worth checking the website for current and upcoming events if you want to go inside. Annual events include the Art Paris Art Fair, a car show, a horse show jumping event, and the Monumenta exhibition. If nothing is showing, you can get a small glimpse through the doors at the main entrance (facing Av Winston Churchill).

Monet's house and gardens - a Paris day trip review

If you have even the slightest interest in Monet, then this is without question, the best day trip from Paris. Approximately one hour from Paris, Monet created a garden which I would say is his most beautiful piece of art (I won't say beautiful again, but it applies to everything I mention in this post).

What's there? 

1.  The garden - the place that provided the inspiration for many of Monet's most recognisable paintings. The garden consists of two areas...

The upper area is a large garden packed with flowers...I've never seen so many flowers in one space. I'm not sure how true it is to Monet's original garden, but it certainly is spectacular.