A quick animation for Diptyque's new Othoniel Rosa, developed in collaboration with artist Jean-Michel Othoniel. Then, so long as we're here, below the jump we have first a spot about Othoniel's La Rose des Vents sculpture at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, San Franciso (you can read more here) followed by a spot about Les Belles Danses, installed at the Théâtre d'Eau at Versailles in 2015 (you can read more here), followed by a performance by Benjamin Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project at the Théâtre d'Eau.
It is hard to tell how the sculptures fit in at Versailles, but by definition Versailles is over the top, right? So I think they will be a challenging but welcome addition. The sculpture in the SF flower garden? Nooooooo…. I hate it. At least based on the photos here and in the article. It looks like “found metal” garden sculpture that so many of my neighbors love, that clashes like a car rusting on a lawn. Except this “metal” is bright gold glass–just as unyielding and over-sized though. The dance video is lovely! Is the perfume out? Has anyone tried it?
I like the Versailles sculpture, although there is something just weird about continuing to “decorate” Versailles. There is perhaps something weird about the way Versailles is presented as a tourist attraction in general.
I also do sorta like the sculpture in SF, but it does not look good there…it does not seem to fit in well with the surrounding plantings / garden layout. You are right that it just clashes.
The dance is amazing…only got to see half of it but will watch it again tonight.
I agree about the sculpture in SF! On its own, it is bold and exciting—I could see it indoors, in the center of a large atrium of a museum. But somehow stuck in the middle of that bed of pink whatevers, in the middle of a lawn, it is both too much and not enough.
You know, about Versailles, it feels like we are (to exhaust a cliche!) at an inflection point in how we preserve and respond to history. If we are going to pour money and time into places like Versailles (which I am fine with!), it seems fair and right to figure out how to make them also spaces that re-review the historical record and invite progress on old ideas. The sculpture and the dance share in the spirit of Versailles, but for today—to me that is! (But of course, both artists are white men (sculptor and choreographer) . . . soooooo in that there is no change 🙂 ) What fun it would be to see a Kehinde Wiley (of course he is American, so not likely!) exhibit at Versailles. He is so Versailles redux!
Exactly — it seems simultaneously more formal and more playful than the garden, and I think too high for the plants around it. But they could fix the garden easier now than they could fix the statue.
On Versailles, yeah, and also there are plenty of non-white French artists! Have plenty more to say about adding an expensive (presumably, I actually didn’t look) gold sculpture to Versailles in 2015 but the comment policy prevents me from saying any of it. Ha.