Saturday, May 14, 2011

Centre Pompidou (Beaubourg)

In Paris, when you come to the corner of Blvd Beaubourg and Rue Rambuteau, this is your view of the Centre George Pompidou, affectionately called Beaubourg.
We come around the north side of the building looking for the entrance. This, clearly, is not the entrance. It's actually a fire exit.
After we pass that fire exit we have this view of the buildings facing the courtyard on our right.
And on our left is the side of Beaubourg facing the courtyard. That red line, snaking up the side of the building, is the escalator that all visitors must use to ascend to the contemporary collections on the fourth floor and the 20th century collections on the fifth. It's always a great ride with incredible views of the city.
At the entrance to the contemporary collections find Sasa,(2004), a piece by North African artist, El Anatsui. One of the nicest things about living in a city for a month is being able to take you time with an art gallery's collection and really get to know it. We've been to Beaubourg three times already: each time exploring a whole new area.
They have a great Peter Doig: 100 Years Ago, 2001.
Bill and I love every period of Picasso. Here's a late painting: Femmes Devant la Mer, 1956
 Bill caught this school tour, all in blue caps, in front of this radiant panel of International (Yves) Klein blue.
 We could show you so much more, but let's end with  this very unusual Francis Bacon -- Van Gogh in a Landscape, 1957.

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