GREAT MUSEUMS: Centre Pompidou (1977-2017),Part I

centre pompidouI started the perambulation at the permanent collection of Center Pompidou, that is currently on show, in order to write  two Articles (one for each floor), but ultimately only for the presentation of the 5th floor of the Museum, the presentation was divided by itself into three parts.I went back to keep notes in a Collection with some works that I had seen before and I put a limit to myself that would stop at the point where I would not pass over my strength, so I ended up just to visit the right wing of the Museum. At first I started to see some very specific artworks and found myself discovering more.But so it is always!!! (Part II, Part III).

By Efi Michalarou

The presentation of the permanent collection, starts with a small audiovisual tribute to Renzo Piano & Richard Rogers, the architects of the building, with all the war and the reactions that they were accepted at that time for such a pioneering building. From the history of the building I go to the galleries that are separated by movement, starting with Fovism and some of the finest works by: Matisse “Tete blanc et Rose”, Marc Chagall and  George Braque. Ιn the room that’s dedicated to Cubism, we see artworks by Pablo Picasso like the “Arlequine”, an excellent work that few times we identify it with the artist as well: “Portrait de jeune fille”, “La Pisseusse”, “Feme me Couchee sur un divane bleu”, in dialogue with Picasso’s paintings, we see the wonderful works of Wassily Kandinsky: “Blond mit roten fleck”, “Tente”, “Gelb-Rot-Blanc” & “Entassement regle”. These routes need deep breaths in order one to cope with the size of these artworks, I went out, into the corridor to get breath and fall onto “N. York City” by Piet Mondrian. From the large windows of the Museum pops the cloudy Paris, before had a little rain and the waters have formed ponds at the external sculptures. Ι bow down before the German artists and Dada. I have not seen so many artworks of Marchel Duchap gathered in a Collection, I think again and again by looking at them: Undoubtedly he is the father of Contemporary Art, which removes the power and charm of the canvas and brings mythical proportions in small everyday objects, changing the history of art, ‘’Bicycle Wheel” and ‘’Fondain’’. In the same space his artworks are in dialogue with “Danse de Saint Guy”  & “L’oeil Cacodylate” by Francis Piccabia artworks and in the next room with Man Ray’s artworks, an amazing portrait by Joan Miro, with the small B&W photos by Man Ray, finally  the  most impressive artwork of this complex is the mythical laboratory of Andre Breton signed by Marx Ernst.

Deep breathing in the hallway and back inside to the “Leciel meurtier” by René Magritte, return to the right room and another work by Marchel Duchamp “Ambit Sector” in dialogue with John Cage, and again Μarchel Duchamp in parallel with Jean Duppy’s “No. 30-1965, total blocked” and the room closes with the most beautiful Joan Miro’s artpiece ‘’La Sieste, Jul 1925-Sept.1925’’, for me. The surprise is in the next gallery, which is dedicated to Abstract Expressionism, aren’t the “The Man-Woman Cuts the Cycle” by  Jackson Pollock  or “Untitled” by Mark Rothκo but the  “Other White” (1962) by Sam Francis. A pleasant break on this route is proven by Op- Art with the artworks:  “Bi Femme” by Victor Vasareli, Jesús Rafael Soto’s ’’Rotation”, & “Lux I” by Nicolas Schöffer, at the Nouveaux Réalistes: Mimmo Rotella’s “Avventure So” competes Daniel Spoeri’s “Maule aux puces”, Arman’s “Home Sweet Home” and Yayoi Kusama’s “My Flower Bed”. The epilogue for each one is personal, for someone it may “Pasadena’’ by Sigmar Polke… for another “Ten Lizes 1960”by Andy Warhol , for me are the unique sculptures by Claes Oldenburg.

If art makes you to travel and dream, the architecture of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers where in the north we are facing Montmartre and the La Basilique du Sacré Cœur, and in the south the Cathedral Notre Dame and Seine, is leading you to the complete harmony.

Left: Matisse, Tete blanc et Rose. Right: Pablo Picasso, Arlequine
Left: Matisse, Tete blanc et Rose. Right: Pablo Picasso, Arlequine

 

 

Left: Marc Chagall, Double portrait au verre de vin. Right: Pablo Picasso, Portrait de jeune fille
Left: Marc Chagall, Double portrait au verre de vin. Right: Pablo Picasso, Portrait de jeune fille

 

 

Rene Magritte, Le vion
Rene Magritte, Le viol

 

 

Left: Francis Piccabia, Danse de Saint Guy. Right: Francis Piccabia, L'oeil Cacodylate
Left: Francis Piccabia, Danse de Saint Guy. Right: Francis Piccabia, L’oeil Cacodylate

 

 

Left: Marcel Duchamp, ’Bicycle Wheel. Right: Marcel Duchamp, Fondain
Left: Marcel Duchamp, Bicycle Wheel. Right: Marcel Duchamp, Fondain

 

 

Andre Breton’s Wall
Andre Breton’s Wall

 

 

Piet Mondrian, N. York City
Piet Mondrian, N. York City

 

 

Joan Miró, Siesta
Joan Miró, Siesta

 

 

Left: Jesús Rafael Soto, Rotation. Right: Arman, Home- Sweet Home
Left: Jesús Rafael Soto, Rotation. Right: Arman, Home- Sweet Home

 

 

Claes Oldenburg, Soft Drum Set-Ghost Version
Claes Oldenburg, Soft Drum Set-Ghost Version

 

 

Left: Mark Rothκo, Untitled. Right: Yayoi Kusama, My Flower Bed
Left: Mark Rothκo, Untitled. Right: Yayoi Kusama, My Flower Bed