The first large-scale French exposition of the Chinese artist, still forbidden to leave his country and closely watched/menaced by the state.Starting on the same day as the Jeu de Paume’s Berenice Abbott exhibition, Ai Weiwei: Interlacing focuses mostly on the artist’s photos, his documentary work showing the profound changes happening in China at the moment, but also his more spontaneous shots, taken with his telephone. Serious subjects (including his own fate) and some irreverence too then.It’s a shame that this new documentary isn’t programmed though. Looks interesting…

There’s another short piece by the same director on the New York Times site here.

The exhibition Ai Weiwei: Interlacing is at the Jeu de Paume (here) from 21st February – 29th April 2012

Open Tuesday from missay – 9pm, Wednesday – Friday from midday – 7pm and the weekend from 10am – 7pm. Closed Mondays

Admission: 8,50€ / 5,50€

Official museum site: www.jeudepaume.org

Facebook page: ici

Jeu de Paume Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/jeudepaumeparis

Interesting Twitter about Ai Weiwei: www.twitter.com/freeaiww

Twitter hashtag: #AiWeiwei

Steve McCurry‘s photos are seen in some of the world’s finest publications. To celebrate the 2012 edition of In Love With Magnum 2012, the photographer will be holding an exhibition in the salons of La Belle Juliette, and you can even come down and meet him in person…

photo : Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos

We love photography (as well you know by now!), so we’re obviously very honoured to be able to welcome Steve McCurry to La Belle Juliette.

The exhibition of his photos will run from 9th – 20th February 2012 in the salons of the hotel, and Steve will be there in person to sign his latest publication on Saturday 11th February, starting from 7pm, just after the one-day photo studio we told you all about here. Book your portrait session now!

photo : Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos

The Steve McCurry exhibition is at La Belle Juliette (here) from 9th – 20th February 2012. The signing session is on Saturday 11th February, starting from 7pm.

Official hotel site: www.labellejuliette.com

Steve McCurry’s website: www.stevemccurry.com

Steve McCurry’s blog, packed full of lovely photos: http://stevemccurry.wordpress.com

photo : Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos

Inspired by Atget to document the profound change happening to her favourite city (New York), Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) was also Man Ray’s assistant during her time in Paris.

Her photos show a fascinating period in the history of the United States; the architecture of a burgeoning industrial power, the Depression, followed by the country’s search for modernism and its lack of respect for the past. This exhibition show both the diversity and unity of her work.

Triborough Bridge © Berenice Abbott / Commerce Graphics Ltd. Inc.

You’ll be able to view portraits from the start of her career (Marcel Duchamp, Eugène Atget, Man Ray, Cocteau, James Joyce, Sylvia Beach, Gide, Foujita, Max Ernst, Marie Laurencin…), her famous Changing New York project, a photo project dating from 1954 based around Route 1, some elements of which are being shown for the first time, and more conceptual work, commissioned to illustrate the laws of physics.

New York Stock Exchange © Berenice Abbott / Commerce Graphics Ltd. Inc.

A catalogue is also being published to coincide with the exhibition (240 pages, 150 photos, 35€).The Berenice Abbott exhibition is at the Jeu de Paume (here) from 21st February – 29th April 2012

Open Tuesday from midday – 9pm, Wednesday – Friday from midday to 7pm, and weekends from 10am – 7pm. Closed Monday

Admission: 8.50€ / 5.50€

Official site: www.jeudepaume.org

Facebook page (in French): here

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeudepaumeparis

Jean Cocteau with a revolver © Berenice Abbott / Commerce Graphics Ltd. Inc.

Follow us, if you will, down to the underground to see the real rebels, a world of leather jackets, insanely-thick belt buckles and customised jeans. John Waters is a fan, and should you be…It’s the end of the 1950s. Karlheinz Weinberger (1921-2006) starts taking photos in an undergoudn gay club in Zurich before moving on to follow another subculture; some of the Swiss youth have started creating a rebel look based on their love of Marlon Brando, James Dean and rock ‘n’ roll, only here they don’t just like it, they write their idols’ names on their jeans, stick their photos to their oversized belts, and – above all – take an awful lot of time with their hairdos and accessories.Managing to snap these kids meant being part of their lifestyle, following them around regularly and earning their trust. A lot of dedication and time was needed.

Karlheinz Weinberger’s document of a burgeoning counter-culture is now appreciated not only for its historical importance but also its artistic value. John Waters evangelises for it (here), met the artist back in the day, bought some of his photos and has even written a foreword for a recent book of Weinberger’s work. That’s recommendation enough for us.

Show us what a rebel you can be, and go and see the exhibition!The exhibition of Karlheinz Weinberger’s « The Rebels » is at the Galerie Esther Woerdehoff (here) from 11th February – 17th March 2012

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 2-6pm. Free

Opening party and cocktail Friday 10th February 2012, from 6-10pm – and you’re invited!

Official site: www.ewgalerie.com

Facebook page (mostly in French): here

You can buy books of Karlheinz Weinberger’s photos here.

Around a original 1930s Pleyel pian, lovingly restored for La Belle Juliette, Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua plays and talks about a piece of music or a musical theme, encouraging you to take part in an hour’s conversation……

There’s a free glass of champagne at the end of the concert too. Click the image to send an e-mail and reserve your seat! Click an image to send an e-mail and book your seat!

L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé. A consommer avec modération

We mentioned this unusual event a few days back, and we knew that the building was worth seeing alone (as it’s generally closed to the public), but nothing had prepared us for the sights on offer, including genuinely spectacular architecture and the kitschest exhibition we’ve seen for quite a while…(photos: JasonW, except where noted)Before we begin, a little history lesson is in order. The building is one of the masterpieces of architect August Perret and dates from the 1930s. Perret had already asserted himself as the master of refined construction in – of all things – reinforced concrete, as the stunning Théâtre des Champs-Élysées had proved. Paritcular care was taken over the classically-inspired forms and even the colour of the concrete used.

The building initially housed the Musée national des Travaux publics (the public works museum), but visitors dwindled over the years, and it closed in 1955. Now listed as a historical monument, it is currently the headquarters of government body Conseil Economique, Social et Environnemental which occasionally rents out the space for exhibitions and fashion shows.

The official photo gallery shows what the place is like on a normal day, with the entrance hall (and it’s amazing suspended staircase), the hypostyle room and the hemicycle. These lovely photos are by photographer Benoît Fougeirol.WWII stopped construction of the building, and Perret’s original plans were modified for one of the sides of the building, and the rear façade (which was only finished in 1995). However the interior is mindblowing nonetheless, and seeing it is a rare pleasure.

Which is why – through drizzle, and one a Vélib rentabike – we cycled across town to the Palais d’Iéna for the Francesco Vezzoli 24-hour exhibition. We were greeted by a festival of kitsch, with pink neon more or less everywhere, brightening up the greyish concrete, and hot pink vinyl curtains serving as a backdrop to the monumental staircase…The entrance hall is impressively long and high, with a few art déco details (wood, lighting) to soften what could otherwise had been a rather cold space.To one end of this, an area had been transformed into a makeshift disco for the VIPs who attended the previous night’s posh dinner. The installations by Vezzoli were still there, cold as marble (!) under a huge mirrorball…Looking at this short film of the evening, it looks like the guests – including a few famous faces – enjoyed themselves…

BUt it’s in the hypostyle room that most of the exhibition is housed; large photo of statues have been given silver edges and illuminated from inside. Rows of pink neon lights line both walls behind metal grills, and there’s the faint tinkling of some ambient music in the background. Very strange indeed.Et l’escalier principal arbore un espèce d’ange avec des panneaux ‘like’ pour cacher les parties privées, une référence à la page Facebook de l’événement, certainement.We were really pleased to have been able to discover this building. French-speakers might like to keep an eye on the ‘events at the Palais d’Iéna‘ page to find out when they can next get inside. It may be for the next Open House weekend in September, or during the FIAC art fair in October.

The Palais d’Iéna is here.

To check out all our photos, click the play button on the slideshow below, followed by the four little arrows bottom right to go into fullscreen mode.

Dutch photographer / filmmaker Martijn Berk contacted us to ask if he could make a little film at the Grands Hommes, and as we’re really nice and like to help out with creative projects, we said yes!

Here are a few photos from the shoot, the film itself, and more…As Martijn explains on hiw webstie, his work often centres on feelings of desire, the wish to find the perfect something/somebody that you are looking for.

He preferes models with a natural look, using as little make-up as possible (and sometimes none at all). Here’s his film « La Voix » (The Voice), filmed at the Hôtel des Grands Hommes, with subtitles taken from an opera by Jean Cocteau, « La voix humaine« . Click the four little arrows bottom right to watch in fullscreen (and choose HD for the full beauty of it).

Director: Martijn Berk. Styling: Dick Meertens. Model: Victor Leclerc @ MGM Paris. Make-up: Blanche Albera @ A Make Up Paris.

And it looks like Martijn made another film that day, « La croisée »; the same model, wearing the same clothes, can be seen in the street just near the Hôtel des Grands Hommes with the Panthéon not far behind…

Here are a few more photos taken during filming.We’re always open to serious propositions for films or photos in our hotels, so feel free to contact us if you’re a creative type.

Official site: www.martijnberk.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/martijn.berk

More films by Martijn Berk : here

More photos of Victor Leclerc: here and here

Claude Debussy was very much inspired by the visual arts, et crossed paths with some very interesting, creative people. This new exhibition at the Orangerie tells more…Debussy met artists and poiets of his era that allowed him to appreciate works by Renoir, Vuillard, Degas, Camille Claudel, Maurice Denis, Redon, Bonnard, Carrière, Gauguin… His music was indubitably influenced by these stimuli.

The exhibition contains drawing, painting and watercolours, together with letters and photos of these artists, plus original editions from Gide and manscripts written by Debussy himself!Et bien sûr, ne loupez pas la collection permanente de l’Orangerie, avec notamment les Nymphéas de Monet. Inoubliables !

The Debussy, music and the arts/em> exhibition is at the Orangerie (here) from 22nd February – 11th June 2012/big>