At the End of Winter

If people aren't in museums, then they must be in cafés.

In the Middle of the 'Spring' Exhibition Season

by Ric Erickson

Paris:- Monday, 20. April 1998:- Need I mention the unspeakable weather? I guess I'd better. It is unspeakable.

Last night's TV-weather news was upbeat for the coming week, but nobody believes the forecasts anymore. This doesn't mean they might not be true; it only means that there is no faith in them. It is very unusual in Paris for it to rain so much for so long.

As I write this, rain is falling on my window ledge, sounding a bit more solid than unpopped popcorn. Frankly, it sounds like wet pea-gravel.

The mountain stations got a big boost with a lot of fresh snow for the Easter holidays - something hardly anybody was expecting. By last night, all the ski resorts had definitely called it a season, whether they had snow or not - and many of them still have lots.

Cinemas and museums are doing well, while outside parks are having a dismal time. As well as actual rain, it is not warm either.

For this reason - I don't want to go and on about it - I've put in a few more inside attractions this week. There should be something for everybody here, but remember - if you think you are going to be standing in line to get in to see something, be sure to dress for it.

This annual short exhibition is a showcase for the latest creations rendered as lithos, photographs and artist's books, and these are shown by more than a hundred art publishers, galleries, and artist's ateliers. The Bibliothèque Nationale has contributed to this show, with a selected display from its collections of lithos, around the theme of 'the hand.'

At the Espace Branly, 29-55. quai Branly, Paris 7.
From Thursday, 23. April to Monday, 27. April. Daily from 12:00 to 20:00; Saturday and Sunday from 10:00, and on Friday, until 23:00.

The Paris Home Show is replaying itself for the 87th time for its customary spring extravaganza of too much everything. Besides the usual attraction of the annual inventor's show - the Concours Lépine - there will be an 'Espace Football' in the Hall Four, which will feature of quarter-size, or eighth-size, football field.

Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles
From Wednesday, 29. April to Sunday, 10. May. Daily from 10:00 to 19:00. Thursday, 30. April, Tuesday, 5. May and Thursday, 7. May, open until 22:00. Usual entry charge is 50 francs, but look around a bit for reduced entry offers.

May Ray was an American who came to Paris and fell in with a wild crowd and ended up making a lot of wild photographs, and a good number of excellent photographs for other purposes, while have a good time and becoming very famous.

Fights broke out between Dadaists and Surrealists, two groups of strange people who each claimed May Ray was one of their own. The Centre Georges Pompidou, known locally as Beaubourg, is being renovated, but is putting on shows externally, and this is one of them. Some 500 works will be on display.

In the Galeries Nationales of the Grand Palais
From Wednesday, 29. April until Monday, 29. June.
Reservations can be made to see this exhibition, but not at the Grand Palais, and elsewhere not on the eve of your visit nor on the day of your visit. Without reservations, visits can be made any day, except Tuesdays of course; after 13:00, and the show is open until 20:00, except Wednesdays, when it is open to 22:00. The entry charge is 45 francs, and reduced, 31 francs.

The title of this exhibition put me off and I thought it was over, but it only started a month ago; and since it goes on until Monday, 29. June, you may as well know about it because it is crammed into the Grand Palais with everything else this season.

There are good reasons why you may not have heard of Philippe le Bel and his offspring; that they lived around 1285 to 1328 is not one of them. While they were being 'maudits,' the usual gang of artists were at work and this is what is on show here - some really old stuff.

Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais
Square Jean Perrin, métro Georges Clemenceau.

Reservations: same rules seem to apply as for the Man Ray show, as if they have something in common. The entry tarifs are also different: full rate for Phil le Bel is 58 francs by reservation, but only 50 francs if you come as you are. May Ray is also six francs more expensive by reservation; for which you will also get a black mark beside your name if you don't show up within 30 minutes of the time indicated.

Past advice for popular shows at the Grand Palais remains the same: try to time your visit for around 17:00 when most people are elsewhere. The same advice applies to the Delacroix exhibition - mentioned below - at the Grand Palais as well.

Or the Bella Maniera. Along the same lines as Rosso, Bronzion or Primatice, Florentine painter Francesco Salviati was influenced by Raphaël and Michelangelo and he was a big star in the 16th century. Like the other Italians, he was an all-rounder and 60 of his paintings and 82 of his draings are on show, from the Louvre's collection.