Don't Let the Future Stop You

One of the Tour Eiffel's telescopes - for overlooking
the Quai Branly.

From Visiting Paris Now

Paris:- Saturday, 1. April 2000:- Every week there are a couple of items for this column that do not get in it because they concern plans for the future.

I am not thinking of events that have starting dates three months from now - like the 14th of July Great Picnic - but plans for future museums, future parks, or new attractions. These come and these go. Some that I think are dead and buried, even come back.

I have just found a small-type mention of a certain 'Musée du Quai Branly,' in a reference to a show of South American gold, mentioned below. As far as I know, no such museum exists in Paris.

But wait! In today's Le Parisien there is a feature with the title: 'Exposition - Discover the Future Quai Branly Museum.' Apparently architects were picked in December of last year, to design the new museum which is to include Africa, the Pacific, Asia, the Americas and the Arctic regions.

This sounds like President Chirac's old idea to move the Musée des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie and the Musée de la Homme into the Marine Museum at Trocadéro - which I thought was forgotten - but I missed a 1998 decision to locate this new museum on the Quai Branly.

Fifteen architectural groups competed for the project, and their models and plans are on display on Beaubourg's 4th level, until Monday, 5. June; in the Centre Pompidou, Paris 4. The finished museum is expected to open in 2004. I hope this isn't a 1. April story.

Navigation Note:-For some rare issues of Metropole, there will be two 'Scene' pages. This regular one will be for current events in Paris, and the occasional other one will be for special 'Paris 2000' events; which will include '2000 In France' items.

If you pop back and forth within a week's two 'Scene' pages, your browser's 'back' or 'return' button may not return you to the issue's 'contents' page. Use 'This Issue' in Metropole's navigation line at the top and bottom of these pages.

• New This Week
• Coming Events, Exhibitions, Salons
• Major Events, Exhibitions, Salons
• Other Events, Exhibitions, Salons
• Art Works
• Photo Works
• Dance, Music, Opera, Theatre
• Culture, History, Science
• Cinéma and Multimedia
• Sports, Bikes, Rollers
• Unclassifieds

The items below are not necessarily 'new;' but they open this week's column.

Marianne et les Révolutionnaires - is a sculpted group by Ousmane Sow, which is accompanied by a film by Béatrice Soulé. This continues until Monday, 26. June. Except Tuesdays, daily from 10:00 to 17:30. At the Musée des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, 293. Avenue Daumesnil, Paris 12. Métro: Porte Dorée. Info. Tel.: 01 43 46 51 61. Also see Makishi in 'coming events,' below.

Brassaï / Picasso - Beginning in 1933, Brassaï photographed Picasso's sculptures, and all of the original prints were acquired by the Musée Picasso. 150 of them are on display, including some experimental' grattages' by Brassaï. Surrealistic! Except Mondays, daily from 9:30 to 18:00. On Thursdays until 20:00. Until Monday, 1. May. Musée Picasso, Hôtel Salé, 5. Rue Thorigny, Paris 3. Métro: Saint-Paul or Filles-du-Calvaire. Info. Tel.: 01 42 71 25 21.

Courbet et la Commune - Seven years after being at the summit of his fame, Courbet died forgotten in Switzerland. His mistake - being on the anti-Napoleonic side during the Commune of 1870. This exhibition shows his work done in prison and in exile. Until Sunday, 11. June. Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10:00 to 18:00; Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 to 18:00. Musée d'Orsay, Quai Anatole France, Paris 7. Métro: Solférino or RER 'C' Orsay.Info. Tel.: 01 40 49 48 14.

La Commune Photographie - represents the first uprising in Paris to be photographed. Candid images, photos taken after events, photo-montages and faked photos, for propaganda purposes.Until Sunday, 11. June. Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10:00 to 18:00; Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 to 18:00. Musée d'Orsay, Quai Anatole France, Paris 7. Métro: Solférino or RER 'C' Orsay.Info. Tel.: 01 40 49 48 14.

Les Esprits, l'Or et le Chamane - Gold had no monetary value to the Americans, who used it for decorations. For the first time in France, 300 of the best examples from the Bogota's Museo del Oro show how the original Americans saw death and the destiny of souls. Until Monday, 10. July. Reservations required from 10:00 to 13:00, come as you are from 13:00 to 20:00. Except Tuesdays, open daily and on Wednesdays until 22:00. Closed 1. May. Clemenceau entry, Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, Paris 8. Métro: Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau. Info. Tel.: 01 44 13 17 17.

L'Empire du Temps - from its own collections, the Louvre presents the legends of time, from antiquity to Christian and western eras. Also suggested is how to use a museum to kill time. Part of the 'Mission 2000 In France' program. Starts Monday, 10. April and continues until Monday, 10. July. Open daily except Tuesdays; from 9:00 to 17:45; until 21:45 on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Louvre, Rue de Rivoli, Paris 1. Métro: Louvre-Palais Royal. Info. Tel.: 01 40 20 50 50.

Magnum - on the morning of the 21st century, some 400 photos present a 'state of the world,' as recorded by 56 of Magnum's photographers. Until Sunday, 7. May. In the Galeries Mansart and Mazarine, in the Bibliothèque Nationale, 58. Rue Richelieu, Paris 2. Métro: Bourse. Info. Tel.: 01 53 79 59 59.

Heloisa Nouvaes - is a retrospective of the works of the Brazilian artist Heloisa Nouvaes' fantastic universe; imaginative and harmonious. From Monday to Friday, from 11:00 to 19:00. At the Maison de l'Amérique Latine, 217. Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 7. Métro: Solférino.

2000 Nains à Bagatelle - aka Nutville in the Bushes, with a bagatelle of 2K of garden dwarfs - gartenzwergs to you, Emile. For their first real exhibition in France, this is not all kitsch - early zwergs were modelled after court entertainers - and a Metropole reader was looking for one modelled after his late great-great-great-great-grandfather, last seen at the Château de Suresnes around 1715. We couldn't find him - even the château is gone - but we didn't give up and now here's another chance. Except Tuesdays, open daily from 11:00 to 18:00. Until Sunday, 23. July. Bagatelle, Route de Neuilly, in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris 16. Nearest métro: Pont de Neuilly, or bus 43. Park entry: 10 francs.

Salon de la Maquette - has now got a spiffier name which is also longer - 'Mondial de la Maquettte et Modèle Réduit,' with 'Salon des Jeux.' In other words, Paris' annual model and games show. This continues until Sunday, 9. April. This salon also has a Web site. Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles.

This item closes the opening 'new' events for this week. You will find some other new items below. Again, lack of time has not permitted me to form a text to go with each of the images - but they do represent current events in Paris.

Makishi - In a spectacular show, masked dancers from Tshokwe, Luvale, Ngandela in Angola, from Zimbabwe, Zambia and from the south of the Congo, stage a return visit to the Musée des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, within the framework of the 4th Festival de l'Imaginaire - co-organized with the Maison des Cultures du Monde. This is also an exhibition, featuring demonstrations of mask making, until Saturday, 22. April. It begins on Friday, 7. April and continues until Monday, 26. June. Except Tuesdays, daily from 10:00 to 17:30. Musée des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, 293. Avenue Daumesnil, Paris 12. Métro: Porte Dorée. Info. Tel.: 01 43 46 51 61.

This Spring - 30 centuries of Mexican art will take over from the Brazil Baroque exhibition; also in the Petit Palais, Avenue du Winston Churchill, Paris 8. Métro: Champs-Elysées Clemenceau. Except Monday, open from 10:00 to 17:40; to 20:00 on Thursdays. Info. Tel.: 01 42 65 12 73.

Musée Bouchard - here I am mentioning a sculptor whose work I've never seen and who died in 1960. 'Bouchard et la Bourgogne' begins on Saturday, 15. April, to run until 13. September. Open from Wednesday to Saturday, from 14:00 to 19:00. At the Musée Bouchard, 25. Rue de l'Yvette, Paris 16. Métro: Jasmin. Info. Tel.: 01 46 47 63 46.

Musée des Arts et Métiers - After ten years of being mostly closed and about four years of being all closed, a major Paris museum has reopened. It is full of the tools and machines - many original - that helped make our modern world. A report about my visit to it is featured in this issue.

Musée des Arts et Métiers, 60. Rue Réaumur, Paris 3. Métro: Arts et Métiers. Open daily except Mondays, from 10:00 to 18:00; until 21:00 on Thursdays. Entry: 35 francs. Info. Tel.: 01 53 01 82 20.

1900 - The last turn of the century lasted from 1895 until 1905 and I expect ours will go on for another five years too. One hundred years ago Europe was booming along industrially, and art was booming too, and plants were an inspiration.

This exhibition of things '1900' is like looking in your great-grandparent's attic; all of it too 'Mucha.' A must-see. Until Monday, 26. June. Open daily except Tuesdays, from 10:00 to 20:00, on Thursday until 22:00. Morning entries by reservation; after 13:00, at the door. Closed Monday, 1. May. At the Grand Palais, 3. Avenue du Général-Eisenhower, Square Jean-Perrin, Paris 8. Métro: Clemenceau. Info. Tel.: 01 44 13 17 10.

Droit de Cité Pour la Presse - is subtitled 'Liberté à la Une' - Freedom for the Front Page. This is an exhibition entirely devoted to the idea of the right to access information and freedom of expressing it. Historically it passes from Théophraste Renaudot's 'La Gazette' to the Internet of our times. Until Monday, 15. May, at the Palais-Brongniart, which is also known as the Bourse de Paris. Daily from 10:00 to 19:00. Métro: Bourse. No entry charge. Conferences and hands-on demos. Featured in Metropole in this issue.

Oser Le Savoir - which translates as 'Dare to Know,' features '10 keys to the future' which will be presented with exhibitions and debates, from February until the end of the year. This takes place, in cooperation with the CNRS, at the Cité des Sciences & de l'Industrie at La Villette. 30. Avenue Corentin-Cariou, Paris 19. Info. Tel.: 0140 05 80 00.

Etienne-Jules Marey - was an all-round scientist during the last part of the 19th century and the Espace Electra has teamed up with the Cinémathèque Français to put on an exhibition, tracing Marey's history. At the Espace Electra, 6. Rue Récamier, Paris 7. Open daily except Monday, from 12:00 to 19:00. Métro: Sèvres-Babylone. Info. Tel.: 01 53 63 23 45.

Trésors des Arts Asiatiques - is from the collection of Mr and Mrs John D. Rockerfeller III, which is now managed by the Asia Society. This show features 81 major pieces from the entire collection, and comes to Paris after being shown in Melbourne, Sydney and Shanghai. This show continues until Sunday, 14. May. It can be seen daily except Mondays, from 10:00 to 17:40, at the Musée Cernuschi, 7. Avenue Vélasquez, Paris 8. Métro: Monceau or Villiers. Info. Tel.: 01 45 63 50 75.

L'Epopée des Heike - is something not to miss. History in the form of 250 sculptures of exquisite paper, carefully folded by hand. Until Saturday, 13. May; Tuesday to Saturday, from 12:00 to 19:00 and on Thursdays until 20:00. On display now at the Maison de la Culture du Japon, 101. Quai Branly, Paris 15. Métro: Bir-Hakeim. Info. Tel.: 01 44 37 95 00.

Portrait of Mexico - as part of the '2000 in Paris' salute to the new world of the Americas, a film history of Mexico is a current attraction at the Forum des Images-Vidéothèque. This is in the Forum des Halles, by the Porte Saint-Eustache entry, Paris 1. Info. Tel.: 01 44 76 62 00.

Imaï, la Guerre et la Paix - is an exhibition by the Japanese artist Imaï, who mixes Japan with the west, in Europe and in America. Several of his works are in the permanent collection at the Pompidou Centre. On show, his latest works, from 1992 to today. At the Couvent des Cordeliers, 15. Rue de l'Ecole de Médecine; Paris 6. Métro: Cluny or Odéon. Open from 11:00 to 19:00 - except Mondays. Until Wednesday, 5. April. Info. Tel.: 01 40 46 05 47.

Haiti - Anges et Démons - plus voodoo graffiti, Holy Sun, metal Ogou, and contemporary 'magic' - in 300 pieces done between 1945 and today. 'Magic painting,' according to André Malraux. Until Friday, 30. June; from 10:00 to 19:00, daily. At the Halle Saint-Pierre, 2. Rue Ronsard, Paris 18. Métro Anvers. Info. Tel.: 01 42 58 72 89.

The Musée de la Poupée - the Paris' doll museum has two temporary exhibitions of dolls coming soon. One will show communion and marriage costumes. This continues until Monday, 12. June. 'Gene' is another doll, younger and bigger than Barbie, based on Gene Tierney or Greta Garbo. 'Gene à Paris' will feature 50 dolls in an exhibition, which ends on Sunday, 4. June.

Musée de la Poupée, Impasse Berthaud, Paris 3. Métro: Rambuteau. Except Monday, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Boutique next door. Info. Tel.: 01 42 72 73 11.

Les Grands Boulevards - are getting a constant drumroll these days and now an exhibition too. From Monday to Friday; from 12:00 to 18:00. Until Friday, 28. April, at the Mairie of the 9th arrondissement, 6. Rue Drouot, Paris 9. Métro: Richelieu-Drouot.

Les Ponts de Paris - Parisians can't get enough of the Seine's bridges even though there are plenty of them; so here is another exhibition - about which I'm short of details. On weekdays, until Tuesday, 11. April; from 12:00 to 18:00. At the Mairie of the XIII, 1. Place d'Italie, Paris 13. Métro: Place d'Italie. Produced by Paris' Action Artistique.

Zingg - died in 1942 and for the first time this painter's sketches and designs are being shown to the public. See the feature in Metropole. Until Friday, 21. April; from Tuesday to Friday, from 12:30 to 18:30, and by rendez-vous. At L'Atelier An. Girard, 7. Rue Campagne Première, Paris 14. Info. Tel.: 01 43 22 01 16.

Le Crépuscule des Dinosaures - is some to scare adults with, but kids will love it. This is a big show, with possibly big lineups, so make your plans carefully. Until Sunday, 14. May. At the Palais de la Découverte, Avenue Franklin-Roosevelt, Paris 8. Métro: same name. Info. Tel.: 01 56 43 20 21.

Venise de Zoran Music - is an exhibition of 100 paintings and aquarelles done by Zoran Music between 1946 and 1998, at Paris' museum for the 18th century. At the Musée Cognacq-Jay, 8. Rue Elzéir, Paris 3. Opening hours are 10:00 to 17:40 daily except Mondays and holidays, until Sunday, 16. April. Info. Tel.: 01 40 27 07 21.

Lasar Segall - the retrospective has been put together by the Laser Segall Museum of Sao Paulo, the Jewish Museum of New York and the Smart Museum of Chicago. Little-known in France despite a four-year period in Paris and a retrospective in 1959, Segall spent most of his life in Brazil. Until Sunday, 14. May, at the Musée d'Art et istoire du Judaïsme, Hôtel de Saint-Aignan, 71. Rue du Temple, Paris 3. Info. Tel.: 01 53 01 86 53.