Exhibitions, theatre, books… Every fortnight Madame Figaro delivers its cultural selection.
Sangam by Subodh Gupta at Le Bon Marché
After Ai Weiwei and his mythological creatures in the form of kites, Chiharu Shiota and his 150 woolen boats,Prune Nourry and her targets and her volley of arrowsLe Bon Marché invites theartist Subodh Gupta to invest his places ofexposure. The work of this internationally renowned Indian visual artist explores daily rituals through the icons of Indian culture. His favorite material is the stainless steel of kitchen utensils which he assembles in the form of installations. For Le Bon Marché, he designed Sangam which in Hindu mythology is the confluence of three rivers, the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswati. Pilgrims come to immerse themselves in water to purify themselves. Comment from the plastic surgeon:Sangam is a cascade of mirror facets and sculptures formed from household objects. An installation that questions viewers about their pilgrimage in a consumer-driven society.
Sangamuntil February 19, 2023, lebonmarche.com
The Death of Danton enters the repertoire of the Comédie-Française
The piece the most famous on the French Revolution, written by the German Georg Büchner in 1885, entered the repertoire of the Comédie-Française. This new production, Salle Richelieu, is directed by Simon Delétang, director of the People’s Theater of Bussang. No historical reconstruction here as in the 1789 by Ariane Mnouchkine or It will be fine, end of Louis by Joël Pommerat but a theater of juxtaposition, a lyrical piece. Documented Fresco, The Death of Danton traces the lives of men and women engaged in a fight that will cause their downfall. Simon Delatang opted for a unique evolving space allowing to follow the movements of the seventeen actors on the set, all in a resolutely 18th century aesthetic.e. A play on an essential moment in history in the form of a reflection on the human condition.
The Death of Danton from January 13 to June 4, 2023, comedie-francaise.fr
Jeanne Vicérial, first solo show at the Galerie Templon
This 30-year-old, former resident of the Villa Medici (2020), is known for her futuristic practice which, questioning the contemporary wardrobe, the concepts of made-to-measure and ready-to-wear, in turn questions the place of women and female body in society. For this exhibition, the seamstress researcher coined the neologism “Armors”, a sort of contraction of love and armor. Fifteen textile sculptures in small, medium and large formats invest the space covered in ebony black. “Like an army, these presences straighten up and expose their scars of sutured threads. Adorned with their armors, they walk proudly towards the future and thus tell us their story of femininity”, warns Jeanne Vicérial. A pilgrimage journey around the feminine.
Jeanne Vicérial, “Armors”, until March 4, 2023, templon.com
Matthieu Ricard: Himalayas, my love
Since 1967, Matthieu Ricard has settled in the Himalayas. The Buddhist monk, interpreter of the Dalai Lama, photographerrecently published Wonder (2019), Contemplation (2019) and A Motionless Journey (2021) published by Editions de La Martinière. His bestseller, Half a century in the Himalayas (2017), spring in collector’s version. 350 images illustrate the ceremonies, the intimacy of Buddhist monasteries, the immensity of the Tibetan highlands, the wild nature of Bhutan, the peaks of Nepal… Texts accompany the photos, delivering a spiritual testimony, full of wisdom and compassion. All of Matthieu Ricard’s royalties are donated to humanitarian projects in Asia supported by the Karuna Shechen association.
Matthew Ricard, Half a century in the Himalayas (2017), Editions de la Martinière, 352 pages, 40 euros.
Nathalie Rheims, Throughout the days
Twenty-third book for Nathalie Rheims who digs her furrow, backwards from the time. The author likes older men and does not hide it. She had written a book where she spoke of her favorite actor Charles Denner. She more recently recounted her romantic initiation, as a teenager, by a member of the Comédie-Française in Place Colette (2015). This time, it’s a Polaroid taken by his sister, photographer Bettina Rheims, found in a box, which brings up other memories. A passion between a young girl and a mature man. The name of the singer with black hair and a charming smile is never pronounced, but the title of the novel takes up the song of a certain Mouloudji. And his enigmatic and tormented presence fills each page of this novel.
Nathalie Rheims, Throughout the daysreleased on January 11, 176 pages, Éditions Leo Scheer.