Paris Boasts a Modern New Addition
By Valerie Summers
The first time I saw Paris, some 30 years ago, I stayed on
the Left Bank in the neighborhood of the city’s most famous landmark, the iconic
Eiffel Tower. On subsequent visits, having toured almost every museum and
attraction more than once, I am always struck by the fact that everything seems
to remain the same and as beautiful as I remembered in this City of Lights.
It was fortuitous that I once again chose to stay in the
Hilton Hotel, which seems to get better with age. Had I not, I might have
missed one of the city’s most spectacular new additions, which, along with the
hotel, is a neighbor of the Eiffel Tower.
 Out for a day of strolling
along the Seine and through the city, I passed the ever-present crowds gathering
all around the Eiffel Tower. A short distance further, I happened upon a very
new and different structure, the recently unveiled Quai Branly Museum. In a city
known for its aesthetics, where everywhere buildings, bridges and monuments from
past centuries are kept in mint condition, the Branly stretches out its multi
colored rectangular walls to enclose one of the most beautiful and unique
ethnographic displays in the world. Designed by architect Jean Nouvel, this
unique, modern Parisian structure, painted in hues of orange, rust and
butterscotch, commands attention. Between the sidewalk and the building, a
soaring curved transparent glass wall etched with a conglomeration of writings
in various styles and colors shields the museum and its lush gardens from cars
roaring by along the Seine while at the same time inviting onlookers to come and
explore what is inside.
 Having purchased a museum pass
prior to my arrival in Paris, I made my way past the procession of people
waiting to enter the Branly and crossed into the cylindrical lobby. In the
center, the never ending procession continued as visitors mounted a huge spiral
walkway surrounding a plexi glass dome displaying a variety of ethnographic
objects des arts, a tantalizing taste of what lay in store on the floors above.
This museum, the brainchild of Jacques Chirac, became
reality when, in 1995, he established a commission to examine a means of giving
indigenous arts its deserved place in French museums. The unique structure,
situated on a 19 acre site in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, has in its
holdings more than 300,000 objects dedicated to arts and civilizations from
Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.
Newsweek magazine recently called Picasso’s “Le Demoiselles
d’Avignon” the most important work of art of the last 100 years. It was while
the artist was viewing African masks in the old Paris ethnographic museum that
the inspiration for this painting struck him. He saw Africa’s “savagery” as a
multicultural artistic revitalizer according to the Newsweek story.
The Branly is perhaps the only Parisian museum that was not
converted from a former life such as a palace or railroad station. The
architecture has been designed around the collections with interior plexi-glass
walls encasing beautifully displayed pieces of the vast assembly and
interspersed with free standing plexi columns allowing viewers to examine the
contents from every angle. Inside the museum everything is curved, fluid and
transparent. Several less fragile parts of the collection are free standing and
not encased.
The extensive exhibits include masks, costumes, musical
instruments, statues and textiles interspersed with interactive terminals.
Additionally, eight multimedia installations include music, tattooing and
rituals among other subjects. This unique museum reflects the current vitality
of non-European arts and civilizations.
Constantly changing unique special exhibits enhance the
spectacular permanent displays. I spent many hours exploring this exceptional
museum, yet there was so much more to see.
For travelers who will not have the opportunity to visit
Paris may view the Branly’s traveling exhibition, Five Centuries of Royal Art
from the Kingdom of Benin on display at the Art Institute of Chicago from June
27 to September 21, 2008.
Beside the discovery of Quai Branly my visit to Paris was also made
special because of the Hilton hotel staff, particularly the concierges who
delivered truly exceptional service. I was pleased to find, since I last
visited, the hotel has incorporated a spacious sunlit breakfast room with every
kind of breakfast food imaginable including cooked to order dishes and featuring
local specialties, international dishes and low fat/low calorie preferences.
Another plus was my discovery that Hilton hotels all over
the world promote a conservation program saving the world tremendous amounts of
water and electricity. All businesses showing environmental awareness always
score points with me.
Each evening before I retired, I relaxed on the balcony of
my modern and very comfortable guest room viewing the Eiffel Tower while
recalling my introduction to a vibrant new Parisian discovery, the ultimate
showcase for the world’s ancient art and artifacts.
For information:
Hilton Paris
18, Avenue de Suffren
75740 Paris cedex 15, France
www.paris.hilton.com
Quai Branly Museum (Musee du quai Branly)
222, rue de l’Universite
75343 Paris cedex 07
Open Tuesday-Sunday
www.quaibranly.fr
Images: Valerie Summers
www.southerncaliforniaguide.org |
