Some pictures from the Jardin du Luxembourg

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"Sometimes you just want to retreat into a James Cameron movie and forget about the "real" world ;)" - Facebook post from a few days ago.

I saw this movie in Europe (without 3D goggles) and I still loved it. There was a discussion on facebook last week which I got involved in, unfortunately I think. Usually I never get into those silly discussions, but I was on vacation and had time. It's amazing the lowest common denominator people get down to in those discussions. I mean the lowest. After awhile I gave up but not before telling the loud mouth dumb asses just how dumb I thought they were. God knows it's no easy task to do anything, much less write, produce and direct a movie. And anyway, the question of what's art and not art is old already. If we are to judge by what's being sold as art in galleries and what's being written about in magazines etc., who the hell knows? And forget about commercialism. After all, we are in America and still a capitalist society.

Like I said on my facebook post, but substituting "tableau" for "a work of art"; "Le premier mérite d'un tableau est d'être une fête pour l'oeil"-Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). Same applies to movies. For those out there who love beauty, who embrace the idea of alternate realities, of other worlds or dimensions, who value nature, spirituality and the unity between all things, this a great movie to see.

Musee National Eugene Delacroix

The exhibition "Une passion pour Delacroix: La collection Karen B. Cohen" goes through April. It's worth seeing what passion as a collector can accomplish. I believe this collection will go to the Met at some point. To know more about this exhibition click here.


Eugène Delacroix. Coucher de soleil. © New York Collection Karen B. Cohen

Regis R: Prince of Plastic

I think it was Leo Castelli who said something to the effect, you know the quality of an artist's work by looking at his character. Well Regis R has tons of character and it doesn't hurt that he was a designer in the studio of Philippe Starck. I met him in the fall during the Slick art fair and this time we sat with his manager at Cafe des Deux Moulins in Pigalle and chatted about all things art.




Image courtesy of http://itopus.blogspot.com/2008/06/regis-r-prince-of-plastic-in-casa-vogue.html

Paul de Pignol

I met this artist at a friend's dinner where we played with her rabbits all evening. She's been friends with him for more than a decade. He sculpts and draws in the tradition of Giacometti and shares a sculpting studio with another artist on the outskirts of Paris but draws in a small studio that looks out over the city and the Eiffel Tower. It was incredibly fun to go around with him one day. You had the sense of being way back in the last century, perhaps 75 or more years ago when Paris was still the center of the art world. If you click the title you'll get to his website and see more of his work.

The Queen's Gallery Buckingham Palace

What a wonderful exhibition of Treasures From the Royal Collection. Some of the best old masters are on view here. It's a good reminder that royals have been some of the biggest patrons of the arts, commissioning works, before the whole contemporary art buzz made "collecting" such a game of keeping up with the Joneses.


Pythagorus advocating vegetarianism. c.1618-30.Sir Peter Paul Rubens and Frans Snyders.Acquired by Queen Victoria.

The Browser One Year Anniversary and Christmas Party

The Browser's first anniversary and Christmas party in a wonderful art deco building in West London was a mix of intellectuals, fashionistas, art worlders and finance guys. Al Breach certainly knows how to throw a party, stateside or abroad ;)

Chelsea Hotel

My friend RPM is doing his part to keep the art spirit of the Chelsea Hotel alive. I won't go into specifics here but all the shenanigans of past years with past artsy tenants are still a part of the establishment, thank God, and thanks to people like my friend. Here are some pics from the other night.

Deitch did the most amazing concert at the Raleigh with Santigold

You've gotta love Jeffrey Deitch when he steals the entire Art Basel Miami Beach spotlight with a drop dead good concert of Santigold at the Raleigh on Wednesday night. Forget about a one song appearance by Lady Gaga in LA at MOCA which the press has blown up into this mega something. This concert was a real treat for anyone who loves music and performance. There was still a full moon in the sky from the night before, and if you don't get sick from watching my shaky video which I made while dancing, well, enjoy ;)

Vito Schnabel and Matthew Malie mounted an exhibition in the W

Here are some pics from the exhibition The Bruce High Quality Foundation. By the time I got there the opening was almost over, but there were still a few people like Jean Pigozzi, Nicole from Deitch Gallery and Francesco Clemente there.