Modern Paris. Contemporary art
The Colonnes de Buren
The modern construction I’m standing on is called the Buren columns or “Les Deux Plateaux” in French. It is a real contemporary gem hidden inside of the 17th century Royal Palace.
Being quite conservative, Paris and Parisians always resisted modern art.
The current building of Colonnes had raised a lot of polemics and critics as well. And it is not the first building having the same destiny. With the Louvre Pyramid and Eiffel tower, it was even worse!
Anyway, thanks to the enthusiasm of the artist Daniel Buren, the modern masterpiece had seen the world in 2008. Otherwise, we would see the parking lot there as it was before!
Today the construction is made of 260 black and white columns. They appear like cylindrical statues from the underground world and emerge outside in different heights. Like music cords they create special rhythmical unity, playing in contrast with the surrounding it old Palace.
Reborn from the ashes
Because of non-exception by society and government, the columns were destroyed several times and then rebuilt again. Today it is a very animated and interactive area. The graphic aspect of the columns made it attractive for the photographers and visitors of the city. I myself adore discovering it with the guests!
Here are 5 top other impressive modern buildings in Paris to feed your imagination:
1. The Louis Vuitton Foundation
The building created by architect Frank Gehry is a modern masterpiece of transparency and lightness, totally unique in its design and aesthetic.
2. The Center Pompidou
With its huge colored pipes and exterior escalators is instantly recognizable. It serves as a setting for the National Museum of Modern Art and its priceless works of art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Do not miss the breathtaking view from the 6th-floor terrace!
3. The Louvre Pyramid
Inaugurated in 1989 as a new entrance to the museum, by Chinese-American architect Leoh Ming Pei. Made up of 673 glass panels, and takes the proportions of the pyramid of Cheops! The choice of this figure is hinting us at the exceptional collection of Egyptian antiquities inside.
4. Philharmonie de Paris
This futuristic building in the Parc de la Villette by Jean Nouvel represents today the Parisian temple of music. It is covered with 340,000 aluminum parts, houses a concert hall with remarkable acoustics. Do not miss the promenade and the panoramic view of Paris from there!
5. Institut du Monde Arabe
Facing Notre-Dame and Ile Saint-Louis, the Institut du Monde Arabe reveals its curves of glass and steel along the Seine.
The modern architectural symbol of the dialogue between Western culture and the Arab world, by Jean Nouvel, Architecture Studio, Gilbert Lèzenes, and Pierre Soria.
So what is modern after all? Have you ever meditated on this question? Me – yes! What I see is that contemporary architecture is always hiding codes and concepts of the past, uniting in it Antiquity, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism…and what do you think, my dear visitor?
