The Flowers of Yves Saint Laurent - Musée YSL Paris

Small museums make me happy. Especially those in large cities. As a case in point, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris is a delightful gem where I enjoyed surprising levels of customer service in the only city I know where the concept continues to be overwhelmingly ignored, as well as a superbly curated and jaw-droppingly beautiful show. I will also mention that the €10 ticket seems very reasonable given I have paid €7 for a bubble tea.

The Flowers of Yves Saint Laurent is an exquisite exhibition that honours the designer’s deep connection with nature and his literary hero, Marcel Proust. For the first time, over 30 of iconic garments and drawings are displayed, revealing how flowers became an infinite and ever evolving source of inspiration. Much like Proust's use of floral metaphors in his writing, Saint Laurent explored and celebrated flowers to transform women into living works of art. Roses, Lily of the Valley, (a favourite of his mentor Christian Dior), Bougainvillea, Irises and Hydrangeas, Camellias, YSL transformed his runway shows into botanical wonders.

These stunning pieces illustrate the intricate craftsmanship and creative process behind the vibrant floral designs that became one of YSL’s most recognised signatures. The show is an homage to nature’s beauty, brought to life through the artistry of one of the greatest couturiers.

#YvesSaintLaurent #expoYSLfleurs #HauteCouture #fashion #MuseeYSLParis #Paris #blog #beyondthecanvasblog

On the Exonerated Five

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou

Just finished watching this amazing documentary made by Ken Burns in 2013, which tells the story of the 1989 case of five Black and Latino teenagers wrongfully convicted of raping a white woman in NYC's Central Park. Halfway through the film, Trump's ugly mug pops up. The then real estate developer took it upon himself to take out full-page ads in 4 NYC newspapers calling for the death penalty for the accused. "It's more than anger, it's hatred. And I want society to hate them." he is shown saying during an interview. I honestly cannot look at his sea cucumber mouth, it makes my skin crawl.

Anyway, I digress. After two trials, all five boys were convicted and went on to serve prison terms of 6 to 13 years. Despite their exoneration in 2002 after a serial offender confessed to the crime, Trump still refused to retract his statements, once again demonstrating what we now know to be a rancid pattern of stoking fear and division, particularly towards communities of color. After the film came out, he tweeted that it was 'a one sided piece of garbage', which is exactly why you should all watch it.

#CentralParkFive #ExoneratedFive #Racism #Justice #USElection #Blog #blogger #beyondthecanvasblog

“The Shape of Things” at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester

"The Shape of Things" at Pallant House explores a genre that has the ability to unlock the hidden beauty and expressive force of everyday objects. As someone who grew up near Morandi's studio, for me this is by no means a minor genre. If anything, as this superbly curated exhibition demonstrates, still lives are a timeless and ever relevant mirror of society that is both intimate and universal.

Striking a delicate balance between formal simplicity and emotional complexity, still lives represent the artistic triumph of the mundane over the epic. Flowers, vases, garments, foods, plants, domestic landscapes - they all have the narrative potential and emotional depth to resonate, provoke thoughts and inspire.

This is an ambitious and engaging survey that includes the work of over 100 artists working in a variety of media ranging from painting to photography, from textile (a personal favourite) to ceramics, with each medium offering its unique perspective.

Congratulations and my gratitude to Melanie Vandenbrouck, chief curator of this gem of a museum, who took time out of her busy schedule to show me around. À la prochaine!

#theshapeofthings #britishstilllife #stilllife #pallanthouse #chichester #artblog #beyondthecanvasblog