Nuit Blanche

For the past 12 years or so, the city of Paris has sponsored an all-night arts exhibit at different locations all over the city. We focused on the area from the Gare d'Austerlitz to the Les docks by the Seine, probably walk of 3 or 4 km with art installations along the way. The large crowd was very diverse - families with young children, teens, hipsters, and older folks like ourselves. I suspect the demographic changes as the night goes on but alas we couldn't stay up to find out. It was festive and fun, and very well organized with lots of helpful aides and security.

The series of installations we saw was titled Open Musee Street-Art Contemporain. The first piece was a light exhibit that took place as you walked in a rail yard:

 

It was a timed series of lights on the supporting columns, which gradually speeded up for the finale where it was all lit. You walked for about 10-15 minutes so you experienced a couple a couple of full cycles. It was very cool. I couldn't help but think about the differences between the U.S. And European views of liability - trying to imagine a conversation with BNSF that started - "We have an idea where we will bring tens of thousands of people, in the dark, to an art exhibit in your rail yard."

We followed along with the main crowd and next happened upon some performance art as shown above.

And then we saw a variety of art painted on the area by the docks right by the Seine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed home after 2 hours of the open air museum - a memorable experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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