Day 40: France & Godard

Recently, I finished watching Stanley Kubrick’s films (except for Eyes Wide Shut, which is inaccessible in Singapore). So, I decided to focus on another director’s body of work, and I settled with Jean-Luc Godard. Maybe, I was feeling guilty for not watching enough French films when I was studying near Paris for 6 months. Maybe, I wanted to improve my French. But, I think my main reason for the choice was that I have never delved into French New Wave (Nouvelle Vague) films before. My prior experience was only with “Jules et Jim” by François Truffaut, which was also within the past year.

Dear Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison of the band, The Doors, is arguably the most famous resident of Pere Lachaise cemetery within the contemporary time. The talented man died at 27, at the peak of his career. “Live fast and die young” – MGMT’s lyrics was what I think of when I recall Jim Morrison’s early death. To die young at the peak of your career, then the world will forever miss you. To die old at the slump of your career, then the world will forget you (then maybe miss you). At least you get to taste your success for the first case. For the second case, you don’t. See the cases of : Frederic Chopin, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Georges Bizet etc.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery. March 2011.

I Long for Thy Peace

It was a quiet, grey day for a walk through Pere Lachaise cemetery. Peaceful, tranquil and beautiful – those are the words I would use to describe the cemetery. One may forget that he or she is in a cemetery if they only pay attention to the sculptures within the area. They are beautiful, and do not necessarily make direct references to death. At times, even the beauty of the sculptures may overtake the importance of the soul buried underneath it. By the way, who is Amirale Bruat?

Pere Lachaise Cemetery. March 2011.

Voyeurism of Venus

Miss Mona Lisa is a celebrity of her own right. So is Miss Venus from Milo.

It disturbs me that an object can have such a large cultural significance that it becomes somewhat trivialised. So, Mona Lisa has her own special space in the Louvre. It is so special that nobody can observe the artwork up close anymore (except for the security guards, perhaps). Everybody wants to take picture with Mona Lisa. But nobody could appreciate her beauty up close. That’s sad.

For Venus, her celebrity status has attracted a lot of visitors too. It’s funny how many people photograph her, considering that she is topless, without hands to cover her own bosom. At least one could walk around Venus to observe her (pretty) closely.

Louvre Museum, March 2011.

Ma, Look at the Ginormous Painting!

Gigantic + Enormous = Ginormous.

I love Louvre’s gigantic paintings. They remind you that some things are larger in life than your life itself.

Louvre Museum. March 2011.

Minimalism in Palais du Louvre

Black leather against the washed-out white pillars of Palais Louvre. I’ve promised myself that I won’t submit a picture of the pyramid entrance here! Heh.

Canal St. Martin

While planning for my visit of 19th arrondissement on Google Maps, I saw one end of the Canal St. Martin closed to it.

So, I went crazy and thought, “I should walk along the WHOLE canal!”

How did I get rid of my cognitive dissonance? By arguing, “Oh, Paris is only 12 km wide.” Silly me. 12 km is still LONG.

So, I did walk along the canal. In the middle of the day. It’s not the best timing, especially with the sun shining into your eyes! If I ever take a promenade across the canal again, it will certainly be in a morning.

I had read that there are some shops and cafes along the canal. Cafes, yes I found them. Shops, not as much as I had expected! Maybe some of them are further inside the streets, slightly away from the canal.

I guess I had expected too much from the poor Canal St. Martin. I shall leave the Canal to itself now.

The Swan

The sunlight hits its feathers, and the swan glows in its magnificence. I do think that I was subconsciously influenced by the advertisements of Dutch airlines KLM that I saw when I was really young.

Lake at Palace of Versailles, March 2011.

If It Was A Wonderland…

Walking in between the tall trees, I felt like I was like Alice, getting lost within tall gigantic things. I didn’t find any smoking caterpillar waiting for me, though.

Palace of Versailles, March 2011.

Modernity Against Royal Past

You stepped into an old royal castle, and it did feel like a different century. Until you looked through one of its windows the crowd. Oh no, people have come to overthrow the royals. Oh right, they had been overthrown. Then, you saw the cars. Oh yeah, we’re living in the modern times.

Palace of Versailles, March 2011.