For the 41st edition of the Journées du Patrimoine, we headed for theLithuanian Embassy, which opened its doors to us on Saturday, September 21, 2024. It's an opportunity for us to discover the sumptuous mansion near the Parc Monceau, and to immerse ourselves in Lithuanian culture, which is little-known in France.
In the 19th century, this private mansion at 22 boulevard de Courcelles was the first Parisian residence of composer Ernest Chausson, his wife and their three children. During this period, the hotel was decorated by painters Maurice Denis and Odilon Redon. His study also featured a large portrait of the Chausson family, painted by his friend Eugène Carrière. The building became an embassy in 1999.
Please note that the Lithuanian Embassy is only open on Saturday, September 21. Don't miss this unique day, and make a note of the date in your diary! Please note that this visit is by registration only, and that you have until September 20 to reserve your place.
On September 21, 2024, the Lithuanian Embassy in Paris celebrates its fifth year of participation in the European Heritage Days with a captivating exhibition entitled "Les Origines", marking the start of the Season of Lithuania in France.
Housed in the former residence of French Romantic composer Ernest Chausson, just a few steps from Parc Monceau, the Lithuanian Embassy in Paris invites you to explore Lithuania's historical memory with the installation "Les Origines", designed by renowned Lithuanian artists Svajonė and Paulius Stanikas. The exhibition plunges viewers into a whirlwind of emotions and invites them to travel through three rooms of the Lithuanian Embassy in Paris.
The exhibition tour will be followed by a presentation on Lithuania, highlighting the country's must-see tourist destinations. Participants will also have the opportunity to discover the highlights of the Lithuanian Season in France. To crown this cultural experience, a tasting of delicious Lithuanian specialties will be offered.
All-day meetings with the artists and curator:
Artists Svajonė and Paulius Stanikas, as well as curator, art historian and AICA member Julija Palmeirao, will take turns in the exhibition between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to chat with visitors.
For further information
The exhibition "Les Origines" by Svajonė and Paulius Stanikas
...
do not take away the memory of these sufferings, the day
when you will wash me of my evil and also of my good
and make me dress in sunshine by yours, by the smiling ones.
...
/Oscar Milosz/
The exhibition "Les Origines" marks the start of the Lithuanian Cultural Season in France. Conceived by renowned artists Svajonė and Paulius Stanikas, this exhibition is a profound and personal introspection that invites us on a journey through time and space. Exploring Lithuania's historical memory and paying tribute to the cultural and diplomatic legacy of Lithuanians in France, "Les Origines" presents itself as a bridge between past and present, offering a reflection on our times and its challenges. Through this exhibition, visitors are invited to engage in an open dialogue with history, and to meditate on the place of the individual within contemporary chaos.
A quotation from Lithuanian-born poet, diplomat and translator Oscar Milosz serves as a prelude to this artistic exploration. In the writer's work, two worlds predominated: Lithuanian origins and French upbringing. The lives of Svajonė and Paulius Stanikas are also divided into two parts - one lived in Lithuania and the other - over twenty years - lived in France. So, in a sense, this multicultural living base brings these creators closer together, sparking inspiring artistic and subconscious dialogues steeped in complex Lithuanian history, melancholy, metaphysical anxiety and romantic relationships with France and Lithuania.
The "Origins" installation plunges viewers into a whirlwind of emotions. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through three rooms at the Lithuanian Embassy in Paris. Each represents a distinct mood. The first room evokes hope and nostalgia, transporting visitors back in time to the music and poetry of Oscar Milosz, with object motifs evoking historical frescoes and silent events. The second illustrates the chaotic gathering of men and beasts, alluding to the madness of today's world, power struggles, anarchy, misunderstanding and disharmony. The third room, as if it were a mother's womb, shakes with hellish images, crushes with the weight of pain and loss, but after traversing the whole scale of emotions, guides the viewer out of the exhibition with hope.
Stanikas artists draw on Lithuanian folk tales to weave a narrative rich in symbols and mythical characters. "Eglė, the Snake Queen", "The Swan, the King's Wife", "The Swan, the Little Queen", "The Tale of the Golden Egg", "Sigutė", and a series of other wonderful fairytale characters emerge from the installations in one way or another. These tales are replete with cultural and mythological connections and symbols, and their characters possess supernatural powers. More often than not, these powers are held by women. In this exhibition, the presence of femininity is strongly felt, and the motifs and metaphors used clearly appeal to her - Lithuania - as a nation that, despite the trials of oppression, has been able to conquer and cherish its freedom.
The Lithuanian Embassy in Paris
The Lithuanian Embassy is housed in a private mansion that in the 19th century was the home of the French Romantic composer Ernest Chausson (1855-1899). Over the years, the Chausson family mansion had acquired the reputation of a veritable Parisian cultural salon. It was frequented by composers Henri Duparc, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy and Isaac Albéniz, poet Mallarmé, painters Claude Monnet and Maurice Denis and many other famous artists of the time. The residence of the man who was also secretary of the Société Nationale de Musique is evoked by Stéphane Mallarmé in one of his "Loisirs de la Poste": "Arrête-toi, porteur, au son / Gémi par les violoncelles, / C'est chez Monsieur Ernest Chausson, / 22 Boulevard de Courcelles".
The main role of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in France is to strengthen Franco-Lithuanian relations in the political, economic, commercial, military, scientific and cultural fields, and to contribute to Lithuania's influence in France.
Info+:
Visit free of charge.
Registration required via the form ( https://forms.office.com/e/xBukqYvtTa )by September 20, 2024.
Would you like to be kept informed about cultural events organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in France? Follow the Embassy's Facebook page (LTambasadaFR) or subscribe to our newsletter(https://bit.ly/3PerCyi).
Don't miss this opportunity to discover this magnificent building, and of course Lithuanian culture! Once your visit is over, you can also discover French institutions and historical monuments in Paris.
Journées du Patrimoine 2024: the major institutions in Paris and the Île-de-France region to visit
On the occasion of the Journées du Patrimoine 2024 in Paris, the major institutions will be opening their doors to us, exceptionally, this weekend of September 21 and 22, 2024. From the Banque de France to the Cour des Comptes and the French Ministries, they'll have no secrets for you. [Read more]
The historic monuments of Paris and the Île-de-France region open their doors to you during the 41st European Heritage Days. This Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22, 2024, come and discover these jewels of history, through attractive programs for the whole family. [Read more]
Dates and Opening Time
On September 21, 2024
Location
Embassy of Lithuania
22 Boulevard de Courcelles
75017 Paris 17
Access
Metro line 2 "Villers" or "Monceau" station
Prices
Free
Booking
rsvp.lituanie@urm.lt
Journées du Patrimoine 2024: the major institutions in Paris and the Île-de-France region to visit
Journées du Patrimoine 2024: historic monuments to discover in Paris and the Île-de-France region
