The Journées du Patrimoine is the place to be for enthusiasts and the curious who are thirsty for good cultural deals. During this exceptional weekend, Parisians of all ages are invited to take over cultural sites and new addresses to enjoy a great program, often free, of visits and workshops designed for all ages.
Every year, museums, monuments, castles, mansions and churches, as well as ministries, embassies and major institutions , join in the fun with special events. The next and 41st edition, on the weekend of September 21 and 22, 2024, is not to be missed.
It's an opportunity to conquer the capital's little-known monuments. Located on theÎle-de-Saint Louis, on the banks of the Seine, the Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris is one of those places worth a detour. Founded in 1838 by Polish refugees in France, it also houses three confidential museums: the Adam Mickiewicz Museum, dedicated to the famous Polish Romantic poet; the Biegas Museum, in honor of sculptor Boleslas Biegas ; and the Frédéric Chopin Salon, named after the famous composer.
Appearance, pretence, imitation, chimera, are all synonyms for "simulacrum" (Latin for "simulacrum"). Bogna Rząd uses the ambiguity of this notion as a guiding principle for the presentation of a series of works made up of collages, installation-dresses and their photographic reproductions to highlight the collection of the Bibliothèque Polonaise in Paris.
For the Bibliothèque exhibition, the artist brings to life two members of the Czartoryski family, grandmother and granddaughter, Princess Isabelle née Fleming (1746-1835) and Countess Isabelle Działyńska (1830-1899) née Czartoryska. These two women had not only their family history in common, but above all, as independent women, were able to create a cultural circle around their art collections; the grandmother in Puławy, named by some the "Polish Athens", while the granddaughter gathered at Gołuchów Castle a collection of sculptures, paintings, ceramics and above all an immense collection of prints, thus forming a world-book of History. The choice of these legendary and fascinating figures of Polish culture makes it imperative to present two extremely precious albums of drawings (although unknown to the general public) that were in the possession of the two women and are now kept at the Bibliothèque Polonaise in Paris.
Bogna Rząd undertakes a deliberately modern composition that places in dialogue the history of these two Isabelles, their exhibited possessions and the artist's personal history, her grandmother having initiated her into the art of sewing.
First, the exhibition presents "a draped portrait" of Isabelle Działyńska. This (contemporary) photographic capture with a mannequin that bears a striking resemblance to the Countess was taken at Gołuchów Castle. Everything is done to conceal the "real" portrait of Isabelle: the place where the Countess gathered her collection (mostly brought back from France) and the dress created by Bogna Rząd inspired by the many representations of Isabelle Działyńska at the time. A reinterpretation that plays on appearances, or a carbon copy?
The second installation merely doubles the presence of simulacrum. Its subject is Leonardo da Vinci's famous Lady with an Ermine, a gift from Adam Jerzy Czartoryski to his mother Isabelle (née Fleming). The process is similar to that of Isabelle Działyńska: a model bearing the features of Cecilia Gallerani caresses, between her hands, the delicate body of the albino ferret, just like the hybrid painted by Leonardo. This time, the image is captured in the designer's studio - her workplace creating a bridge with the skills of the old masters of the Italian Renaissance.
In addition to the two "draped portraits", a series of creations contextualized in the contemporary urban landscape, as well as dresses by the artist, are displayed in temporary exhibition spaces. These are coupled with two albums from the Library's collection. Through this presentation, visitors have the opportunity to take part in a confrontation, or rather a provoked encounter, between the "Polish Mona Lisa" and that of the neighboring Louvre. They are invited to create their own projection of their family history, based on the sensitive links between the two Isabelles and their intimacies, or to escape into the enchanting world of Bogna Rząd's creations.
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Bogna Rząd - artist and costume designer. She works at the frontier of many fields of art and craft, using fabrics, velvets, lace and vintage trinkets to create intergenerational objects of memory.
Two concerts by "Guitare Ensemble Paris":
- 16h - 16h30
- 17h30 - 18h
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The "Guitare Ensemble Paris" is a group of amateur guitarists founded in 2010 by Lidia Tobola. The ensemble focuses on Spanish music, and in particular on the techniques and colors of flamenco. Its repertoire not only covers the entire history of the music, but also includes a selection of film music and songs, with occasional participation by soloists (vocals, flute, harp and accordion).
In 2019, the ensemble is expanding to include a group of beginners (from preparatory level).
It's impressive to see how the "Guitare Ensemble Paris" has grown over the years and now captivates audiences of all generations, thanks to the determination of its leader, driven by her unconditional passion for the instrument, teaching and ensemble work.
https://guitare-ensemble-paris.fr/
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Program:
Prélude 7 - F. Chopin
Valse poétique n1 - E. Granados
Concerto en Ré , 1er mvt - G. P. Telemann
Une fille arrivait - Szla Dzieweczka...
Le palais des fées - L. Guégamian
Séjour andalou - L. Meneret
The water is wide - trad. Irish
Danza - L. Méneret
Laura i Filon
Escapade Celtique - trad.
Final - A. Kruisbrink
Leyenda del beso - Soutullo y Vert
The year 2023 marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, born in Torun on February 19, 1473, and the 480th anniversary of his death.
The Polish scientist discovered inconsistencies in Ptolemy's conception and concluded that the Sun, not the Earth, was at the center of the system. This theory put him at odds with the traditional doctrine of the Church, which placed Man, and therefore the Earth, at the center of the universe.
Rightly fearing the wrath of Rome and Wittemberg, the center of Lutheranism at the time, Copernicus waited until his death to publish the fruits of his labors in a treatise written in Latin, the international language of the Renaissance. He also wrote a beautiful dedication to Pope Paul III to assert his right to freedom of expression.
The Adam Mickiewicz Museum presents the life and work of Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855), Poland's greatest Romantic poet. It was established by his son Władysław in 1903. Mickiewicz is to Poles what Goethe is to Germans: a symbol of national identity and cultural unity. A political émigré and pilgrim of freedom, he spent much of his life in Paris, where he forged illustrious friendships and lectured brilliantly at the Collège de France. For today's Europeans, Mickiewicz is one of the first visionaries of a united Europe.
The Salon Chopin is the only venue in France dedicated to Poland's greatest composer, Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849). Exiled to Paris in 1831, Chopin lived there until his death. He became the legendary pianist of the Salon Pleyel, the composer of the famous polonaises, mazurkas, ballades and waltzes, and also the most admired teacher in Paris, the European capital of Romanticism.
The Musée Boleslas Biegas, inaugurated by the SHLP with the support of Guido Biazzi and Claude Kechichian, presents a selection of collections from the legacy of Boleslas Biegas (1877 - 1954), an artist, sculptor, painter and playwright of Polish origin, linked to the Viennese Secession movement, who lived in Paris since 1901 surrounded by friends from the Symbolist milieu of the "La Plume" circle. The museum displays works by Biegas, whose sculptures were more highly regarded than those of Rodin, as well as those by other Polish artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris
Dates and Opening Time
From September 21, 2024 to September 22, 2024
Location
Polish Library of Paris
6 Quai d'Orléans
75004 Paris 4
Access
Pont Marie metro station (line 7)
Prices
Free
Official website
www.bibliotheque-polonaise-paris-shlp.fr