French Art and Culture Happenings – February 2024

February 3, 2024

Whether you care for Valentine’s Day or not, you can still have lots of amour for a great art exhibition, a movie, celebrate traditions and more. This is the second post in my 2024 goal of bringing you information on what is happening in the French art world, whether in Paris or in the U.S. or beyond. Also, if I missed something, I would love to hear from you, so please email me and let me know what is happening! Enjoy this round up of French Art and Culture Happenings – February 2024.

Carnaval de Paris, Promenade du Boeuf Gras 2024, 11 February

I do not believe I ever attended this event when I lived in Paris, but obviously Carnaval is a very big event in any country or culture that has Catholic roots. Carnaval is celebrated right before Lent. “Mardi Gras” means “fat Tuesday” or that day you go absolutely nuts before the Wednesday of Lent when you have to fast or give something up for 40 days before Easter. Of course, nowadays, Carnaval is a melange of the secular and the religious and anyone can participate in the fun. Actually, the Carnaval de Quebec in Canada seems super fun because they actually have snow and that crazy ‘bonhomme de neige’ which Mike Myers and Ryan Gosling made fun of on SNL a few years back.

Le Salon de l’Agriculture, Porte de Versailles, February 24 – March 3 2024

I think this might be THE number one reason to visit Paris and it is also the least known event by anyone who is not French. I had the absolute pleasure of attending this event every year I lived in Paris. If you love food and wine, you cannot even believe what an incredible experience this is. So, yes, it is called “Le Salon d’Agriculture” (The Agriculture Convention?) which might make you think of some kind of rural county fair, serving up weird fried foods on a hay ride. But no.

Every region in France (down to the zip code) shows up to this event, which takes place at the huge convention center in the 15eme arrondisement of Paris, has a booth and gives away for free or sells samples of the delicious fare from that region. Over time, other countries began attending as well, so you not only have the amazing French food and wine but surrounding countries trying to compete with France, like Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and more. If you attend this event and spend the whole day there, it is like emerging with a PhD in French food and wine. You will taste cheeses you didn’t know existed. You will taste regional/local wine, champagne, beer that you cannot find in any kind of mainstream store. And yes, there are cows in the convention center. I highly, highly recommend!

Caveat – the farmers in Paris

February 2024 French Culture Happenings: PARIS SPECIFIC EVENTS:

Tutankhamun, the immersive pharaonic experience, Galeries Montparnasse, 3 February- 28 April 2024

Vera Molnár. Talking to the Eye, Centre Pompidou, 28 February- 26 August 2024

Mike Kelly: Ghost and Spirits, Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection, Until 19 February, 2024

Le Paris de la modernité (1905-1925), Petit Palais, Until April 14, 2024

Aura at the Musée de l’Armée, Les Invalides

Egypt of the Pharaohs, from Khufu to Ramses II, Atelier des Lumières, February 9- January 5, 2025

February 2024 French Culture Happenings: Exhibitions in the U.S.:

Porcelain from Versailles: Vases for a King & Queen, The Getty Center, Los Angeles, February 14, 2023–March 3, 2024

I really want to make it out to see this. As you know, I have a complete obsession with all things Versailles-French Revolution-to Napoleon. It is one of the most fascinating times in history – to go from the over the top opulence of Versailles to the off-with-your-head extremes of the guillotine and back to nothing less than an Emperor, all within a relatively short time, is just extraordinary. Not to mention a lesson for humanity going forward.

The World Made Wondrous: The Dutch Collector’s Cabinet and the Politics of Possession, LACMA

Ok, not necessarily French, but still. Dutch art during the Northern Renaissance was incredible, so it is worth stopping by.

Picasso in Fontainebleau, MOMA, NYC, through Feb 19

More Picasso! But in Fontainebleau – now I’m really intrigued. Fontainebleau is a totally underrated but completely amazing chateau and forest in the South of Paris. People always go to Versailles instead – so much better to soak in the royal vibes with less crowds at Fontainebleau. I don’t know what Picasso’s connection to this palace was, but I’m interested!

Women Dressing Women, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, through March 3

From the website, “Women Dressing Women will feature the work of over seventy womenswear designers, spanning ca. 1910 to today, including French haute couture from houses such as Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Madeleine Vionnet, to American makers like Ann Lowe, Claire McCardell, and Isabel Toledo, along with contemporary designs by Iris van Herpen, Rei Kawakubo, Anifa Mvuemba, and Simone Rocha.”

Picasso: Drawing from Life, Chicago Museum of Art, until April 8, 2024

There is a lot of Picasso happening out there. I had an argument break out in the comments section of my Facebook page about Picasso being Spanish, not French. For the record, I obviously know that! The French claim him as one of their own because he moved at a relatively young age to Paris and stayed in France for most of his long life. And there is a beautiful, eponymous museum dedicated to his works in the 4eme arrondisement. But I digress. There are a lot of exhibitions around the world dedicated to his work because of the 50th anniversary of his death last year.

From Vermeer to Van Gogh, the Dutch masters at the Bassins des Lumières in Bordeaux, From 16 February 2024 to 5 January 2025

These light shows are popping up everywhere and I don’t mind them. I saw both Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo in Los Angeles. Their artwork plus bits of their biographies are projected onto walls, ceilings and floors with intersting music and sporadic benches to sit and be immersed. I suppose you could complain that isn’t the actual work and it is just a flat projection onto a blank space but I really think imagining how we experience art can be a good thing. Especially, if you want a smart-phone, social media obsessed culture to appreciate art, we have to start somewhere.

The 96th Academy Awards, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, March 10, 2024

Why am I writing about the Oscars? A French movie, “Anatomy of a Fall” has been nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture! I was listening to an interview of the Director, and she was so humble. She was convinced that no one would watch her movie. But, not only did the movie do very well at the Cannes Film Festival, it then did quite well at the Golden Globes. It is a courtroom drama/thriller, so definitely not my speed (I literally can only watch comedy movies, not sure what my problem is) but I am so happy for her and for French Cinema!