As the summer crowds descend on Paris, art lovers would do well to avoid the Louvre in favor of the more discrete exhibitions that are popping up in neighborhoods around the city. This Friday, the 7th edition of the “Parcours Saint Germain” draws to a close after a two-week run in Paris’ 6th arrondissement. The Parcours, an annual contemporary art exhibition, celebrates the creative spirit of the Saint Germain neighborhood by inviting 30 international artists to create work inspired by a specific theme. The works are exhibited throughout the district, on display in public squares, historic cafes, hotels, and luxury boutiques.
This year’s theme—“Playtime”—evokes the spirit of childhood, prompting artists to explore the world of children’s games, to skirt the boundaries between the logical and the absurd, to blur the lines between the world we inhabit and the world we imagine. Locals won’t need to go out of their way to view the exhibits, which are on display at neighborhood institutions like the Café de Flore (Guy Limone), Les Deux Magots (Gérard Pétremand), Louis Vuitton (Philippe Ramette), Sonia Rykiel (Elisa Strada), Place St. Germain-des-Prés (Tadashi Kawamata and Nicolas Buffe), and even the local Monoprix (Xiao Fan). Grocery shopping has never been so thought-provoking.
As always, St. Germain continues to be a neighborhood where art and community collide.
The show runs through June 12th at various locations throughout the 6th arrondissement.
Images (left to right): Arnaud Pyvka, courtesy Le BANK galerie, Paris and Parcours Saint Germain. Philippe Ramette, croquis du projet pour Louis Vuitton, 2009. Courtesy Galerie Renos Zippas, Paris and Parcours Saint Germain.
