Popping back to Paris for today's post, inside the 59 Rivoli Art Gallery. They call it an Art Gallery, but it's much more than that; it's getting the opportunity to walk through the studios of about 30 artists and see their work on display too. Quite fascinating, if not a little claustrophobic.
This was a new one on me when Kim (@kwind) posted an image a few months back. Although I knew the building, I didn't know it could be visited. I noted it and made sure to visit when I went to Paris recently. I wasn't disappointed. There is some very interesting artwork and it's a mine of interest for photography. Very busy though! I had to stand in the corner for ages to get this quick snapshot with no-one in it.
The building, on the very prestigious Rue de Rivoli used to house the Crédit Lyonnais bank until it was abandoned. After sitting empty for 15 years, it became an artists' squat for years, and the City of Paris intended to evict the artists. It caused quite a furore in the media and so, instead, the City of Paris bought the building and turned it into a legal space for artists.
That would be a captivating place to walk through. It reminds me a lot of the studios the students had at Pratt where my son attended- a whole bunch on top of one another- styles and subjects running the gamut.
