February 7, 2010
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Labels: exhibition, France, history, Louis XIV, Versailles
February 6, 2010
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Labels: France, rugby, Six Nations, sports
February 3, 2010
January 31, 2010
Labels: Africa, Cameroon, environment
January 29, 2010
Labels: Carnival, Carribean, folklore, Guadeloupe, Mardi Gras, Martinique
January 28, 2010
(Canada)-The Quebec Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec) is starting tomorrow. This annual winter carnival takes place in Quebec City, Quebec from January 29-February 14, coinciding with Mardi Gras celebrations in other regions of the world. With close to one million participants, it has grown to become the largest winter celebration in the world. A magical ice palace was built for Bonhomme, the Carnival's guest of honor, for the first time in Jacques-Cartier Square in 1955. Bonhomme (literally "good man" in French; short for bonhomme de neige "snowman") is the official ambassador of the festivities, a large snowman sporting a red cap, black buttons and a colorful arrow sash (traditionally worn in Quebec). XXX
XXXAt the beginning of the French colony, the inhabitants of New France created a rowdy tradition of getting together just before the Christian period of Lent to eat, drink and be merry. At this time, this intense period of revelry was already designated as the Carnival - a word of Italian origin meaning Mardi Gras. The custom of celebrating from the end of January until mid-February has long been popular. The first large winter Carnival in Québec City, the world's snow capital, took place in 1894. Often faced with winter’s hardships, the city's population reinvented this popular tradition with a winter celebration that warmed up the hearts of all of its revellers. Interrupted by two wars and by the economic crisis of 1929, the Carnival was held sporadically until the second half of the century. In 1954, in the context of the economic development of the Old Capital, a group of business people relaunched the festivities. That year, Bonhomme was born and elected the event’s representative. The first official edition of the Québec Winter Carnival took place in 1955. The Carnival snowballed into an undeniable manifestation for the entire Québec City population, and was an important vehicle for tourism and economical activity in the city.
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XXXFrom one winter to the next, the Carnival enriched its activity program, adding even more popular activities: winter sports, snow sculptures, and activities based on the traditional Québec lifestyle, such as canoe races and dogsled races. This year, visitors and families can also enjoy snow rafting, horse-drawn sleigh rides, dog sledding rides, a children's village, snow baths, parades, giant soccer games, shows, an ice palace, and skating. Renowned events include the canoe race on the icy St. Lawrence River, the International Snow Sculpture Competition, and the magical night parades. The Québec Winter Carnival is the largest winter carnival in the world today, and is third on the list of top Carnivals after the famous carnivals in Rio and New Orleans. (from carnaval.qc.ca and wikipedia.org)
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Labels: Canada, Quebec, Quebec Winter Carnival
January 26, 2010
(Tunisia)- Regional radio professionals and an international organization promoting cross-cultural dialogue joined together to launch a Mediterranean-wide radio station from Tunis last week. Representatives from the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM) and the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures kicked off the new "Waves of the Mediterranean” project. COPEAM, created in Cairo in 1996, is now the most representative professional structure of the Mediterranean media. It gathers over 130 professionals from 25 countries, including the major public broadcasters of the region, and the two major European and Arab Unions: EBU (European Broadcasting Union) and ASBU (Arab States Broadcasting Union).XXX
XXX"Waves of the Mediterranean" will produce a daily news radio variety magazine for the next 20 months. "This is an addition to two radio series to be co-produced by the members of the Radio Commission in COPEAM, calling for promoting dialogue in the region," said Julie Royer, vice-president of the Radio Commission. Funded by the Anna Lindh Foundation with 200 million euros ($282 million), the new radio station will be under the supervision of Radio Tunisia. In addition to broadcasting programs designed to build a bridge between Mediterranean countries, the station will also train local journalists in new technologies. Eight training sessions for radio professionals in project member states will also be offered.
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XXX"It's the fruit of partnership between the radio operators in Tunisia, France, Algeria and Morocco, as well as the Superior School of Visual Arts in Morocco and COPEAM," said Royer. Radio France, ENRS in Algeria and SNRT in Morocco will also act as project partners. Ridha Bouguezzi of Radio Tunisia will help manage the committee overseeing the new station. He hopes the project will bring "opinions closer in the Mediterranean region and make the radio a tool for supporting dialogue and openness", he said. Media expert Ali Ben Mansour explained that the project is an important one for the region. "The project seeks to kick off a rich and diverse dialogue, especially via the radio, a journalism tool that fosters closeness," he said, pointing to the successes of European and Maghreb FM stations.
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XXXLocal journalists had varied reactions to the new project. Jamel Hani said the project was a solid step toward cementing Mediterranean ties, but he still had misgivings. "I'm not enthusiastic about the idea," he said. "How can the Europeans call for dialogue while they are driving our sons towards the borders? How can this dialogue be kicked off when there are disputes over minarets, the veil and the increasing debate about identity and nationality?" Insaf Kheireddine of the Tunisian Radio and Television Establishment said the new channel could build a solid bridge between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean. "The media alone can get the message across," she said. "Launching a dialogue between the two sides of the Mediterranean is an important matter, and I don't think we're achieving an immediate result – rather, the important thing is that there's an ongoing dialogue." (from maghrebia.com and tunisiaonlinenews.com)
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Labels: Africa, Maghreb, Tunis, Tunisia, Waves of the Mediterranean radio
January 24, 2010
(Monaco)- Last year's World Rally Championship runner-up, Mikko Hirvonen, was the class of the field on the 78th edition of the Monte Carlo Rally, winning the event this weekend after leading from start to finish on its competitive debut. Hirvonen and co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen mastered treacherous winter conditions in the mountains of southern France to reach the Monaco harbor finish in the early hours of Saturday morning with a winning margin of 1min 51.4sec. The five-day Monte Carlo Rally is not part of the World Rally Championship this year, but still offered the sternest of challenges.XXX
XXX"It's always been a dream of mine to win the Monte Carlo Rally," explained the 29-year-old Finnish driver. "It was a long, hard event and the conditions made the challenge even tougher. This car is brand new to competition but everything worked perfectly from the first kilometer. That's a tribute to the whole team, and particularly the people who put in so much effort over the last two weeks. "To start the season with a win is a big confidence boost. I enjoy the winning feeling and I want to carry on like this when the WRC (World Rally Championship) starts next month in Sweden," he added.
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XXX The Monte Carlo Rally (officially Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo) is a rallying event organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco who also organizes the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and southeast France. From its inception by Prince Albert I, this rally, under difficult and demanding conditions, was an important means of testing the latest improvements and innovations to automobiles. Winning the rally gave the car a great deal of credibility and publicity. It all began in 1911, at the height of the rivalry between two famous seaside towns: Nice (France) and Monte Carlo. The former organized its "carnaval" which attracted a rich clientele to its casinos and so Monaco decided to organize an automobile rally on the same lines as the celebrated Italian Cycle Rally ("convegni ciclisti"), with departure points in different Europeans towns, converging on Monaco. This event was to take place in January, as a way of showing that the climate of the Principality at this time of year was exceptionally mild. Since 1973, the race has been held as the first race of the FIA World Rally Championship, but for 2009 has joined the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) program. The race presents varying conditions, typically comprising dry tarmac, wet tarmac, snow, and ice, sometimes all in a single stage of the rally. This places a big emphasis on tire choices, as a driver has to balance the need for grip on ice and snow with the need for grip on dry tarmac. For the driver, this is often a difficult choice as the tires that work well on snow and ice normally perform badly on dry tarmac.
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XXXMonte Carlo (French: Monte-Carlo, Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte-Carlu) is one of Monaco's administrative areas, sometimes erroneously believed to be a town or the country's capital, just as Monaco-Ville. The official capital is the city of Monaco, which shares the exact same territory as the country itself (Monaco is a city-state). Monaco is the second smallest country in the world (less than 2 square km - 1 sq mile). Only Vatican City is smaller. Monaco is also the world's second smallest monarchy (and principality to be more exact). Monte Carlo, which lies in the French Riviera on the Mediterranean Sea in Monaco is surrounded by France and close to Italy. It is widely known for its casino, and its gambling. The permanent population is about 3,000. Monte Carlo quarter includes not only Monte Carlo proper where the famous Le Grand Casino is located, it also includes the neighborhoods of Saint-Michel, Saint-Roman/Tenao, and the beach community of Larvotto. It borders the French town of Beausoleil.
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XXXMonte Carlo is home to most of the Circuit de Monaco, on which the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix takes place. It also hosts world championship boxing bouts, the European Poker Tour Grand Final and the World Backgammon Championship as well as fashion shows and other events. Monte Carlo has been visited by royalty as well as the general public and movie stars for decades. The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the longest running and most respected car rallies, although the rally takes place outside the Monte Carlo quarter. Monaco's key destinations include such attractions as the Monaco Cathedral, the Napoleon Museum, the Oceanographic Museum and aquarium, and the Prince's Palace, all of which are located in Monaco-Ville. (from wrc.com, acm.c, and wikipedia.org)
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Labels: Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo Rally, sports
January 22, 2010
(France)- Pralognan, a peaceful resort in France's Vanoise National Park in the Savoie department, is hosting the "Festi'musiques de Pralognan" this week (January 20-27). The festival celebrates women and French and Francophone culture and music from Canada with concerts, street events, storytelling sessions, meetings, documentaries, folkloric dancing, and children's workshops in a lively and friendly atmosphere. This celebration of French cultural heritage kicked off with a torchlit descent on the pistes on Wednesday evening, followed by a show by Quebecois singer, songwriter, and comedian Simon Genest who is the only male artist at the festival and also its artistic director. What makes the festival special is the availability of the featured artists. They stay at the resort during the whole week and visitors can meet and chat with them in bars, restaurants, on the slopes, and around the village. "This cultural exchange is part of the event. Artists who come to Pralognan are chosen, among other things, for their generosity and human values", explained Silvère Bonnet from the tourism office of Pralognan.
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XXXThis year the festival pays homage to the women of the French artistic world with concerts by Quebec's Châkidor (a country/bluegrass duo with a Celtic touch), les Soeurs Moustaches (a trio of singing sisters), and other French and Canadian artists, such as famous Montreal singer Fabienne Thibeault. The concerts take place at the village's multi-purpose center. A local café will also host two after parties. Festi'musiques isn't just a series of concerts. During the week-long event, Quebecoise artist Julie Mercure exposes her art at the Hotel de la Vanoise. There are also two art workshops, open to everyone. If painting isn't quite your thing, there are also three country line dancing workshops with a live band. The festival finishes on a funny note with a comical and musical dinner show. The activities and concerts of Festi'musiques are free of charge.
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XXXThe Savoyard resort of Pralognan-la-Vanoise has been welcoming tourists for over one hundred years. Over the century, the resort has been an innovator in numerous mountain activities. Pralognan-la-Vanoise is one of the oldest mountain villages. The most ancient constructions date from the 12th century. Tourism, which is quite important to the Savoie region, began to develop towards the end of the 19th century, mostly summer-oriented. The increase in the popularity of skiing in the 20th century made Savoie home to the largest number of ski hills in France, including many famous ones, such as Val-d'Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne, Courchevel, and Méribel. (from pralognan.com, actumontagne.com, wikipedia.org and onthesnow.com)
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Labels: Canada, Festi'Musiques de Pralognan, festival, France, music
January 20, 2010
(France)- Paris Fashion Week, one of the most prestigious fashion events of the year is starting tomorrow at the Carrousel du Louvre in the French capital. For the first part of the week, the event is given over to menswear (fall-winter 2010/2011 collections), while haute couture takes center stage in the second part (spring-summer 2010 collections). A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, it lets the industry know what's "in" and what's "out" for the season. The most prominent fashion weeks are held in the fashion capitals Milan, London, New York, and Paris.XXX
XXXIn the major fashion capitals, fashion weeks are semiannual events which must be held several months in advance of the season to allow the press and buyers a chance to preview fashion designs for the following season. This is also to allow time for retailers to arrange to purchase or incorporate the designers into their retail marketing. The schedule begins with New York, followed by London, with the penultimate fashion week in Milan ending the events in Paris. These four cities are the traditional "big four" fashion weeks that are followed by new emerging fashion weeks globally.
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XXXHaute couture (French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking") refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Couture is a common abbreviation of Haute Couture, which refers to the same thing in spirit. It originally referred to Englishman Charles Frederick Worth's work, produced in Paris in the mid-nineteenth century. In modern France, haute couture is a "protected name" that can be used only by firms that meet certain well-defined standards. However, the term is also used loosely to describe all high-fashion custom-fitted clothing, whether it is produced in Paris or in other fashion capitals such as Milan, London, Rome, New York and Tokyo.
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XXXIn France, the term haute couture is protected by law. The criteria for haute couture were established in 1945 and updated in 1992. To earn the right to call itself a couture house and to use the term haute couture in its advertising and any other way, members of the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture must follow these rules: design made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings; have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen people full-time; each season (i.e. twice a year), present a collection to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five runs/exits with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear.
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XXXHowever, the term haute couture may have been misused by ready-to-wear brands since the late 1980s, so that its true meaning may have become blurred with that of prêt-à-porter (the French term for ready-to-wear fashion) in the public perception. Every haute couture house also markets prêt-à-porter collections, which typically deliver a higher return on investment than their custom clothing. In fact, much of the haute couture displayed at fashion shows today is rarely sold; it is created to enhance the prestige of the house. Many top designer fashion houses, such as Chanel, use the word for some of their special collections. (from wikipedia.org)
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- show me the location of the event on a map!
- visit the official website of Paris fashion week
- discover haute couture with Chanel, Dior, Lacroix, Givenchy
Labels: fashion, France, lifestyle, Paris, Paris Fashion Week
January 18, 2010
(France)- The 20th Nîmes Flamenco Festival is taking place this month until Saturday. Held throughout town, is both a fiery and subtle affair. Organized each year in the southern French city of Nimes, this famous two-week event has been graced with the presence of international singers like Enrique Morente, Juan de la Alpujarra and Camarón de la Isla, guitarist Diego del Morao, Fernando de la Morena and Fuensanta "La Moneta". Other stars who have given performances during the festival include singers David el Galli, David Palomar, Jesús Méndez, Moi de Moró, José Valencia and Cancanilla de Marbella, guitarist Antonio Moya, Antonio Soto, Paco Iglesias and Rafael Rodríguez, the Galvan family, solo dancers like Manuel Liñán and Mercedes Ruiz and dance group Son de la Frontera. XXX
XXXThe programs of the Flamenco Festival in Nimes usually begin with splendid solo songs accompanied by instrumental recitals. Amazing dance performances accompanied by superb songs are also held at the festival. Group dances are among the popular events of the festival performed by international troops of dancers. This year, the festival is featuring more than 60 international artists, 18 concerts, dance classes, conferences, meetings, and lectures. In addition, 10 free concerts are organized by the Tourism Office of Nîmes and performed by local flamenco bands and musicians.
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XXXNîmes (population: 150,000) is a city in southern France and the capital of the Gard department. It has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and it is a popular tourist destination. It is principally (but not only) the impressive Roman buildings in Nîmes that are the big attraction. The two main constructions are: the amphitheatre which is 2,000 years old and the best preserved Roman arena in France (still used today for bullfighting). It is elliptical in shape and has two stacked rows of arcades in a structure than could hold more than 24,000 spectators; the second site is The Maison Carrée, an exceptionally fine Roman temple (see also the Eglise de la Madeleine in Paris which was based on this temple) - the only complete Roman temple in the world.
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XXXFlamenco is a style of music which is considered part of the culture of Spain, but is actually native to only one region: Andalusia. It is believed to have grown out of the fusion of Arabic, Andalusian, Jewish Sephardic, and Gypsy cultures. It is also applied to the dance style performed to flamenco music. The origins of the term are unclear - the word Flamenco is not recorded until the 19th century. Flamenco is the music of the Andalusian gypsies and played in their social community. Andalusian people who grew up around gypsies were also accepted as "flamencos". Other regions, mainly Extremadura and Murcia, have also contributed to the development of flamenco, and many flamenco artists have been born outside Andalusia. Latin American and especially Cuban influences have also contributed, as evidenced in the dances of "Ida y Vuelta".
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XXXFlamenco occurs in three settings. The first and most traditional is the juerga, an informal, spontaneous gypsy gathering (rather like a jazz "jam session"). This can include dancing, singing, palmas (hand clapping), or simply pounding in rhythm on an old orange crate or a table. Flamenco, in this context, is organic and dynamic: it adapts to the local talent, instrumentation, and mood of the audience. One tradition remains firmly in place: the cantaores (singers) are the heart and soul of the performance. A Peña Flamenca is a meeting place or grouping of Flamenco musicians or artists. The professional concert is more formal. A traditional singing performance has only a singer and one guitar, while a dance concert usually includes two or three guitars, one or more singers (singing in turns, as in traditional flamenco singers always sing solo), and one or more dancers. One of the singers may play the cajon (a kind of drum), and all performers will play palmas when not required for other duties. Alternatively, there may be a dedicated cajon player and one or more palmeras. The so-called Nuevo Flamenco New flamenco may include flutes or saxophones, piano or other keyboards, or even the bass guitar and the electric guitar. Finally there is the theatrical presentation of flamenco, which uses flamenco technique and music but is closer in presentation to a ballet performance, with musicians in the orchestra pit, scenery, lighting etc. (from francethisway.com, wikipedia.org, and theatredenimes.com)
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January 16, 2010
(Switzerland/USA)- A second museum designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta has just opened in the United States, bearing all the hallmarks of the world-renowned Ticino architect. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art – named after its benefactor, the Swiss Andreas Bechtler – is located in the center of Charlotte, North Carolina.XXX
XXXThe terracotta colored exterior strikes the eye, as do the geometric shapes and the convex, 49-foot-high column at the entrance. The roof of this entrance area is the floor of the actual exhibition space. "We have created a little plaza here," Botta explained. The Bechtler Museum is like a design for a theatre and a city museum under construction, he said. Together these form a culture campus. The main north-south highway runs directly past the new Botta building, which has four levels and a total floor space of 32,292 sq feet (3,000 square meters). The 10,764 square-foot (1,000-square-meter) exhibition area dominates the construction. By European standards, it is an imposing building. But by American standards it is rather modest. "It is an intimate space," said Botta. That becomes clear when you view the building from a distance, and see it surrounded by skyscrapers.
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XXXThe impetus for the museum came from industrialist Andreas Bechtler, who moved to Charlotte in the 1970s and inherited with his sister his parents’ art collection, including important 20th century pieces. As he wanted to make the collection accessible to the public, Bechtler donated around 1,400 pieces to the city of Charlotte, 116 of which are now on display. These include works by Andy Warhol, Alberto Giacometti and Jean Tinguely as well as Picasso, Jasper Johns, Max Ernst, Paul Klee, Le Corbusier, Joan Miró, Alexander Calder and Ben Nicholson. The museum was built by the city and district of Charlotte at a cost of $17 million, with financing from the Wachovia/Wells Fargo bank. Bechtler contributed an additional $3 million of his own. When it came to the choice of architect, he appears to have had the right to nominate someone. "I received the commission from the city of Charlotte on Bechtler’s recommendation," Botta explained.
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XXXIn the entrance area stands the large Firebird sculpture by the French-American artist, Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002), which dates from 1991. Bechtler was convinced that this rounded sculpture would be the perfect counterweight to the linear-geometrical museum building. "The Firebird is both exciting and a symbol of a warm welcome to all visitors to Charlotte and to the Campus," writes museum president John Boyer on the Bechler Museum website. For Botta, it is the second building he has erected in the US. His first work was the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1995. Both his US buildings are modern art galleries. "That is really coincidence," laughed Botta, adding that he has no other projects in the US at present.
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XXXMario Botta (born 1943) is one of the best known architects in Switzerland with buildings all over the world. He studied at the Liceo Artistico in Milan and the IUAV in Venice. His ideas were influenced by Le Corbusier, Carlo Scarpa, Louis Kahn. He opened his own practice in 1970 in Lugano, Switzerland. He designed his first building at age 16, a two-family house at Morbio Superiore in Ticino. While the arrangement of spaces in this structure is inconsistent, its relationship to its site, separation of living from service spaces, and deep window recesses echo of what would become his stark, strong, towering style. His designs tend to include a strong sense of geometry, often being based on very simple shapes, yet creating unique volumes of space. His buildings are often made of brick, yet his use of material is wide, varied, and often unique. His trademark style is visible in France in the Mediatheque in Villeurbanne (1988), a cathedral in Évry (1995), and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art or SFMoMA (1994). Religious works by Botta, including the Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center were shown in an exhibition in London at the Royal Institute of British Architects.
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Labels: Art, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, museums, Switzerland, US, USA
January 15, 2010
(Haiti)-A massive earthquake struck Tuesday near the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, causing damage across the impoverished region. It is the largest quake to hit the area in some 200 years. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say the earthquake struck about 6 miles from Port-au-Prince. The initial quake registered at magnitude 7.0 on the Richter Scale and was followed by several other shocks, including one that measured 5.9. The temblor destroyed at least 30 percent of the capital and leveled half of the buildings in some neighborhoods, collapsing the presidential palace, ministries, homes, schools, monuments and the city's largest hospital. The International Red Cross says up to three million people have been affected. Haitians are growing increasingly desperate waiting for food, water and medicine after a devastating earthquake left the capital in ruins and killed up to an estimated 50,000 people.XX
X XXXInternational troops and planeloads of supplies are arriving in Port-au-Prince. But humanitarian groups still do not have an organized way to deliver aid with roads blocked, phones out and a general lack of security. Many planes have circled Port-au-Prince, waiting to access the overwhelmed airport. U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, arrived off the coast today to serve as a floating airport for rescue helicopters. The United Nations estimates Tuesday's earthquake left about 300,000 Haitians homeless. Survivors - many of them struggling with their own injuries - are digging through the ruins of collapsed buildings looking for victims buried in the rubble. XXX
XXXU.S. President Barack Obama spoke with Haitian President Rene Preval by phone today. Mr. Obama pledged full support for Haiti's immediate recovery effort and its long-term rebuilding effort. Washington says it has received rare permission from Havana to use Cuban air space for aid and evacuation flights. That will reduce the time it takes to fly to and from the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The United States is sending more troops and ships to help Haiti. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the security situation is "okay" (acceptable), and that U.S. forces will focus on Haitians' immediate needs so the situation does not deteriorate.
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XX XXXUnited Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the situation "dire." He said today U.N. peacekeepers and police are taking charge of law and order in Port-au-Prince. He said he will visit Haiti soon. The U.N. says the international community has pledged $268.5 million in aid. It is asking for an additional $550 million for urgent needs, like food, water, medicine and tents. The Red Cross estimates 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in the earthquake. The World Health Organization recommends the bodies be placed in shallow ditches rather than mass graves. Meanwhile, Haiti's exiled former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, says is he ready to return to his homeland to help rebuild the country. He has been living in South Africa since 2004.
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XXXThe effort to aid Haitian earthquake victims is presenting Europe with the first test of its newly created foreign policy structure and prompting France to call on other nations to speed the forgiveness of the nation’s international debt. In Brussels, at the European Union's headquarters, Catherine Ashton, who has taken over as the new foreign affairs’ chief, has been bringing together the humanitarian aid, development and civil protection officials of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, as well as experts from the European Council, which represents individual governments. European authorities have pledged millions in aid, both through Brussels and individually. A team of experts was sent to assess the situation in Haiti, while a number of governments have joined the search-and-rescue effort, sending in searchers and sniffer dogs.
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XXXOn Monday, European development ministers will hold an emergency meeting in Brussels to consider how to start reconstruction once humanitarian aid has reached Haiti. "It is important to tell the people of Haiti that we stand ready to help them as much as we can in this tragedy," Ms. Ashton said yesterday. "They can count on Europe." France, the former colonial ruler of Haiti from 1697 to 1804, has attempted to take a lead in announcing initiatives for the country. France has a large community of Haitians, estimated at 50,000 or more, and is also host to numerous Haitian exiled political figures and intellectuals. Christine Lagarde, the French economy minister, said today that she had asked members of the Paris Club, a grouping of creditor nations, to speed debt relief and cancellation for the country. In addition, the French immigration minister Eric Besson said yesterday that France, like the U.S., had suspended expelling illegal immigrants from Haiti in the wake of the earthquake.
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XX XXXDoctors Without Borders, founded in 1971 by a group of French doctors, said today that it had treated at least 1,500 patients in Haiti. It had 800 staff in the country before the quake and expects 70 extra staff to arrive within days. It is sending supplies to set up a 100-bed hospital with a surgical unit. The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross said today that one of its teams — comprising 11 emergency experts — had arrived in Port-au-Prince, while a cargo plane carrying 40 tons of medical supplies was in the air and expected to reach the area late today. Red Cross workers in Port-au-Prince distributed medical assistance to five major hospitals and clinics, as well as to smaller facilities set up by local doctors in areas with a high concentration of earthquake survivors.
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X XXXHaitians are a resilient and creative people of deep religious faith and national pride. In 1804, their ancestors accomplished something that no other people in world history ever have: a successful national slave revolt - succeeding where Spartacus failed. It is a victory for all of humanity to celebrate: a revolution committed to a fuller ideal of freedom than either that of the American or French revolutions. Haiti is a country created by former slaves, kidnapped West Africans, who, in 1804, when slavery still flourished in the United States and the Caribbean, threw off their cruel French masters and created their own republic. Haitians have been punished ever since for claiming their freedom: by the French who, in the 1820s, demanded and received payment from the Haitians for the slave colony, impoverishing the country for years to come; by an often brutal American occupation from 1915 to 1934. Haiti's healing and reconstruction will be long and arduous, and will also require the generous and "unwavering support of the American people" that President Obama has pledged. Because the local (U.S.-trained) military was the only cohesive and effective institution left in the wake of the 1934 U.S. withdrawal, the result was a sequence of military-backed dictatorships, orchestrated coups-d'état and terror, all attached to American patronage, which would define the next 50 years of Haiti's history. (from voanews.com, wikipedia.org, philly.com, and nytimes.com)
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January 14, 2010
(France/Belgium/Switzerland/Luxembourg/World)- The French government is in "tough negotiations" with pharmaceutical companies over the supply contracts for H1N1 flu vaccines, Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot told Europe 1 radio last week, following the decision to cancel 50 million of the 94 million doses ordered from Novartis AG (NVS, NOVN.VX), Sanofi-Aventis SA (SNY, SAN.FR), GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK, GSK.LN) and Baxter International Inc. Like most countries, France (population: 65 million) ordered supplies based on the understanding that two shots would be needed to protect against the H1N1 virus. However, it was later determined that one shot was sufficient to protect against the H1N1 flu virus. "The best argument would be to raise the modification of the product license," Bachelot said, noting that the World Health Organization had advised two shots per person before changing its stance and recommending only one shot. A spokesman from Novartis stated that his company would "evaluate government requests on a case by case basis within the framework of the contractual agreements which we consider binding." The French government move came after intense criticism from politicians and scientists. The French opposition Socialist Party described the national campaign as an “extravagant fiasco” and demanded a parliamentary investigation.XXX
XXXGlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) has agreed to slash the amount of swine flu vaccine it will supply to Germany to approximately 70 percent of the original order, due to low demand for the shots. Glaxo is also in discussion with other governments about reducing H1N1 vaccine supplies, including Britain, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium, a spokeswoman said. Several countries have started to cut orders for flu vaccines because the pandemic has not turned out to be as deadly as originally feared and adults need only one dose, not two, to be fully protected. Original orders for flu vaccine were placed in May, June and July, when it was not known what dose would be needed and it was not clear how severe the pandemic would be. Belgium (population: 10.5 million), who has received from GSK 4.3 of the 12.6 million doses ordered, is hoping to be able to renegotiate its contract with the drug company (the original contract makes no provision for any order cancellation). Switzerland, which has a population of 7.7 million, ordered 13 million doses of vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Novartis. In December the government said it planned to donate to the World Health Organization (WHO) or sell to other countries some 4.5 million excess doses of the swine flu vaccine due to the low uptake. Only a small share of the initial order has been used. Negotiations are ongoing with a view to selling or donating our stocks," Jean-Louis Zurcher, Federal Health Office spokesman, explained, refusing to to say which countries were interested or whether Switzerland, like France, was in negotiations with pharmaceutical firms to cancel or return surplus vaccines. Another French-speaking country, Luxembourg (population: 493,500) is wondering what will happen to the 700,000 vaccines it ordered. Luxembourg's health minister explained that although the amount of vaccines may seem excessive, the World Health Organization had recommended 2 doses per person.
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XXXThe United Nations health agency will review the way it dealt with the outbreak of swine flu once the pandemic has subsided, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a news briefing. "Criticism is part of an outbreak cycle. We expect and indeed welcome criticism and the chance to discuss it," she said, adding the WHO's review would involve independent outside experts and its results would be made public. But she said it was too soon to say when the examination would take place or which experts would be involved. In the latest complaint about the way authorities have dealt with the pandemic, the Council of Europe, a political forum of most European countries, is to determine whether drug companies influenced the United Nations Health Agency and some public health officials to spend money unnecessarily on stockpiles of H1N1 vaccines. The WHO's "false pandemic" flu campaign was "one of the greatest medicine scandals of the century," said German doctor Wolfgang Wodarg, chairman of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (Pace) Health Committee, who tabled the motion to be debated on January 25.
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XXXEuropean shares dipped this week, retreating from a 15-month high as investors booked a small portion of recent lofty gains, with pharma stocks dropping on mounting worries over sales of H1N1 flu vaccines and suffering the biggest losses. With European countries sending their vaccines supply back, drug companies will look to Asia and Africa for profit. A Sanofi Pasteur spokesman said the impact on sales would be minimal. "We don't expect this change in the French order to impact sales as the freed number of doses will be reallocated to other countries which are looking for H1N1 vaccines," he said.
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January 12, 2010
(France)- Xavier Kuhn of France and Ashleigh McIvor of Canada won World Cup ski cross races on Sunday at the ski resort of Les Contamines in south-eastern France. Kuhn defeated Stanley Hayer of Canada to win the men’s event for his second career victory to move into second place in the World Cup standings with 225 points. "My previous victory was six years ago," Kuhn said on the event’s official Web site. "It’s really pleasing one month away from the Olympics." Michael Schmid of Switzerland was eliminated in the semifinals but kept the overall lead with 295 points.XXX
XXXMcIvor beat Canadian teammate Julia Murray in the women’s final to also rise to second in the overall standings with 247 points. "I was kind of in shock when my teammate and I were in first and second," Murray said, "I was really excited." McIvor added: "Hopefully we can keep it up. We’re all going for gold." Six-time overall World Cup champion Ophélie David of France finished fourth to retain the overall lead in the women's standings with 290 points. "I’m very disappointed," David said. "I started to win and ended up fourth. But Ashleigh had a very good start."
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XXXIn the men’s race, Casey Puckett finished fourth to increase his chances of making the United States Olympic team. The 37-year-old Puckett placed second in his quarterfinal and semifinal before failing to finish in the final to climb to fifth in the overall standings with 143 points. He is looking to participate in his fifth Olympics. This was the third of six World Cup events that will help determine the U.S. Olympic roster. The next World Cup ski cross event will be held tomorrow in Alpe d’Huez, France. There will be races next week in Blue Mountain, Canada, and then Lake Placid, United States.
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XXXMeanwhile, in another discipline, France's Julien Lizeroux won a World Cup slalom race on the Swiss Kuonisbaergli course Sunday, racing through from 12th place after the first leg. The 30-year-old Frenchman earned his third career World Cup win. He was third last Wednesday in Zagreb, Croatia, and is now trailing Austria's Reinfried Herbst by only four points in the World Cup slalom standings.
XXXSki cross, which features a mass start and head-to-head racing on a course with turns, bumps, jumps and rolls, will make its Olympic debut next month in Vancouver, Canada. Although new to the Olympic sport program, ski cross has existed as a sport since the early days of alpine skiing competition. The "mass start" appeal of ski cross, also seen in snowboard cross, sets the stage for fast and exciting competition. Not restricted by formal structures and formats, ski cross is part of the FIS (International Ski Federation) freestyle discipline. The majority of competitors have an alpine skiing background. The ski cross course, designed to test skiers’ skills, incorporates turns in a variety of types and sizes, flat sections and traverses, as well as rolls, banks and ridges similar to those found on a normal ski slope. Structures on the course resemble those found in snowboard cross events. Physical endurance and strength play a key role in ski cross as athletes ski four to five runs lasting 60 seconds or longer. A timed qualification run is used to seed skiers into different heats, of four skiers each. The start, as well as the first sections before the first turn, are critical parts of the course, as passing can easily occur here. While other passing areas are designated on the course, interference with other skiers can lead to an athlete’s disqualification. Each race is limited to four starters. The top half of the finishing field then moves on to the next round in a series of quarter, semi and final rounds. (from sports.yahoo.com, gogle.com, and vancouver2010.com)
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Labels: France, Freestyle Ski World Cup, sports
January 11, 2010
(Martinique/French Guiana/France)- Those supporting greater autonomy for France's overseas departments of Martinique and French Guiana are voicing disappointment after voters resoundingly rejected in referendums efforts to reduce French control of the two territories. The proposed changes would have given the regions a status similar to that of French Polynesia, which has more responsibility for its own affairs than the so-called overseas "departments" but they would not have led to full independence. Results from last Sunday's referendums showed that nearly 79 percent of Martinique residents and almost 70 percent of those in French Guiana voted against greater autonomy.
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XXXIn a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy who had announced the vote last year saying changes were needed to improve governance in the Caribbean, hailed the outcome. In a statement, his office said the vote showed how attached the territories were to the French Republic. Both Martinique, in the Caribbean, and South America's French Guiana were granted French department status, when Paris relinquished total control more than half a century ago, and count as full parts of France and the European Union.
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XXXChampions of greater autonomy have argued it would allow the territories greater say in key issues like development, education and employment. And some - like politician Alfred Marie-Jeanne, a leader of Martinique's independence movement - voiced deep disappointment at the results. In remarks broadcast on French radio, Marie-Jeanne said the loser of the referendum was Martinique - and that the vote reflected people's fears, not their aspirations. But others, like Chantal Meignan, a senior member of Mr. Sarkozy's ruling UMP party in Martinique, said the vote marked a victory for the population. Meignan told French radio the Martinique residents had other concerns than wanting more autonomy. She says the next step is to simplify administration procedures for the territories. Voters in both departments will vote on that measure in separate referendums, later this month.
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XXXThe referendums come a year after Martinique and another overseas French territory, Reunion, were rocked by violent protests and strikes caused by low wages and high prices. Unemployment in France's overseas territories is generally far higher than in mainland France. Reports show food and fuel are also more expensive - despite government efforts to cut prices. (from voanews.com and reuters.com)
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Labels: France, French Guiana, lifestyle, Martinique, politics
January 9, 2010
(Belgium)- The Royal Museum for Central Africa located in Brussels is hosting an exhibition this month featuring 180 masks. Over 100 are from the collections of the Royal Museum for Central Africa. The remainder are loans from Belgian private collections and a European project's four partner museums: the Musée du quai Branly in Paris, the Ethnography Museum of Stockholm, the Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico Luigi Pigorini in Rome and the Musée International du Carnaval et du Masque in Binche (Belgium).XXX
XXX"Persona - Ritual Masks and Contemporary Art" is a temporary exhibition based on the theme of identity as examined through the mask in the literal and figurative sense. In Latin, Persona referred to the actor’s mask... In a very general way, the persona is the mask worn by each person in order to respond to the demands of life in society. These ritual masks are juxtaposed with contemporary works by African artists or African diaspora members, which explore the question of identity, self-respect and representation of the Other. Ritual Masks and Contemporary Art is presented as part of Project READ-ME (Réseau européen des Associations de Diasporas & Musées d’Ethnographie, ‘European Network of Diaspora Associations and Ethnography Museums’), which aims to encourage dialogue in Europe between museums and the diasporas whose cultures are represented in their collections.
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XXXAnother temporary exhibition featured at the museum is "Omo - People and Design". The Omo valley, located in south-western Ethiopia, is on Unesco’s World Cultural Heritage List. An exceptional paleontology site on which several ancestors of the human race were discovered, it is rightly named the "birthplace of humanity". Graced with stupendous natural beauty, it also has several national parks. Now viewed as one of the most remote regions of the African continent, it is the cultural crucible of a dozen nomad tribes that barely survive in an austere environment. The Ethnographic section of the Royal Museum of Central Africa possesses over 1,000 objects collected from those pastoral people, representing one of the largest collections for the region. The exhibit offers one person’s view of the nomadic peoples of the Omo valley and of their relations with their environment. It focuses on the esthetics of ordinary, everyday objects and explains the role played by them in a society constantly obliged to adapt itself to the laws of nature. It also describes the new social and geopolitical stakes, and the recent challenges faced by these small nomadic communities. Some magnificent portraits and pictures of body paintings complete the exhibit.
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XXXThe Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) was created following the 1897 Brussels International Exhibition and is one of ten federal scientific establishments in Belgium. As a scientific research institute dedicated to Africa, it occupies an important position on the international scene; as a cultural center, it is one of the most visited museums in the country. Its collection of ethnographic objects from Central Africa is the only one of its kind in the world. The central African regions that are now The Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi were Belgian colonies in the 19th and 20th centuries (1885-1960 for Congo, 1923-1962 for Rwanda and Burundi). The museum is also home to the entire archives of Welsh journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley, which are of great historical value. The RMCA maintains film and photograph libraries and a large collection of maps and geological data. Its zoology collection features a vast array of specimens of African fauna, while the Entomology Section boasts some six million insects. The Museum also houses a magnificent collection of tropical wood, which is now the largest in Europe. (from africamuseum.be)
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Labels: Africa, Belgium, Brussels, exhibition, Museum
January 7, 2010
(Benin)- Seventy films are competing in the 8th International Film Festival of Ouidah, entitled "Quintessence", which is kicking off today in the town of Ouidah (located at about 30 miles south-west of Cotonou, the Beninese capital). ”Altogether, 70 films were selected for the 8th edition of "Quintessence". Among these films were 7 feature films, 20 documentaries, 18 short films, 12 entertainment films and 9 video movies, the sponsor of the event, Jean Odoutan, explained. The main objective of the Ouidah Film Festival is to facilitate access to films in sub-Saharan Africa.
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XXX"The Quintessence Festival 2010 aims not only to contribute to the development of cinematography in the sub-region, but also to showcase filmmakers, especially those from the south”, Jean Odoutan said, revealing that two round table discussions will be held during this year’s edition. The first is entitled "Documentary and commitment: the documentary film, sociology of an art between rebellion and alienation", while the second is titled "The documentary, film and television: producing and distributing documentaries in Africa". Beside these two roundtable discussions, several workshops will be held, including workshops on the introduction to documentary. (from apanews.net)
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January 6, 2010
(France/Belgium/USA)- A new exhibition hosted at the prestigious Musée d'Orsay in Paris and organized together with New York’s Museum of Modern Art presents to the public a major retrospective of James Ensor, the unique Belgian artist whose life and work straddled the 19th and 20th centuries, with 90 paintings, drawings and graphic works that range from naturalism and early Impressionism to Expressionism and the strident, violently colored masks and skeletal fantasies for which he is best known.XXX
XXXJames Ensor (1860–1949) was a major figure in the Belgian avant-garde of the late nineteenth century and an important precursor to the development of Expressionism in the early twentieth. In both respects he has influenced generations of later artists. This exhibition presents approximately 120 works, examining Ensor's contribution to modernity, his innovative and allegorical use of light, his prominent use of satire, his deep interest in carnival and performance, and his own self-fashioning and use of masking, travesty, and role-playing. Examples of Ensor's paintings, prints, and drawings are installed in an overlapping network of themes and images to produce a complete picture of this daring, experiential body of work. Ultimately, this exhibition presents James Ensor as a socially engaged and self-critical artist involved with the issues of his times and with contemporary debates on the very nature of modernism.
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XXXThis exhibition, the first retrospective to be presented in Paris since 1990, aims to show the interplay of fracture and continuity to be found throughout Ensor's work. Continuity comes from the Naturalism and Symbolism that influenced his early work, as well as the tradition of masks, disguise, grotesque and satire, and carnival, a legacy from his childhood in the Belgian seaside town of Ostend, a city to which he was deeply attached. Fracture is the dramatization of the use of color and light. It is also the invention of a new language where the words intrude unsubtly alongside images, in order to give meaning to ideas, and the invention of a new narrative system teeming with characters and actions. Through his scathing irony, his sense of derision and self-derision, his intense colors and his expressiveness, Ensor, a strange and unclassifiable painter, finds his place amongst the precursors of Expressionism.
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Labels: arts, Belgium, exhibition, France, James Ensor, museums, Painting, Paris
January 4, 2010
(France)- Her iconic beauty is so incredibly close to perfect that even her minor flaws are adored indiscriminately. To this day, Brigitte Bardot remains a sparkling symbol of French culture and fashion. Bardot secured her first magazine cover shoot with Elle at sixteen, and le look Brigitte Bardot quickly invaded the fashion industry, priming the teen idol for success in sometimes shocking films and pop music. The legendary sex symbol, who as a young woman was the model for Marianne, the national emblem of the French republic, retired from celebrity life at age 39 after over twenty years in the public eye. Today, the woman affectionately known as B.B. leverages her fame by advocating for animal rights.XXX
XXXFor the star's 75th birthday this year, the Musée des Années 30 (Museum of the 1930s) right outside Paris is hosting until the end of the month an exhibition called Brigitte Bardot: Les Années "Insouciance" (The "Carefree Years"). Featuring a delightful smorgasbord of media - from film clips to fashion accessories to Andy Warhol's classic paintings of the star - the event has imbued the museum's Espace Landowski with a flavor of the breezy, innocent years before the whirlwind chaos of Brigitte Bardot's fame. The exhibition revisits the life and times of one of the sixties most sexy stars with photos, film clips and memorabilia. Bardot made 48 films including the legendary "Et Dieu créa la femme" (And God Created Woman - 1956). Early photos of her taken by Sam Levin and Cornel Lucas became icons of French feminine sensuality. The Sculptor Alain Gourdon used her as the model for Marianne, the French national symbol.
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XXXBrigitte Bardot, star of the 1950s and 60s, embodied both the carefree attitude and the liberation of women fighting the hypocrisy of a period mired in outdated and sexist values. Based on archive documents, new interviews and objects which belonged to the actress, this profuse and fun exhibition is designed as a journey back in time. A series of themed alcoves, each bearing the name of a film, a song or a TV program, form a timeline recounting the actress's life from her childhood to her espousal of the animal fights cause, via Saint-Tropez and her love life. These take us through the landmarks in her career, which also included more than 80 songs. Over the course of the tour, visitors are plunged into Brigitte Bardot’s tumultuous life, accompanied by the actress’s voice (songs, sound clips, etc.) The colorful portrait also draws on images by great artists for whom she was the muse: Andy Warhol, Van Dongen, Richard Avedon, Robert Doisneau, Sam Levin, Arman, Aslan, Saura, Paco Rabanne, etc. Finally, note that the exhibition is accompanied by a special program of films at the Landowski Cinéma d’Art et d’Essai. (from new-paris-ile-de-france.co.uk and francetoday.com)
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Labels: Brigitte Bardot, exhibition, fashion, France, lifestyle, Paris







