Sunday, September 22, 2013

International Blue (Back to Paris)




 Call it what you will - electric blue, royal blue, jewel tone...For me it will always the the International Blue, that loud unique shade patented by Yves Klein, the one he smeared upon naked ladies and huge canvases.

The strong, instantly recognizable blue, the one no other artist was allowed to imitate.

With all this history in mind, I can't help but think of Vonnegut's Bluebeard and his character's failed abstract expressionist painting - a huge blue canvas from which the paint started peeling off to his embarrassment. His Satten Dura-Lux Windsor Blue is a direct Klein reference to me; and who couldn't appreciate Vonnegut's sick sense of humor?

I wasn't much into Vonnegut at start, as I must have read a horrid Romanian translation of the book, but once I read Cat's Cradle in English I instantly became a fan.

Only this whole blue deal might be a little more than a chromatic rant - I think I've got the blues.

Autumn has sure come suddenly this year - the rain and cold caught up with us while being at the seaside.

So seeing those summer photos already makes me nostalgic about a vacation that's barely over. Don't get me wrong, I do love turning leaves and berries and digging out warm sweaters, but I think this year we've been so warmth deprived that I can't really say I'm very happy about the upcoming cold season.

At least I have beautiful photos from all my photographer friends that will help fuel my summertime fantasies.

But in the meanwhile there's the whole folie de la rentree, with the upcoming Nuit Blanche, FIAC and this weekend's Fete des Jardins, the Paris-wide parks and garden outdoor celebration. They probably know this is the last weekend when the weather is still nice enough to do all this.

Oh and did I mention school starts in a week as well? Also - Halloween is just around the corner!

Hope everyone had a great summer. What are you guys looking forward to this autumn?