PARIS, FRANCE
«Sep. 2016»

MONTPARNASSE

M&M: museum & metro

Photos © Ruud Leeuw

Walkabout in France's capital Paris, for a visit of a few days.
Unfrtunately, two of three photography museums I intended to visit, even after having checked opening times and adresses on their websites, I found closed..

So not a success, but I do have pictures to share and managed to find a few places I could practise my photography interest.
We stayed in Montparnasse, soon we had our regular breakfast place and watering holes.
I endulged in some streetphotography, which I hope you will enjoy.

 


Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
A moment of contemplation on the steps of Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs (Boulevard du Montparnasse).
But this trip was not about churches and ornamental buildings, I intended to remain in the streets mostly.

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Such as this: 'checking out the passers by'.
This is outside the Falstaff pub in Rue du Montparnasse, where we enjoyed a comforting pint and lunch.

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
One of my biggest frustration this trip was finding two of the photography museums I intended to visit closed!
Both I had checked about two weeks previous for opening times and adresses, but had seen nothing (on the english
pages) about being closed for a period. It really confirmed my frustration of the French being not efficient

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Chez Papa, no doubt a reference to Ernest Hemingway.

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Bringing in fresh supplies

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Boulevard du Montparnase

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
We entered this 'Salon de Thé' (Árthé') on 17, Rue Campagne Première and to my great joy
found an excellent photo exhibition here or work by Lee Waddell, 'signs of time'.
Apparntly he is an Australian living in Paris. I love his powerful images but could not find him on the internet.
Neither could I find www.art-the.com, but that is just one of many French inconsistencies, so inefficient!


 

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Montparnasse Tower, quite a landmark!

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Rue du Montparnasse and Rue de la Gaité were our regular haunts for drinks and meals.

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)

 

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Le Tournesell, they serve cold Guinness from tap and if one is lucky they have bottles of IPA in the fridge.

Montparnasse, Paris (Fr)
Staring in the face


 

JEU DE PAUME

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume
No, not in Montparnasse, but since my intended visit to three photography museums failed miserably, a seperate page
is not worth it and I include my visit to Jeu de Paume here on this page.

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume
The out-of-focus maybe due to my poor handling of my compact Fuji X100T

Josef Sudek was originally a bookbinder. During WWI he was drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1915 and served on the Italian Front until he was wounded in the right arm in 1916.
Although he had no experience with photography and was one-handed due to his amputation, he was given a camera...
After the war he studied photography for two years in Prague.
Sudek founded the progressive Czech Photographic Society in 1924.
While Sudek's work was not my prime interest in photography, one can only admire his stamina in following his passion in those early days of photography, under difficult physical conditions.
More on Wikipedia

 

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume
Sudek's photography may not be my focus on photography, had hoped to see more streetphotography
of Prague, but one has to admire the work he has done and the passion he had for photography.

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume
'The Intimate World of Josef Sudek'

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume

Josef Sudek in Jeu de Paume

Jeu de Paume
Work by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, 'Two Suns in a sunset'.

Jeu de Paume
'Two Suns in a Sunset' looks at major projects of their artistic and film output from the late 1990s to the present day.
I liked this artwork where they photographed posters over a period of time, the faces fading..

 

 

METRO


Paris, metro
Your eyes on me..

Paris, metro
Nice to note here are more people reading from paper rather from an electronic device. No photoshopping!

Paris, metro
A look over the shoulder to see who is following

Paris, metro
Serious warnings!