The Palace of Versailles and Contemporary Art: Exhibitions of Takashi Murakami
The Palace of Versailles and Contemporary Art: Takashi Murakami
The Palace of Versailles located approximately twelve miles outside Paris, France and is viewed as a place to showcase modern art. Much of the art that the palace has put on exhibitions over the years has brought a lot of controversy including the most recent one by Japanese artist Takashi Murakimi.
Looking back at the 400 years of history at the Palace of Versailles it was once a home for the French royal family, a center for political power and today is a symbol of absolute monarchy. King Louis XIV viewed Versailles also as a showcase for the artists he supported. Louis and his successors were passionate about contemporary art and were constantly having parts of the palace demolished and rebuilt and redecorated by the newest and finest artists of their day. Versailles serves as a place where the newest ideas in art are showcased and served as a trendsetter for other palaces as well such as The Louvre; with it’s over the top decorations showing the monarchy’s wealth. Today, the palace is constantly having some of the currently most popular artists showcase their work at Versailles for the public to view.
The most recent exhibit at the palace by Takashi Murakami ran from September 14, 2010 to December 12, 2010 has sparked a lot of controversy. This exhibition is called Murakami Versailles features 15 statues placed in different rooms of the palace. Murakami is a contemporary artist from Japan and has been billed as the new Andy Warhol, who is also Murakami’s mentor.
The showcase features big, brightly colored cartoonish figures, flowers, globes and other inanimate objects. The style is far from the Baroque style of the palace, leaving most critics to deem the show inappropriate. Some groups visiting the Chateau complained that Murakami’s work has no place in rooms once residence to historical figures such as King Louis XIV, France’s Sun King and Marie Antoinette. Prince Charles-Emmanual de
The Palace of Versailles located approximately twelve miles outside Paris, France and is viewed as a place to showcase modern art. Much of the art that the palace has put on exhibitions over the years has brought a lot of controversy including the most recent one by Japanese artist Takashi Murakimi.
Looking back at the 400 years of history at the Palace of Versailles it was once a home for the French royal family, a center for political power and today is a symbol of absolute monarchy. King Louis XIV viewed Versailles also as a showcase for the artists he supported. Louis and his successors were passionate about contemporary art and were constantly having parts of the palace demolished and rebuilt and redecorated by the newest and finest artists of their day. Versailles serves as a place where the newest ideas in art are showcased and served as a trendsetter for other palaces as well such as The Louvre; with it’s over the top decorations showing the monarchy’s wealth. Today, the palace is constantly having some of the currently most popular artists showcase their work at Versailles for the public to view.
The most recent exhibit at the palace by Takashi Murakami ran from September 14, 2010 to December 12, 2010 has sparked a lot of controversy. This exhibition is called Murakami Versailles features 15 statues placed in different rooms of the palace. Murakami is a contemporary artist from Japan and has been billed as the new Andy Warhol, who is also Murakami’s mentor.
The showcase features big, brightly colored cartoonish figures, flowers, globes and other inanimate objects. The style is far from the Baroque style of the palace, leaving most critics to deem the show inappropriate. Some groups visiting the Chateau complained that Murakami’s work has no place in rooms once residence to historical figures such as King Louis XIV, France’s Sun King and Marie Antoinette. Prince Charles-Emmanual de
Cited: Feb. 2011. <http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/japanese-manga-controversy hits-versailles-20100914-159xv.html>. 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-19/gaudy mushrooms-dreamy-blondes-take-over-sun-king-s-palace.html>.