When the Versailles Palace hosted an exhibition by the American artist Jeff Koons who made rabbits of glittering plastic in 2008, conservatives were raged and considered that the modernist ideas of that artist violated the value of the place that once lodged the kings of France, and then, became a museum featuring masterpieces for the greatest painters and sculptors of that era.
But the palace curators maintained their revolution against the prevailing ideas by hosting exhibitions of contemporary art. Will Marie Antoinette's hairstyle be spoiled if a modern artist sculpting rabbits sits in front of her mirror?
The palace administration hosted 10 exhibitions of this kind until it has become normal and does not irritate the conservatives anymore. Hiroshi Sugimoto, the Japanese photographer and artist, is the 11th guest on the contemporary Versailles list in an exhibition that runs until February 17. Sugimoto doesn't only occupy the most beautiful halls of the palace, but he also spread his works in the Trianon gardens and lake.
Yet, he maintained the famous Japanese morals and did not disturb the souls that inhabited this place 300 years ago. Instead, he decided to inspire the past and to add new touches on it. He travels back in the history of the palace and depicts its ancient characters with modern photography.
The exhibition's guide told us that these works chase the ghosts of those kings and nobles and questions the relationship that connects the visitor to the concept of time, on one hand, and to photography on the other hand.
The artist owns a project that combines modern formations with Japanese traditions, and thus, he achieves the fundamental idea behind the establishment of an annual exhibition for a local or foreign contemporary artist, on the outskirts of the palace, considered the largest incubator of the luxurious lifestyle before the French Revolution.
This style still affects the Parisian life in many aspects including fashion, food, architecture and music, and classical art.
Sugimoto chose to display his works in the Trianon, a small pavilion attached to the Grand Palace, which was Queen Mary Antoinette's favorite refuge to escape the hustle. In that place, the queen ordered the establishment of her own romantic garden, with a theater for performances, workshops for tailoring and simple industries, until the place became like a village.
Here is the Japanese artist putting his bags in Marie Antoinette's space and establishing a dialogue between his time and her time. He doesn't only repaint these characters in their traditional postures, but also invests in the lake by building a glass tea house, as if he is inviting the Queen of France to a final relaxation session before the guillotine of the revolution falls on her neck.
Hiroshi Sugimoto was born in Tokyo 70 years ago. He is an international photographer, and then he has become a professional architect pursuing his artistic ambitions. Talking about the reason behind this move, he said he often display his photographs in inappropriate places, so he decided to design spaces that are more suitable to the needs of artists and the audience.
Then, he turned his interest to live performances because he feels that they give the place a fourth dimension, which is time. He also said that he does not seek harmony in his work, but prefers chaos. When he had the opportunity to display his works at the Versailles Palace, he was thinking about how to invade the heavily loaded palace, in a way that combines peace and surprise. Watching some of the exhibition's pictures is definitely far better than the explanation.
