Murakami meets the Sun King

Photos : Gilles Truyens © EPV

The Chateau at Versailles has continued it's venture to make it not just touristic destination but a cultural one as well. After the exhibition by Jeff Koons last year they have invited Takashi Murakami to interact with the not so subtle surrounds of the Chateau and it seems more people object to him than to Mr Koons!

For some people it is just a step to far to turn a national monument into an exhibition space for Modern Art, the cheek of it, imagine what the king would say! It would be straight to La Bastille but now we are in the 21st century and being sent to Bastille isn't such a bad thing.

The Chateau of Versailles is by no means a subtle building, (infact as I type they are guilding the roof with real gold) and it is this factor that makes it a difficult space to exhibit art as there is so much more battling for your attention. With the Koons exhibition last year I came away with not so much a greater appreciation of his work but with a greater appreciation of the art of the curator. All the pieces sat perfectly in their environment, playfully interacting with the 'historical' artifacts that each room contained and judging from the images of the Murakami exhibition it looks like this has happened again and is a great factor for going to see the his work exhibited in Versailles. As he says himself about his exhibition;

"With a broad smile I invite you all to discover the wonderland of Versailles. I am the Cheshire cat that welcomes Alice in Wonderland with its diabolic smile, and chatters away as she wanders around the Château."

Here are a few pictures of what the exhibition looks like but I think it needs to be seen in person. 

Photos : Gilles Truyens © EPV