The Year in Review: 2023
The best books that I read, the best films that I watched, the best albums that I listened to and the best exhibitions that I visited in 2023.
Sophie Calle at the Musée Picasso
"À toi de faire, ma mignonne", Sophie Calle's take-over of the Musée Picasso, is one of the most intelligent exhibitions I've seen in a long time. Picasso is absent, but he has never been more present.
Nicolas de Staël at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
The Nicolas de Staël retrospective at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris is a revelation. This was the first time that I encountered a comprehensive survey of his work. I instantly recognized a kindred spirit.
Le Paris de la Modernité at the Petit Palais
Le Paris de la Modernité (1905-1925) is a sprawling exhibition, which brings to life a period when Paris was the cultural capital of the world. Through nearly four hundred works across all artistic domains, the exhibition celebrates the effervescence of the years 1905 to 1925.
Gertrude Stein and Pablo Picasso at the Musée du Luxembourg
I was not expecting to see works by Bruce Nauman, Carl Andre and Jasper Johns, when I saw the posters for “Gertrude Stein and Pablo Picasso. The Invention of Language”, but it makes for an interesting exhibition.
Mark Rothko at the Fondation Louis Vuitton
The Mark Rothko retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see an exceptionally large selection of works by the American abstract expressionist.
Naples in Paris at the Louvre
The exhibition Naples à Paris at the Louvre is a rare opportunity to see some masterpieces from the Museo di Capodimonte alongside the Louvre's own collection of Italian paintings.
Kunsthaus Zürich
I spent almost four hours at the Kunsthaus Zürich, which was way longer than I’d expected and goes to show that I greatly enjoyed visiting the museum.
Matisse, Derain and Friends at the Kunstmuseum Basel
The exhibition Matisse, Derain and Friends. The Paris Avant-Garde 1904-1908 at the Kunstmuseum Basel documents the emergence and the heydays of Fauvism.
Futurism and Europe at the Kröller-Müller Museum
The exhibition "Futurism and Europe: The Aesthetics of a New World" at the Kröller-Müller Museum explores the relationship between Futurism and other European avant-gardes such as the Bauhaus, De Stijl, Constructivism, Esprit Nouveau and Cubism.
Van Gogh in Auvers
The exhibition Van Gogh In Auvers is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see a large number of paintings from the last phase of Van Gogh's life, some of which from private collections, that are presented together for the first time.
Asian Medicine at the Musée Guimet
The Musée Guimet in Paris has organized a fascinating exhibition exploring the three great traditions of Asian medicine: Indian, Chinese and Tibetan.