OFR

Librarie OFR is one of my favorite bookshops in Paris. Every time I walk by I am drawn in and spend a minimum of 15 minutes (usually way longer even if I am late somewhere) browsing their selection of books and magazines covering all ranges of design-graphic, textile, furniture, object, fashion, as well as art books and monographs. They also have artists books, including "Paris" by Ami Sioux in which the artist asked friends to draw a map of their favorite place in Paris and then she used the map and went and photographed the site. Maps range from minimal sketches to elaborately drawn treasure-like maps with personal instructions and added splashes. It's a clever and creative idea and has become a regular gift item to friends. In the back of the shop is a big space dedicated to art installations as well as fashion designers for a salon or fair. OFR, 20 rue depetit thouars, 3rd arr.

The Weight of a Mustard Seed

The Weight of a Mustard Seed, by Wendell Steavenson, is a book about Iraq, but it is not your typical war/journalist horror story. The book traces the life of a former Iraqi general during the Iran-Iraq war named Kamel Sachet. Through years of meticulous research and interviews Steavenson puts together a unique portrait of a man, who also happened to be a ruthless general and served as one of Saddam’s military stooges during the 1980s, who inflicted torture and worse on many a civilian. The Weight of a Mustard Seed sheds light on the times before the US invasions in Iraq, the realities of this country and the countless fighting, devastation and suffering that the Iraqi people have endured. Her interviews with Sachet’s family, friends and associates allow the reader to grasp a more profound psychological portrait of how people deal with war, death and dictatorship, particularly how average citizens, doctors, lawyers, etc. can enter into brutal circumstances and the real price of loyalty. It’s certainly not a romantic book but it is real and insightful, and definitely worth a read.

Jeanette Winterson

I had the great pleasure to see the author Jeanette Winterson read from her early novel, The Passion, on Saturday, at Shakespeare + Co. It was truly one of the best readings I have ever been to and feel lucky to have attended. Winterson is an author who is always on my list of "to read," but somehow, I never bought a book and did so. I now realize my error. Fortunately, I can now start to benefit fully from her gift, and perhaps it will be even better after glimpsing her personality and incredible reading performance. Her website is pretty fun as well. www.jeanettewinterson.com/index.asp

Sorry for the bad photo.

Salon Light #5

Beginning yesterday through tomorrow is a great little book fair featuring artists editions and small press publications...mainly art related. The salon is located at the Point Ephemere, in the 10th and includes about thirty indie publishers of books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, journals and editions. We went last year and really enjoyed it. Because it is such an intimate space and setting, you get a chance to talk to people and learn about the various projects involved. The salon is sponsored by CNEAI, an arts space located just outside Paris that is dedicated to artists' editions. Check it out: http://salonlight.wordpress.com/

Librairie 7L

In a city filled with innumerable bookstores, French and English, Librairie 7L still manages to add something special. The creation of the oh, so something Karl Lagerfeld, the store is filled with mostly coffee table type tomes with glossy, beautiful photographs, in the fields of art, architecture and design-but in the widest sense, including landscape design, fashion, textiles, art deco furniture makers and all ranges of photography. Being the concept of Lagerfeld the photography and fashion sections are particularly dense and varied. The store appears well curated and well attended to-each section having a range of material and subject matter that is not found just anywhere-with smaller publications in the mix as well as larger productions such as Rizzoli and Actes Sud. Hours are to be had browsing-perhaps a good idea for this weekend if the threat of rain turns real. Librairie 7L, 7, rue de Lille. No website.

salon du livre et papiers ancien

On through tomorrow at the espace champerret in the 17th, is the annual salon du livre and papiers ancien. Housed in what appears to be the basement of some uninteresting conference center, this is a gem of a salon for anyone who loves to hunt for old books, postcards, posters, and emphemera. The average viewer and dealer could be considered a bit "crusty," I would say that M and I lowered the average age by a few years, but none-the-less, it is a fun way to spend the afternoon. I bought a couple of small posters and cards of 1940 or 1950s advertisements for coffee and rum, filled with bold, graphic colors and shapes. M found some old religious texts and politcal studies for his work. Plus, not to be missed is the fabulous "cafe" that serves delicious wine and champagne alongside plates of charcuterie and fromage, homemade tarts and fresh bread. Makes the whole experience even better.

Section 7 Books

Currently up the Kadist Art Foundation, www.kadist.org, in Montmartre is a project titled Societe Anonyme, which is in large part an installation/ bookstore of small press, art publications. Section 7 books was developed by writers/curators Thomas Boutoux and Francois Piron, along with artist Oscar Tuazon and art critic, Benjamin Thorzel. Societe Anonyme consists of Section 7 Books, as well as a series of lectures, presentations and events that will take place for the duration of the store. It is an expansion and continuation of a similar project mounted at the contemporary art space, Le Plateau in 2007. Organizers have brought together a sampling of fantastic books, catalogs and magazines that are rare finds, particulary in the French art/publication scene, and which are typically small edition sized productions. Included among them are the publication Dot Dot Dot, by Dexter Sinister, based in NYC, 16 beaver st. (NYC), b-books (Berlin), and tranzit (Prague). Throughout the exhibition/installation new books will be added and replaced. Paris is full of great art bookstores, but the group has entirely succeeded in bringing in alternative names to the scene, highlighting some interesting, independent projects happening across the globe. The project runs through March 16. Cash Only.

Cradle-to-cradle

My New Year’s resolution this year is not all that original but hopefully will lead to me to some heightened understanding, opportunity and change. Like much of the rest of the world right now, (thankfully), I want to become more informed about the environment, particularly in connection to aspects of design and architecture whether in landscapes, buildings or objects- and to understand more their function and purpose and how they can be better designed in order to truly be something sustainable and beneficial—not just trendy yoga pants with recycled cans as a fiber. It’s always been an interest and informed choice to try and do things more eco, but over the holidays I read an inspiring and well-written book titled “Cradle to Cradle” by William McDonough, an architect, and Michael Braungart, an environmental chemist. These two have been collaborating together for awhile with the premise of redirecting our entire market-driven society to focus on products with a cradle to cradle life span, i.e. from its inception to it’s final use the product can give something back to the world (or at least not pollute it further), rather then the now concept of cradle to grave whereby manufacturers create products with built-in obsolescence— a product with an intended short life span which was created little thought to the pollutants that fill the air at its inception, and no thought to a funeral but just toss it in the dump. The problem is of course, while it simmers in the dump it emits pollutants and takes up space. Is there anyone else who has to buy a new cell phone every year or year and a half because theirs gets old and breaks down? Think of all those phones added up together. It’s an environmental disaster. Built-in obsolescence was a smart gimmick by CEOs to generate more sales but it’s time to rethink this method, without perhaps loosing sales and/or hurting the economy and this is exactly what the books discusses. It’s simple and revolutionary. The consulting firm for the two authors is www.mbdc.com and there is also a great website with detailed info about the book, www.mcdonough.com

Martha Rosler's Library

The Martha Rosler Library has arrived in Paris at the Institut national d’histoire de l’art www.inha.fr in the 2nd arrondissement. This fantastic exhibition/installation of the artist Martha Rosler’s personal library, was conceived with the help of e-flux the online network for disseminating information about contemporary art. Most prominently e-flux is known for its email mailings wherein at least 3-5 emails a day arrive in your inbox bearing news/openings/prizes from around the globe.

I had read about this project when it opened in New York in late 2005. Somehow I missed it and totally regretted it. I read about its movement to Germany and then alas, a surprise e-flux came in a couple of weeks ago announcing its arrival in Paris. The library consists of nearly 7800 volumes all from Rosler’s collection, mostly in English, and includes catalogues, essays, documentation in subjects ranging from art, theory, women’s studies, science, politics, revolution, poetry and fiction. When I arrived yesterday NPR was playing on a radio and there were a few people sifting through the stacks or sitting at a table in one of the many chairs provided, and that, essentially is the point of the installation. It’s a chance to hang out, browse an incredible diversity of books, listen to the radio and read. It also serves as a reminder to those who are more used to reading/studying/researching etc., on the Internet, to recall a time of discourse, physical research and the power of printed text. The installation has a comfortable, local library feel as well housed within the beautiful stone building, which also holds classes and research facilities for University students.

Martha Rosler is an artist who lives and worked in Brooklyn, New York. She emerged onto the contemporary art scene in the 1970s, as a pioneering feminist artist, for the most part, but not entirely. Some early, well-known works were photo collages that mixed scenes of the Vietnam War in modern settings of domestic bliss. Picture an image form Life Magazine, of soldiers in full combat with guns in shooting position superimposed into a perfectly suburban living room; or a perfectly manicured woman pulling back the drapes in her home only to reveal a black and white image of the Vietnamese jungle and bloody scenes of war. They were haunting. Rosler has always maintained a body of work that deals with text and image, pop culture and the underbelly of war, poverty, and struggle.

For Americans and Anglo’s in Paris who love to read I recommend checking out Martha Rosler’s Library. It is a unique opportunity to explore not only the mind of this great artist, but scan through numerous books, many of which you may not have heard of before and which could open up new areas of interest.

Martha Rosler’s Library, November 14-January 20, 2008
INHA, 2, rue Vivienne, 75002

Salon des Livres

A Salon des Livres took place this weekend in a nightclub along the Quai Valmy in the 10th Arr. It was a small gathering (not a fair), of about 20-30 small press publishers coming primarily from France, England, German or United States.The setting was perfect-intimate, sort of grungy and totally independent.