PARIS, FRANCE

By Ross Jordan

Dual MA student Ross Jordan went to Paris for two weeks to eat baguettes, wear berets and check out Anish Kapoor’s installation at the Grand Palais.

Image courtesy of Ross Jordan

My visit began with a few nights, and some mornings, celebrating the end of the semester in front of a Pyramid with bottles of champagne and my friend’s classmates from the École du Louvre. After riding the stone lions on the steps of the school and taking photos of me in a beret eating a baguette, I was ready for some more sobering art experiences.

The French Ministry of Culture has invited Bombay-born, Britain-based globe trotter Anish Kapoor to fill the Grand Palais with a work titled Leviathan. The artist calls the piece a poetic gesture that will “turn the Grand Palais inside out.” After I entered the exhibition through a revolving door, I felt as if I was standing inside a giant red balloon. The sensation was like being underwater, and my ears even popped.