Imagine wandering through a forest filled with autumnal trees, the green grass sprinkled with russet colored leaves and dotted blue with peacocks. Now imagine lakes and ponds full of doleful ducks and graceful swans swimming between multicolored stones that glisten in the sunlight, the bridges that cross over them with even more beautiful baubles hidden underneath. Better still, imagine being awed by your surrounding and accidentally stumbling upon the crown jewel of the park: a room filled with dazzling, brilliant crystal. At the Parc de Bagatelle in Paris, this fantasy is a reality.
Until November 2, 2008, the park is hosting the “Jardin de Cristal.” The regional council of Lorraine and the four most prestigious French crystal houses – Baccarat, Daum, Lalique and Saint Louis – have joined forces for this beautiful event. Scattered across the park are individual displays: Lalique has placed transparent crystal swans in the water that blend in seamlessly with the real ones; Daum has donated a school of fish that hover just above the pond, their colors spanning the rainbow. Fairytale colors such as baby pink offset the scenery and muted, sanded, crystal lies low in the surrounding landscape.
The main gallery, the Organerie, is surrounded by Roman inspired statues and sets a romantic stage for what lies inside. On a practical level, there is a video explaining how crystal is made and a showcase of some of the tools used to shape and cut them. The primary attraction however, is the large scale installations by the crystal houses that dazzle the eye. Massive chandeliers, Buddha statues and little doves are just some of the elements that make up this unique exhibition’s composition. There are four gardens, one for each house, and elements of the outdoors such as plants and water blend perfectly with the park’s surrounding.
Along with the gorgeous crystal, there is also a photography exhibit by Claire Xuan. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of French-Japanese relations, Xuan’s exhibition, “À l’air libre”, shows off 50 original photographs of regions throughout Japan. The room itself is minimalist, with circular eastern cutouts and a black and white color schemes. The photos explore wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Many of the images are saturated with color and stunningly portray the ephemeral beauty of nature.
Getting to this magical place is a bit of a trek, but well worth it. There are entrances at the corner of Route de Sèvres-à-Neuilly and Allée de Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement, Paris. Buses 43, 244, and 241 stop nearby. Entrance into the park is 3 Euros for adults, 1.5 for students and children younger than 7 are admitted for free. The park is open daily from 10am – 6pm. Be sure to give this lovely installation a visit if you have the chance.
Photo of crystal exhibition in Parc de Bagatelle, Paris originally posted by collinox
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