Things to do in Paris today

Where? Musée Cognacq-Jay, 8 rue Elzevir, Paris 3rd When? February 25-June 25 2017 Set in parallel with the Carnival of Venice 2017, the floating city’s biggest party has been born again in Paris, illustrated by a collection of around 60 works from masters Tiepolo, Guardi, Canaletto or Longhi.

In the Richelieu wing of the Petite Galerie du Louvre, ‘Corps en mouvement’ – curated by renowned choreographer, Benjamin Millepied – draws us into a whirlwind of marching statues, angels about to take flight and twirling ballerinas (notably the sinewy Loïe Fuller captured on film by Auguste Lumière). Alongside the Egyptian figurines and more contemporary works, are classic paintings capturing, for example, Apollo at full speed or the energy released by seemingly static Tanagra statues. Although most works were created in a time when 3D was impossible to even fathom, their sheer momentum is fascinating. Look long and hard to dissect the rustle of a veil, the pace of a stride, the lifted hair or the arm stretched heavenwards. Scrutinsing details of ‘Mercury flying’ or an Indian kathak dancer, allows you to rediscover these works in all their majesty. And even though some of the body’s contortions or tensions seem exaggerated – like in Géricault’s ‘The Epsom Derby’ – their beauty and sophistication shine through. This is not just a matter of contemplation, illustrative video footage teaches us how artists breathe life into inanimate objects. This thought-provoking, multi-faceted exhibition, if anything, ends too quickly. Fortunately, you can follow it with the Louvre’s Cour Marly, which, with its giant marble statues practically leaping off their pedestals, could almost be an extension of the exhibition. TRANSLATION: MEGAN CARNEGIE

Presented outside of the walls of Musée Bourdelle (15th), this exhibition from Palais Galliera, begins a spanish season - which will be followed by 'Costumes espagnols entre ombre et lumière' (Spanish costumes from dark to bright) at Maison Victor Hugo from June 21 to September 24 2017, before becoming 'Mariano Fortuny' at Palais Galliera from October 4 to January 7 2018. 'Balenciaga, l’œuvre au noir' (‘Balenciaga, working in black’), will look at the black tones within the alchemy of haute couture. Balenciaga pieces are showcased in plaster casts within the Great Hall, with others found in Bourdelle’s studio - acting as a great contrast wixth the 19th century sculptor.  In a nutshell, the beauty of haute couture. 

Where? Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris 7th When? March 28-July 23 2017 The Spanish master’s obsession with art from Africa, the Pacific, the Americas and even Asia is hugely prevalent in his work, in the ‘Demoiselles d’Avignon’ particularly. The Quai Branly exhibition sets out to demonstrate Picasso’s artistic relationship with the non-Western world.

 Where? The Pompidou centre, Place Georges Pompidou, Paris 4th When? June 21-October 23 2017 After celebrating his 80th birthday at the Tate Modern and before continuing on with the party at New York’s MET, the English artist is coming to the Pompidou centre. This will be an important retrospective of his original work, coming nearly 20 years after his first Paris debut at the Pompidou.

2017 sees the centenary of Rodin's death, and the eponymous museum has given the painter Anselm Kiefer free reign to make hommage to the sculptor. During this exhibition, the contemporary German artist Anselm Kiefer renowned for his XXL paintings inspired by the nation’s darkest times. Having studied Rodin’s work, Kiefer presents his most recent pieces as a modern interpretation or even a continuation of the master’s remarkable universe.  Shaping authenticity, redefining beauty It was notably the discovery of ‘Les Cathédrales de France’, published by Rodin himself that inspired the artist. The stone monuments which once fascinated the sculptor are painted by Kiefer in a way that highlights the grandeur and fragility of the materials used on the canvas. Looking as if they're crumbling, Kiefer's cathedrals are breathtaking. An unexpected meeting These towers remind us of the ones that were installed in his workshop in Barjac. The similarity between the two artists’ work is made wonderfully clear through the exhibition. Drawings as well as sculptures, weave links between modern and contemporary art. Kiefer recreates Rodin’s moulds with the same styles of beauty that is uneven, broken and even disturbing. By embracing the defects of the stone and marble figures the artist opens up another dimension of another century. This exhibition makes you want to give Kiefer the archives of another famous master to see what else he could create.

Where? Musée Picasso, 5 rue Thorighny, Paris 3rd When? March 21, 2016-September 3, 2017 The Musée Picasso’s new exhibition looks at the relationship between the artist and his first wife, Russian dancer Olga Khokhlova (between 1917 and 1935), putting his masterpieces in perspective by highlighting their romantic context. Picasso's first wife and the mother of his first child, Olga met the painter in 1917 while on tour with the Russian Ballet, before marrying him a year later. During the early years of their relationship, Olga was the perfect model - her pensive, almost melancholy poses represented a return to clean, figurative portraiture for Picasso. The suffering portrayed in these paintings was reflective of Olga's personal life. Her family suffered great hardship during the economic and social decline of Russia during the Second World War. Her portrayal takes a change after the birth of the couple's son in 1921, with several scenes depicting a motherly softness. Another change to Picasso's style occurs when the painter meets the 17-year-old Marie-Thérèse Walter - the woman that would soon become his mistress.  Notably in the painting, Le Grand nu au fauteuil rouge, is a startling sight. The violent disfiguration relflects critical condition of the marriage. The couple separate for good in 1935 but remain legally married until Olga’s death in 1955.  Musée Picasso takes us through these happy and sad years, offering a selection of paintings, drawings, written and photo

Where? Grand Palais, 3 avenue du General Eisenhower, Paris 8th When? March 23-July 31 2017 For the 100th anniversary of the sculptor’s death, the Grand Palais presents a new view of this versatile artist, rounding up and uniting the collectors of his work (and that of his contemporaries) in this dedicated exhibition.