Fondation Louis Vuitton

The Fondation Louis Vuitton at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris is a new gallery for modern and contemporary art. Bernard Arnault, Chairman and Chief Executive of LVMH, envisioned architecture that would be symbolic of the 21st century and to this end, entrusted the project to renowned architect, Frank Gehry. The glass and steel building represents Gehry's idea of an evolving structure as it interacts with time and light, creating an impression of perpetual change.

The gallery was inaugurated in October of this year and the line to purchase tickets was understandably long in late November. I opted to enter the Jardin d'Acclimatation to get a close look at this colossal structure and observe the play of light on the curving glass panels as the afternoon progressed.

Gehry's creation was inspired by glass and steel buildings of the 19th century. However, the Fondation is definitely 21st century. It appears like a ship with a recognizable bow under which the bones of the structure can be seen. The curving and overlapping glass panels called Verrière are the sails. The Verrière shelters the gallery spaces below called the "Iceberg".

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is a privately owned museum. LVMH will turn over the museum and its contents to the city of Paris in 55 years.

How to get to the museum:

Take Metro line 1 to Les Sablons then it's a short walk along Avenue Mahatma Gandhi to Jardin D'Acclimatation and the Fondation. For more information about the museum, check out their website: www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr.

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Images by TravelswithCharie

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