Play Time (1967) by Jacques Tati is a relatively unknown movie. It is a more than two hours long and highly sophisticated visual comedy with nearly no dialogues, which probably explains why it wasn’t a big success in the box office. The film is however the best criticism of modern society that I have ever seen, and is still very relevant today. It is also a sharp criticism on modern architecture, both capturing the ideals of modernism and pointing at its delusiveness.
The Jeff Koons exhibition in the Chateau de Versailles illustrates how important the process of curation is in the reception of art. Curation is a relatively recent discipline, at least in our shared consciousness. It can be defined as the process of selecting and organizing artwork in order to further knowledge. A curator is thus an agent taking part in the cultural assimilation of art. He is a kind of “culturepreneur” who organizes art collections, exhibitions or festivals; explaining his approach through articles, books and conventions. His work influences what will be culturally remembered, how it will be perceived and classified.
Though I’m a big fan of themed ride experiences and am working in media innovation, I never visited the Futuroscope park of Poitiers. It’s a little more than an hour away from Paris by TGV, so I decided to address this gap during my previous trip to the French capital. What makes the park unique is in my opinion the mix between new technologies and the French cultural exception. Let me explain why.
Futuroscope is the second biggest theme park in France, after Disneyland Paris resort. It is radically different from other theme parks as it focuses mainly on simulators and audio-visual experiences. The look of the park is also unique with its futuristic buildings from Denis Laming.
France is the most popular tourist destination of the world, thanks to its massive cultural patrimony, more than 3,000 heritage sites open to the public. Its position is however challenged in a constantly evolving tourism industry. This is why ODIT France has been created, its mission is to analyze the tourism market and help French institutions and corporations to better fulfill its demands. Here is a summary of the presentation ‘How to make culture and leisure work together?’ that ODIT France presented at the International Heritage show held in the Carrousel du Louvre, Paris. I found the subject fascinating because it mixes the most commercial marketing methodologies with very important cultural considerations.
