Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sun in the night


It's been a while since there has been a neon sign on top of the Samaritaine. Today, on my way back from Ile Saint Louis, I noticed there was something new up there and I could not help but taking a photo of course. Now... what does it say? "Sun in the night" ! What does it mean? Well it's not very important (although there is an actual meaning, click here to see it - in French only). The main thing to know is that it's actually a modern art piece, made by French artist Laurent Grasso which will last until October 21st, 2012.

13 comments:

  1. Love, love, love this photo! The text on FNAC explains very well what "du soleil dans la nuit" was intended for.

    Thanks for sharing it, Eric! I am secretly in love with "La Samaritaine".

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  2. I am secretly in love with you! ;-)

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  3. It's good to see the Samaritaine alit. I think you posted this before, but here it is again, according to Wikipedia:

    "The name La Samaritaine ("the Samaritan Woman") comes from a hydraulic pump installed near the Pont Neuf, which operated from 1609 to 1813. The front of the pump featured a gilded bas-relief of the Samaritan Woman drawing water for Jesus at the well as described in the fourth chapter of John's Gospel. Cognacq's original stand was on the former site of this structure."

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  4. Love it ! Can you imagine what they might have done at Versailles with neon
    I saw Holy Motors last week bizaare film.La Samaritaine is one of the stars ( though not sure if it was a set or the real thing ) .

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  5. I think it looks quite beautiful. But then, I like neon!

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  6. This has solved a mystery for me. Last time I walked by, I noticed the Samaritaine sign at the top had disappeared. I was puzzled but no more. Thanks for clearing this up for me, Eric! Beautiful shot!

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  7. Thank you for introducing Laurent Grasso.

    Great french art nouveau architecture.

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  8. @Keats " I am secretly in love with "La Samaritaine"." Really? That's funny

    @Anonymous "I am secretly in love with you! ;-)" Really? That's funny too!

    @Jeff ""The name La Samaritaine ("the Samaritan Woman") comes from a hydraulic pump installed near the Pont Neuf". True. And la Samaritaine was founded by a husband and a wife whose name is familiar to all French people my age the "Cognacq-Jay" which is also the name of the street where the first television studios used to be.

    @Jaq "I saw Holy Motors last week bizaare film." ??? Never heard of it.

    @Lydia "But then, I like neon!" I actually do too! A lot.

    @Janet ". I was puzzled but no more. Thanks for clearing this up for me" You're welcome ;-))

    @Arr D. "Great french art nouveau architecture." Yes, I can't wait till they reopen the Samaritaine again.

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  9. Don't get it.
    Still, it brings the revamped Samaritaine to everyone's attention which perhaps is the point of the exercise. Glad that this landmark building is being brought into use again.

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  10. Very nice!

    It's a great pity the Samaritaine never reopened as a department store. :( (Of course there is a scandal behind the story of its closure but I won't bother with it here!)

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  11. Je ne sais pas pourquoi l'explication dit: «A la manière d'Une nuit américaine". Quelque chose de perdu dans la traduction? Ou est-il un stéréotype d'une nuit américaine?

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  12. @Sasho. L'expression nuit américaine vient du cinéma ; cela consiste à donnezr l'impression que l'on est la nuit, alors que l'on a tourné en fait, de jour (en sousexposant le tournage). More here.

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  13. Ah, merci, Eric. J'ai appris encore une autre des 1001 choses que j'ai appris de votre part sur les sujets de Paris, de la France, la langue française et de la technologie. Je savais «day for night", mais pas le terme français.

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