One thing you don’t expect to find near the Austerlitz train station (Gare d’Austerlitz) is a dragon! And though, I came upon this one just inviting me to take his (or her?) photo. It is a teaser for an exhibit being held at the Grande galerie de l’évolution, part of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, until the 6th of November 2006. Created by artist Gilles Pennaneac'h, it is made completely of cardboard and aluminium as part of another theme on recyclable materials. It stands about 7 meters high.
Woaw, impressive indeed...
ReplyDeleteTalking about the relation between a cooler-fan, a dolphin and the war, i kinda see the relation between evolution and recycled materials (as in "recycling is a positive evolution, it will make the world a better place, blablabla), but what is the relation with the dragon ? is it that the dragon is at the start of the evolution, like a pre-historic figure ? and recycling is at the other end ??
In any case, i would have loved to be there and saw it with my own eyes. It is not something you would expect to see everyday in paris...
Thanks again for sharing this with us, eric. Some exiled expatriates enjoy your pictures a lot...;-))
This dragon looks very Chinese, and there is much symbology of the dragon in feng shui - one of which is good fortune. It would be a very auspicious thing to have a dragon at the entrance to your home or business. I'm sure there are other meanings as well.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, I remember that thing! There is a red one almost identical to this one, suspended from the ceiling near the TGV's at Gare De Lyon, if memory serves.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm... wonder if these dragons have anything to do with the heat wave in Paris, lately? ;)
Teaser or not, the "Grande Galerie de l'Evolution" is a must see in Paris..!
ReplyDeleteJM-
Wow 7 meters high! That is high! :)
ReplyDeleteYes tomate, I think you're right about the dragon at Gare de Lyon. Probably the same artist.
ReplyDeleteYou know I can't resist this opportunity, but since it's been so hot, I've just been dragon!
And of course, since it's a hot Saturday...
What do you give a dragon with an upset stomach?
Plenty of room!
that's a pretty good piece of art......it's a "he" and his name is "Puff" ;-)
ReplyDeletehttp://www2.mnhn.fr/dragons/
ReplyDeletepour préparer votre visite!
à savoir:
le billet permet aussi d'aller dans la merveilleuse Galerie de L'Evolution (même bâtiment);
CLIMATISÉE!
this is really a cool sculpture.someone told me there is this amazing sculpture in the Cluny. u should check it out.
ReplyDeleteOh lisi...you just put the biggest smile on my face! I haven't thought about Puff the Magic Dragon in a zillion years! I used to love that song as a child.
ReplyDeleteHere's the song as sung by Peter, Paul and Mary and you can sing along with the lyrics below:
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Little jackie paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh
*CHORUS*
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.
Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow wheneer they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. oh!
*RepeatCHORUS*
A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, jackie paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!
*RepeatCHORUS*
haha, Michael, am glad you like that song too...all that came to my mind when i saw Eric's photo is Puff and Excalibur ;-)
ReplyDeletenice shot...
ReplyDeleteCharlus said, ". . .i kinda see the relation between evolution and recycled materials (as in "recycling is a positive evolution, it will make the world a better place, blablabla), but what is the relation with the dragon ? is it that the dragon is at the start of the evolution, like a pre-historic figure ? and recycling is at the other end ??. . ."
ReplyDeleteTo which I reply: The dragon will recycle itself by melting down it's own aluminium and recyling it and the cardboard, of course!
Michael, loved your puns and your song lyrics!
Very nice photo Eric!
-Kim
Great interesting sculpture, very brave to led dragon loose.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
nature retreats as industry moves swiftly forward. I don't know if my interpretation is spot on but I love the use of a mythical creature to show how fast we are depleting the world of its natural resources. soon, even a banana, will be nothing but a faded memory. people of the future will ask if it it was a real fruit.
ReplyDeleteoutside of that, I've always had a fascination for dragons and having grew up reading the Dragonlance series, my dream has been to meet one. A Platinum coloured one. Just like this one Eric! Merci!
Chouette!
ReplyDeleteONLY in France could a Dragon be this charming!
ReplyDeleteI just checked janet's link, to the exhibit. apparently it's an exhibit about dragons in general, their myths and legends, presence of dragons in different countries, diffences between cultures of how they each represented dragons, what is common, how to define/ describe a dragon, and so on. it looks quite interesting and funny, actually, with a lot of drawings, sculptures, etc.
ReplyDeletethere is however nothing about a recycling exhibit. but they do say that there was a concourse to make a recycled dragon, and that first prize [sarah] gained to be exhibited in front of the museum, and the second one [made by simon] is in the gare de lyon train station.