Arts visuels
Édouard Manet tried to warn us about the male gaze
We often come across the expression male gaze on the internet and in the media. It refers to the act, in arts, of depicting women and the world from a heterosexual male perspective. This perspective represents women as sexual objects, for the pleasure of the heterosexual male audience. The concept of male gaze was first articulated by the British Read more
Blood antiquities: The complicity of western museums in the Syrian conflict
When we think of war, we think about destruction. However, there is often a silent war against memory. The conflict that ravages Syria since 2011 has not only tragically displaced and killed millions, but has also erased a good part of Syrian’s historical heritage, that is to say the cradle of civilization. This allowed the Read more
The Louvre heist: how 7 minutes shook the world of cultural heritage
Thieves stole Empress Eugénie’s necklace from the Louvre in seven minutes, exposing critical security gaps. The theft shattered more than glass – it violated the artworks’ « aura » that Walter Benjamin described. These jewels are vessels of national memory; their loss erases pages from France’s material autobiography. The treasures will likely be disassembled, their provenance destroyed. Despite planned security upgrades, implementation failed. While technology like microtagging helps, true protection requires treating heritage as shared identity rather than power symbols. The empty display case reminds us that value lies not in carats, but in memory – making vigilance an act of collective care. Read more
Le Voyage en Hiver, much more than just a Christmas market!
Since last Saturday, the buildings of Nantes are shining, new sculptures have appeared in the streets and people are wandering from cottage to cottage with cups filled with mulled wineat Place Royale. It’s the beginning of the winter, and most importantly, the beginning of Le Voyage en Hiver (Winter’s journey)! In fact, this colourful and Read more
A paradoxe of writing : it disappears when we can understand it, and only appears once we face an unknown one
Writing, when it works, disappears into reading. — paraphrasing Roland Barthes thesis in The Degree zero of writing, 1953. When faced with a stele covered in hieroglyphs, an ancient Chinese manuscript, or a Linear A tablet, something happens. Writing lies before us, familiar in its materiality : lines, strokes, columns, engravings, yet utterly foreign. We read Read more
Discover “Sous la pluie” — When Art Meets Rain in Nantes
“Sous la pluie. Peindre, vivre et rêver” — When Art Meets Rain in Nantes I really like rain. When I was a child, I always enjoyed sitting in the classroom watching the raindrops fall on the leaves outside the window, often getting distracted during lessons. I loved sharing an umbrella with classmates to walk to Read more
Comu 2025: The Virginian sails into the Graslin Theater
On October 24 and 25, the Graslin Theatre will host, for the very first time, the legendary “Comu”, Audencia’s annual student musical. This is a huge milestone for the school, as students leave the familiar Theatre of Orvault behind to bring their play 1911 ou La tragédie du Ruban bleu (1911 or The Tragedy of Read more
Theatre for Whom? History, Barriers, and Renewal of Audiences in France
Theatre has long been considered a place of culture and refinement — but for whom, exactly? In recent years, concerns have grown about the ageing and social homogeneity of theatre audiences in France. Although demographic changes partly explain the ageing of cultural audiences, theatre seems to be affected in a particularly acute way. This trend, Read more
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art: where art, architecture, and nature meet
Most museums are built as containers for art – imposing structures that protect and display collections but often feel detached from daily life. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark, took a different path. Since its founding in 1958, it has blurred the boundaries between art, architecture, and nature, creating an experience that Read more
The Unmeasurable Heart of the Museum – Counting More Than Just Visitors
The spreadsheet on my desk declared the previous quarter a success: visitor numbers were up, acquisition targets were met. But late one night, alone in the Jianghai Museum under the soft glow of the exhibition lights, that success felt curiously hollow. I was preparing for a « Museum Night » event, and the silence around me wasn’t Read more