Great Starting Points

BERNARD TSCHUMI  is one of the most famous architects, you've never heard of.  He was 39 years old before he built anything.  On Thursday, he told us why.

Until he received his first commission, the Parc de la Villette in Paris, Tschumi was a "paper architect."  Experience has taught him that a site is not like a white sheet of paper.  Every site has constraints, rules, regulations, topologic challenges. The key he said "was to take advantage of them.  It's a puzzle to resolve, just like playing chess."

 

The Alesia Museum and Archaeological Park in Alesia, France was the site of the Battle of Alesia in 52BC.  It was fought by Julius Caesar and his army against the Gallic tribes.  The Siege of Alesia was considered one of Caesar's greatest victories.  Tschumi described how he strategically approached the site.  His round building gives the visitor a 360-degree panorama view of the battle.  The same view Julius Caesar had.  

Tschumi has been teaching for many years.  Asked what he gets out of it?  He answered without hesitation.  "I teach to learn about myself.  It's opportunity to develop ideas with students.  It forces you to articulate a way of seeing."

 

The gardens, I have designed, are sites with every imaginable problem.  Last night, Tschumi's compared the difficulties of a building site to a founding principle of martial arts "use the strength of your opponent to defeat him."  The next time, I am stymied, I will think about that adage and perhaps, gain a little solace.

Art de Vivre
Creative Leaders
Bernard Tschumi

 interviewed by Michael Boodro
fi:af
Wednesday, November 14

all images courtesy of Bernard Tschumi

UMAMI: The Wow Effect

I lost my sense of taste to anesthesia.  When I was offered a cup of coffee before leaving the hospital, I realized that my tongue was no longer picking up on sensory cues.  I could identify the drink as hot, but that was all.  I tried not to worry.  I hoped it was a temporary condition.

A week and half after surgery, still living in a non-flavorful world, I went to hear Eric Ripert, chef at the 4 star restaurant, Le Bernadin and Christina Tosi, pastry chef at Momofuku Milk Bar talk about "Fabulous Flavors:  Sweet, Sour, Savory" at the Alliance Francaise.  The conversation moderated by Christine Muhlke, Executive Editor of Bon Appetit Magazine was advertised as a discussion on how flavors shape our memories.  For someone lacking  taste buds, I thought this conversation might revive my capacity to detect flavor.

The pairing of these two chefs was brilliant:  cornflakes meet black truffles.

Ripert grew up in the South of France in a cooking family. With French and Italian grandmothers, a mother devoted to the nouvelle French cuisine of the day (Paul Bocuse), Ripert was surrounded by rustic and elaborate cooking that depended on local ingredients.  His home was an ocean of flavor and smells.

Tosi's childhood was packaged. A picky eater,  her childhood diet consisted of Whatchamacallits, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Barbecued Potato Chips. "I did not taste a raw tomato until I was 18 and ordered a BLT. My early food memories are those of the American Midwest.  It's low-brow, casual and has provided me with a flavor palette that inspires me as a pastry chef".

Just like a good dish, the contrast in texture made for a great conversation, which never became bitter or sour.  Each chef was passionate about putting their voice into food; tapping into emotions and memories.  The evening turned on one word:  UMAMI.

Tosi was talking about depth of flavor.  "It's something you feel in the pit of your stomach; it's umami." 

Ripert brigthened at this remark.  "What does umami mean to you? We've been researching it.  What does it mean in Japanese?... delicious flavor.  It's the WOW effect.  A state of mind.  A combination of ingredients...vibrant, powerful.  It's pure harmony.  It's earthiness."

As I left the Alliance Francaise, I felt reassured that my sense of taste would return.  As Tosi said, eating creates emotions in your mind.  I am waiting for those emotions to infuse my tongue.  In the meantime, I am planning a trip to Milk Bar to taste a compost cookie (pretzels, potato chips, chocolate and Rice Krispies).  A dinner at Le Bernadin will have to wait until a few more pesos accumulate in my bank account.


From le Bernandin dinner menu:
Lacquered Striped Bass; Chayote Squash, Sofrito Broth
Sauted Sole;"Almond-Pisctachio-Barberry" Golden Basmati, Brown-Butter Tamarind Vinaigrette
Grilled Baby Sepia; Sweet Pepper jam, Red-Wine-Squid Ink Sauce

From Milk Bar menu:
Blueberry miso soft serve
Compost Cookie
Crack Pie
Pretzel Milk

Stopping and Taking a Moment: LUCIEN CLERGUE

A Talk with
Lucien Clergue
Moderated by Dan Leers
Beaumont and Nancy Newhall Curatorial Fellow 

in the Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art

FIAF Gallery
22 East 60th Street
NY, NY

Clergue in America
FIAF Gallery
Curated by Anne Clergue, the artists daughter
November 10 - December 21, 2011

It's not often you meet someone, who has paled around with Pablo Picasso...Jean Cocteau, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Marcel Breuer, Ansel Adams, Edward Steichen, and Robert Rauschenberg - to name just a few.

Clergue is French, from Arles.  He came to New York at the urging of Edward Steichen. 

Dear Lucien Clergue:
I am pleased to hear that there is at least a chance of your coming to New York when we will be showing your splendid photographs at this Museum.  I hope that you will be able to realise this, as your meeting the American photographers here and the American photographers meeting you as well as your work would be a fine step in the advancement of modern photography,with a decided mutual benefit to all concerned.

With all good wishes -

Sincerely yours,

Edward Steichen
Director of Photography
Moma

This letter is so straightforward and innocent.  It struck me that no gallery owner or curator would ever write a letter like this today.  It reminds us that art was once not big business, but an exchange of ideas among artists.

At 76, Clergue is spry and animated.  He talked about  his own work by telling stories.

What were your first impressions of NYC in 1961 or What was it about Point Lobos and the work of Edward Weston that captivated you?

 "I went to Caramel to see the atelier of Edward Weston and was blown away.  For the next 12 years, I stayed off and on with Ansel Adams photographing rocks and nudes". 

Ansel said to me "I have been here for 40 years and I have never seen what you see." 

Clergue: " I am Mediterranean by birth.  What you see, I don't see.  I look at the details." 

This is how the evening went.

As we were leaving, my friend turned to me and said. "He is in amazing shape, must be all the red wine".  "No" I said, "It's photography.  It keeps you engaged with the world."

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