Saturday, October 2, 2010

Murakami v. conservatives at Versailles


The Art Newspaper reports the director of the Palace of Versailles denies he has caved in to the demands of traditionalist protest groups opposed to his contemporary art programme by agreeing to no longer use the chateau's royal apartments as an exhibition space. Jean-Jacques Aillagon has decided, instead, to mount future shows in other areas of the the 17th century site, following the furore over the current exhibition of works on show there by Takashi Murakami.

Over 12,000 people have signed two anti-Murakami petitions initiated by conservative factions opposed to the "Disneyfication" of the former residence of Louis XIV, a trend they say was kickstarted by the Jeff Koons show launched there in 2008.

And Murakami? He says in an official press statement: "I am the Cheshire Cat who greets Alice in Wonderland with his devilish grin, and chatters on as she wanders around the chateau."
Image: Takashi Murakami at Versailles, installation view