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June 2023

Alexander Calder, a Sculptor Fighting for Free France

This month, we explore the art world on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean! First, read how American sculptor Alexander Calder produced a mobile to support Free France during World War II – this is our cover story. Also in this issue, discover the little-known contribution of American artists in 1950s France; read our interview with Delphine de Canecaude of Chargeurs Museum Studio, the French company that has outfitted many of America’s largest museums; and enjoy our profiles of Clark Art Institute director Olivier Meslay and French-American graffiti legend John “JonOne” Perello.

Featured Articles

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INTERVIEW

LYNN GUMPERT

“Paris Has Always Attracted American Artists”

A book co-edited by Lynn Gumpert, director of the Grey Art Gallery at NYU, is shaking up preconceptions about the contribution of American artists in France following World War II. We asked her about this little-known period, when Paris was still as much a hub of artistic creativity as New York City.

By Guy Sorman

THE BRIEF

DELPHINE DE CANECAUDE

“Every Museum Is an Incredible Adventure”

The dynamic fortysomething was hired to run Chargeurs Museum Studio in February. As the world leader in cultural engineering and production, the French company has designed the National Museum of the U.S. Army, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the new wing of the American Museum of Natural History, which recently opened in New York City.

By Guénola Pellen

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80 YEARS OF FRANCE-AMÉRIQUE

ALEXANDER CALDER

An Artist Fighting for Free France

The American sculptor participated in World War II through his art, working for Free France in Connecticut, New York City, and Washington D.C. His creations included a mobile adorned with three shapes sporting the colors of the French flag and a Cross of Lorraine – the symbol of General de Gaulle. This was just one of several acts of political activism undertaken by this “adopted Frenchman.”

By Diane de Vignemont

PORTFOLIO

JONONE

The Many Lives of a French-American Graffiti Legend

He cut his teeth “bombing” New York City subway cars before carving out a niche on the French urban art market and in the biggest museums in the country. In the run-up to his exhibition in Le Touquet, we looked back over the career of artist John “JonOne” Perello, who has lived in France for almost 40 years.

By Clément Thiery

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Table of contents

FROM THE NEWSDESK

On lâche rien: A New Era for Organized Labor in France. By Anthony Bulger

COME ON OUT

French Cultural Events in North America. By Tracy Kendrick

EDITORIAL

French Billionaires vs. American Billionaires. By Guy Sorman

INTERVIEW

Lynn Gumpert: “Paris Has Always Attracted American Artists.” By Guy Sorman

THE OBSERVER

Safe to Go Back in the Water? Reconnecting Paris with the Seine River. By Anthony Bulger

ECONOMY

Yann Coatanlem: A Transatlantic Perspective on Inequality. By Benoît Georges

PORTRAIT

Olivier Meslay: An Art Expert in His Field. By Jean-Gabriel Fredet

THE BRIEF

Delphine de Canecaude: “Every Museum Is an Incredible Adventure.” By Guénola Pellen

80 YEARS OF FRANCE-AMÉRIQUE

Alexander Calder, an Artist Fighting for Free France. By Diane de Vignemont

LIFESTYLE

Cécilia Jourdan, the French Language’s Instagram Ambassador. By Caitlin Raux Gunther

PORTFOLIO

JonOne: The Many Lives of a French-American Graffiti Legend. By Clément Thiery

SPORT

Coffee, Community, and Cycling en Deux Langues. By Sophie Stuber

BEYOND THE SEA

Rita de Acosta: Portrait of an Icon. By Jérôme Kagan

BOOK REVIEW

Eric Vuillard: Colonial War under the Scalpel. By Sophie Joubert

THE WORDSMITH

Bordel, a Word of Ill Repute. By Dominique Mataillet

© 2021 Artists Rights Society, New York/ADAGP, Paris; photo by Thomas Clark/Clark Art Institute