Moulin Rouge & Can-Can

There' an exhibition that opened about two weeks ago and seemed promising based on the add I saw. You know I can't let these occasions slip out of my hands, but with life being busy and a couple of health issues, I could only visit today. No worries as it was not too late.

This was a combined exhibition, featuring the work of two artists and the title of the exhibition was not Moulin Rouge :) The reason for this title is, because Erzsébet Kulcsár, one of the exhibiting artists had a series with this theme. A wonderful one, you'll see.

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I hope there's no need to explain what Moulin Rouge is, but to be in the safe side, for those readers from outside Europe, here it is.

Moulin Rouge ("Red Mill") is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche.

In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia. The original venue was destroyed by fire in 1915. Moulin Rouge is southwest of Montmartre, in the Paris district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement, and has a landmark red windmill on its roof. The closest métro station is Blanche.

Today, the Moulin Rouge is a tourist attraction, offering predominantly musical dance entertainment for visitors from around the world. The club's decor still contains much of the romance of fin de siècle France. source

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source

The sad thing is, four days ago, this happened. It was shocking to read the news, but taking into consideration how old the mill is, most likely maintenance has not been done properly. I've been to Paris and have seen the Moulin Rouge and had Notre Dame burning feeling. Good thing it wasn't anything like that. Anyway, let's get back to the exhibition, shall we?

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You have the original above on the screenshot and the painting. Obviously the artist took the liberty to let her imagination free and depict the famous mill as she sees it. If you have a close look, you can see there are mainly three colors used here, burning red, yellow and black. Yellow brings out the red very nicely.

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Moulin Rouge is best known as the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe. source

The funny thing about this exhibition was that none of the paintings had a title. This means you look at them and think what you want or let the canvas tell you what it can.

This artwork associated with the Moulin Rouge, can only mean one thing and that is the can-can dance.

In my eyes, this is a brilliant depiction of all that can-can means. What makes this artwork more valuable than any other of this kind is that it is made of genuine lather! Not canvas, not watercolor or any other media, it's leather. I don't know if you've ever worked with leather, but I can tell you, it's not an easy material to work with.

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Looking at this piece, was wondering if you can see what it is. I'm not going to give it away just yet. Think about it and let me know. Also, let's move on to the next one.

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Can you see the similarities? Are you starting to realize what you're seeing? :) By the way, except for the Moulin Rouge painting, all the artworks of this series were made of leather.

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Back in the day, when the Moulin Rouge started out and ladies performed Can-Can each night, ladies were wearing corsets. It was a must, it was part of the dressing code but the dancers were not wearing these corsets under their dresses. Sometimes there was only the corset and the skirt.

Looks like the artist used the corset on most of the body parts.

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I'm not sure if the artist considers it a series or not, or if there have been other pieces of this theme. I was thinking of its value. Would you sell it piece by piece, or as a series? It would look great on a single wall, or in a single room. Would make more sense as a whole.

I loved this series and although I haven't see many artworks made of leather, this was the most interesting by far.

Let me know what you think, would love to know how you see it.

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Hello friend Erika, I hope your health is better and that I am just a passenger in your humanity.

I really look at the work, and that Burgundy red with the intense yellow have their point of sexuality, of morbidity, that catches you even before the skirt of the can can girls, is lifted, I think it makes the imagination run wild not only of Parisians but of those of us who love this historical staging of the cabaret.

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Hello my lovely friend! Thank you, I'm ok now, feeling much better. How are you? How is life at your end?

That is exactly why you see those dressed in red. Back in those days, wearing such striking red was considered scandalous.

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Thank God you are well, my health is fine with some ups and downs, but already in medical control, cardiologist, I believe that life, in the end is always great and is lived here and now, dear friend.

The color red even when it is passion, I love it and throughout the story it romanticizes our thoughts and actions about love ❤️

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Sorry to hear you're also facing health issues. I hope it's not something serious. I wish you all the best. Take care and have a nice day ❤️

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Exhibition are definitely one of my favourite go-to places. Thanks for letting me see such lovely pieces. Can you also share your first exhibition experience? I think that is really dear to people

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I can't, it was ages ago, can't even remember what it was. Why do you ask?

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It feels good to listen to people's first times. It's mostly happy and interesting.

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I see. Well, no luck this time.

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I like that first painting the best but the use of leather for the corsets is perfect choice. I would say as a series would need a special place to display. A big enough room to theme it all with the series or a business with the proper theme 😳 for the series lol

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You're right. This series would be great in a big room, but given the nature of the theme, I wouldn't imagine a living room. Or who knows as nowadays nothing is forbidden or looks odd.

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Awwww... Exquisite thematic and a very particular and interesting type of art to see. As always, an excellent report...

By the way, an irreverently anecdote but relatively fun: "Last week a friend of my mother's had his birthday and my mother made a video call to congratulate him and as a joke my mother said: "Antonio, I'm sorry you had your birthday on the same day that the Moulin Rouge lost its blades" and Antonio almost without thinking replied: "Yes, first Notre Dame burns, now this"... My mother cut off the video call due the Antonios' audacity of mixing Notre Dame and a "cabaret" in the same sentence" :)... Poor Antonio has been calling my mother, me and my sisters to apologise and for us to act as diplomats!.... We've told him to wait a couple of weeks until my mother's astonishment wears off a bit! :))... Antonio is an excellent friend, painter, chronicler, writes and is a professor (retired) of Latin at the state university... But it's not the first time that he forgets how zealous my mother is in religious matters!... :)

Thank you always for sharing your work with us @erikah friend!

!discovery 40
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!PIZZA
!BBH

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@erikah! Your Content Is Awesome so I just sent 1 $BBH (Bitcoin Backed Hive) to your account on behalf of @jlinaresp. (2/5)

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Lol, what a story!!! 🤣 I ca imagine you mom's shocked face when hearing what Antonio said. You can't really mention the two on the same day, unless you're talking about tourist attractions. The two are the exact opposite. 😆

Thanks for sharing this story with me and have an amazing day!

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I like this! I'm crazy about red! It's so fun to see what you post!

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I'm rally happy to hear that. There's more coming soon as the exhibition was huge. Stay tuned! I hope it inspires you in some way :)

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Oh I hope your health can improve little by little so that you can be at 100% thank you very much for the context of the Moulin Rouqe because I was totally unaware of it and in my opinion these pieces are better together, I feel that separately they would not be understood.

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Thank you my friend, I'm perfectly ok now. And I'm glad my post was helpful. Living in Europe means you know about the Moulin Rouge, bit those from another continent might not. You're right, separately these artworks may mean less.

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Those leather artworks... are you allowed to touch that? Also, that part shows like a close-up clothing routine of those can-can dancers. And oooh, for a second, the first image gave me a grim picture of something or somewhere in hell, or something... IDK, red gave a different meaning to me, until you said something about it recently burnt. Oof. Now looks like I'm quite seeing the red as flames as well.

Nonetheless, these paintings are beautiful, I'd definitely love to stay.

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Those leather artworks... are you allowed to touch that?

Golden rule of any exhibition is Never Touch Anything! Imagine what those artworks would look like after everyone would put their dirty hands on them.

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Ah, goes to show of how I've never been to one... But yeah, a speck of dirt mean A LOT to artworks costing millions. Can't afford my HIVE to pay that! 😭

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The thing with leather is that it's very sensitive. Our skin is oily, even if it's not something you see, but it leaves a mark on leather. Imagine thousands of people touching that leather. Not to mention there are animals that call themselves human, breaking centuries old sculptures, just for fun. This is why every exhibition has cameras and tight security. Some things you break, can't be replaced anymore, or repaired.

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Now that makes sense. And therefore I learn something new about artworks: even when something you can (normally) touch, must NEVER touch.

Nonetheless, this really is a good post overall. Thanks for teaching me something!

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