by Christine Zibas

Created on: March 22, 2010

The French have never been afraid of modern art, and the Centre Georges Pompidou (also known as the Place Beauborg) was designed to make a statement. Much as the French railed against IM Pei’s glass pyramid at the Louvre, so too was this earlier arts center (opened in 1977) the source of much controversy.

The idea that makes the building so unusual is that it appears as if it were turned inside out. All the elements that would be hidden away in the construction of an average building have been turned to the outside of the building. Thus, the outside of the building is covered with glass, which allows anyone walking by to see a maze of colorful pipes and ducts facing outward, showcasing all the elements that make the building function.

Although some may posit that its futuristic look today appears a bit dated, there is no one who sees the building who doesn’t have an opinion, either positive or negative. Members of the Pompidou’s design team were an elite cadre of architects, and included Pritzker Prize Winner (the highest award given in architectural achievement) Richard Rogers as well as Italian architect Renzo Piano, who has gone on to design many more art museums, including the recent addition to the Art Institute of Chicago, among others.

What the Centre Georges Pompidou clearly achieved was a change in the attitude toward art centers. No longer the exclusive entitlement of the rich and cultured, this modern design (which highlighted those very workaday elements, such as pipes and ducts) brought the building to the masses. It was a building for the people, not a select group. The statement is clear.

Inside the Centre Pompidou is an explosion of art and culture. From the largest modern art museum in Europe (Musee National d’Art Moderne) with its 40,000-word collection to a huge public library to the IRCAM (a center for music and music research), and beyond, this is a performance space and exhibition area for the arts. The Centre recently added an additional 5,000 square feet to increase its performance spaces and gathering areas (such as restaurants). The entertainment continues outdoors to the plaza, where street performers (such as mimes, jugglers, performance artists, and others) gather to showcase their talents.

In perfect keeping with this lively atmosphere is the delightful fountain adjacent to the Centre Georges Pompidou, the Fontaine des Automates, in the Place Stravinsky. This brightly colored, moving fountain was designed by artists Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle to honor the musical works of Stravinsky in a delightfully eye-catching movement of art and water. The bright colors and lively action are a perfect complement to the Centre Pompidou and the street parade of entertainers near by.

Whether you love it or hate it, it is impossible not to be affected by seeing the Place Beauborg in Paris. It is not without controversy, all these years later, but its life and joy cannot be denied.

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