FRANCE: Pharrell Williams celebrates femininity with his 'G I R L' exhibition in Paris

Record ID: 695383

  • Title: FRANCE: Pharrell Williams celebrates femininity with his 'G I R L' exhibition in Paris
  • Date: 26th May 2014
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 26, 2014) (REUTERS) JOURNALISTS / POP STAR PHARRELL WILLIAMS STANDING NEXT TO GALLERY OWNER EMMANUEL PERROTI, AND EXHIBITION COORDINARTOR ASHOK ADICEAM VARIOUS OF ARTWORK READING (English): 'G I R L' VARIOUS OF ARTWORK OF GIRL FACING WALL WITH HEAD AND ARMS IN T-SHIRT WILLIAMS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE, POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS WILLIAMS AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS / NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) POP STAR PHARRELL WILLIAMS SAYING: "I'm a musician and to be welcomed with open arms into this world, to learn, not to profess to be an expert, (Daniel Firman), he's constantly correcting me, but that's what it's all about, because I want to learn. I want to learn and to be able to collaborate with these artists and walk around in their spaces, you're walking around in their minds, that's, no university can offer you that." VARIOUS OF DANIEL ARSHAM'S 'THE FUTURE PHARRELL', MADE OF BROKEN GLASS WILLIAMS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) POP STAR PHARRELL WILLIAMS SAYING: "And we live through our senses and we take our senses for granted, but when they're taken from you momentarily it becomes spiritual, you start to think about things differently, so you no longer have your eyes, you have your ears but they're muffled, you can't move your limbs, you can't move your legs, you know, you're sitting still for like an hour and a half and the only sense that you now have is through a straw. So now you're starting to see through your breath in a way feeling wise, you're starting to hear through your breath because it's your only collection to life. Everything else has been muted. So that was like a spiritual thing that took me to a place, a stillness that made me appreciate breath." ARTWORK OF WILLIAMS KISSING WIFE HELEN WILLIAMS VARIOUS OF ROB PRUITT'S 'STUDIO LOVESEAT' IN FRONT OF PORTRAITS OF MARILYN MONROE EXHIBITION, GUERRILLA GIRLS' ARTWORK READING (French): 'DO WOMEN NEED TO BE NAKED TO GET INTO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM' GUERRILLA GIRLS' ART INSTALLATION READING (English): 'DO WOMEN HAVE TO BE NAKED TO GET INTO MUSIC VIDEOS WHILE 99% OF THE GUYS ARE DRESSED?' (SOUNDBITE) (English) POP STAR PHARRELL WILLIAMS SAYING: "I spoke with certain women that, you know, didn't like it, didn't appreciate it, and I understood where they were coming from and I still understand and I still respect their views, but at the end of the day, the song and the lyrics were completely different than what you were seeing in the video. Blurred lines is about a good woman, like, are there good women here today? There are good women, right. Good women sometimes have naughty thoughts, right? And you shouldn't feel, you shouldn't feel pressure because you think and feel that, and you shouldn't be made to feel lesser than because you have naughty thoughts, and that shouldn't take away your good girl title." MINIATURE NAKED WOMEN ON 'G I R L' SIGN EXHIBITION SOPHIE CALLE'S 'MIRACULOUS BREASTS' EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF WILLIAMS STANDING IN FRONT OF TAKASHI MURAKAMI'S 'PORTRAIT OF PHARRELL AND HELEN WILLIAMS'
  • Embargoed: 10th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA90JA49SF47UOOMZJGFPTZBBA8
  • Story Text: Pop star Pharrell Williams opened his very own exhibition in Paris on Monday (May 26), showcasing works of art which celebrate femininity.
    Titled 'G I R L' after William's album of the same name, the contemporary art exhibition brings together 48 artworks in a formal ballroom at the Hotel du Grand Veneur in the French capital's Marais quarter.
    It mixes images of women and love, viewed from a variety of angles by 37 artists, including Tracey Emin, Takashi Murakami, Andy Warhol and Daniel Arsham.
    Williams told reporters he embarked on the project to learn from the artists involved.

    "I'm a musician and to be welcomed with open arms into this world, to learn, not to profess to be an expert, he's (Daniel Arsham) constantly correcting me, but that's what it's all about, because I want to learn. I want to learn and to be able to collaborate with these artists and walk around in their spaces, you're walking around in their minds, that's, no university can offer you that," he said.
    Williams was sculpted by Arsham for the piece 'The Future Pharrell,' which was made of broken glass. The musician told the news conference sitting still for such a long time was a spiritual experience.

    "We live through our senses and we take our senses for granted, but when they're taken from you momentarily it becomes spiritual, you start to think about things differently, so you no longer have your eyes, you have your ears but they're muffled, you can't move your limbs, you can't move your legs, you know, you're sitting still for like an hour and a half and the only sense that you now have is through a straw. So now you're starting to see through your breath in a way feeling wise, you're starting to hear through your breath because it's your only collection to life. Everything else has been muted. So that was like a spiritual thing that took me to a place, a stillness that made me appreciate breath," said Williams.
    Works in the 'G I R L' exhibition include pieces by activists Guerrilla Girls, a group of female artists fighting discrimination. One art installation read: 'Do women have to be naked to get into music videos while 99% of the guys are dressed?' Williams' hit song with R&B singer Robin Thicke 'Blurred Lines' caused controversy when it was released in March 2013 for its nudity-filled video. Williams defended the video, which was conceived and directed by female director Diane Martel.

    "I spoke with certain women that, you know, didn't like it, didn't appreciate it, and I understood where they were coming from and I still understand and I still respect their views, but at the end of the day, the song and the lyrics were completely different than what you were seeing in the video. Blurred lines is about a good woman, like, are there good women here today? There are good women, right. Good women sometimes have naughty thoughts, right? And you shouldn't feel, you shouldn't feel pressure because you think and feel that, and you shouldn't be made to feel lesser than because you have naughty thoughts, and that shouldn't take away your good girl title," he said.
    Further artworks on show include Sophie Calle's 'Miraculous Breasts' and Murakami's 'Portrait of Pharrell and Helen Williams,' which shows Williams and his wife in her wedding dress.
    The exhibition lasts in Paris until June 25, 2014.
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