Jackson says oui to Parisian exhibit.

Renowned artists like Matisse and Picasso will bring a taste of French Modernism and Parisian elegance into the heart of Jackson as part of a new exhibit set to open at the Mississippi Museum of Art March 6. The exhibit, entitled "Paris Moderne: Art Deco Works from the Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris," consists of more than 75 paintings, sculptures, and pieces of furniture never before seen together outside the City of Light.

The exhibit will use furniture and domestic decor to celebrate the innovative style of Parisian interiors during the 1920s and '30s. Museum guests will feel as if they are aboard the ocean liner Normandie as they explore a collection of varnished panels crafted by Jean Dunand. Next, they will get a taste of the Hotel de Ville de Paris as they view an assortment of furniture pieces designed by Gerard Saddier in honor of the king and queen. Finally, guests will be mesmerized by exclusive pieces made of materials ranging from crocodile skin to lacquered gold.

The Art Deco furnishings provide a creative setting for the artwork that adorns the walls. The 40 paintings featured in the exhibit run the gamut from portraits and landscapes to still lifes and abstractions. A variety of sculptures will also be on view, including a breathtaking copper mask by Daurat.

The exhibit, the latest in the Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Memorial Exhibition Series, runs through July 11. For details, call 866/VIEW-ART or see www.msmuseumart.org.