Time Flies.

DANIEL BIRNBAUM ON THE POMPIDOU'S REOPENING

ON JANUARY 1, AFTER TWO YEARS of renovation, the Centre Georges Pompidou reopens its doors. Directed since 1996 by Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the museum will mark the occasion with a number of shows--a retrospective of the center's original architect, Renzo Piano; a mammoth survey of the photographs of Brassai (see p. 41); and, most ambitiously, "Le Temps, vite" (Time, quickly) (Jan. 13-Apr. 17), a sprawling exhibition that will emphasize the interdisciplinary effort typical of the Pompidou's program since its beginnings almost a quarter of a century ago. Organized by Daniel Soutif, director of the institution's department of cultural development, "Le Temps, vite" is as much cultural extravaganza as art exhibition, presenting ancient Egyptian and Aztec artifacts alongside classical, modern, and contemporary works in a sweeping examination of time. The show, which is divided into twelve "chapters" (plus a prologue) with such titles as Memories, Working Time, and In Real Time, represents a journey from darkness to light, explains critic Jean-Pierre Criqui, editor of the exhibition catalogue: "The general theme is the changing notion of time in contemporary culture, produced by new technologies of transportation and communication such as the Internet." According to Criqui, the show will be accompanied by a range of publications, including a broadside with essays by the likes of theorist Georges Didi-Huberman; a science magazine; a fiction supplement with contributions by five writers, among them American novelist Nicholson Baker; a comic book; and a calendar for the year 2000. The exhibition will also bring together films, music, and an "aural scenography" by composer Heiner Goebbels.

With the Pompidou's reopening, the mood in the French art community seems to be one of optimism. "The Pompidou is a very large ship," says Jerome Sans, newly appointed codirector of the Centre de la Jeune Creation (see p. 48). "And no matter how ambitious the recent captains have been, they have had great problems controlling it and making it sail in the right direction. Everybody knows that the Pompidou was once the most dynamic place in Paris, and now there seems to be a strong desire to return to the original energy level. There are some very innovative people working at the center now." Sans singles out Christine Van Assche for praise. Responsible for new-media exhibitions, she is currently at work on a show with French video artist Pierre Huyghe, scheduled to go on display May 24. Huyghe's exhibition will not only include his recent Dog Day Afternoon-based installation Re/Extended (see US Shorts, p. 34) but will also document the process involved in its realization. A large video production often takes two to three years to complete, says Van Assche: "Pierre wanted to involve Al Pacino in the production," which added delays to the schedule. "The whole process will be documented and presented as part of the show."

Other developments at the Pompidou bode well for the Paris scene. A completely renovated high-tech library, the appointment of Serge Laurent as the new curator for dance and performance art, and plans to create interdisciplinary collaborations between different departments, including IRCAM, the center for music research, are seen by many as signs of hope. Paris art institutions in general and the Pompidou in particular have not exactly been hotbeds of excitement as of late. At least this time the glass seems half-full.